Naruto: Legacy
by Ultra Sonic 007
Summary: What will your legacy be? A question that has many answers; follow the tale of Naruto and his fellow Konoha-nin as they face the dangers of an uncertain future, seeking their own legacy. And to think, it all begins with the final battle with Akatsuki...
1. Prologue

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Author's Notes: Well, this is my first stab at a Naruto story! I've become hooked on it ever since reading the manga extensively, so I've decided to try it out.

This story takes place after the three-year interval in which Naruto goes off to train with Jiraiya. To be more specific, RIGHT after Gaara is kidnapped by Deidara of Akatsuki. This is sort of an alternate timeline; Kankuro does not take chase, The Sand doesn't even have time to mount a response to the kidnapping of the Kazekage. They don't even have time to notify their allies of what has happened. THIS is when my story takes place.

(**PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCMENT**: March 30th, 2009)

Attention new readers! This is the author speaking from way in the future (where my writing style is drastically improved); given that it's been some time since I have started _Legacy_, and the other members of Akatsuki have been revealed since then, I feel the need to notify you. At the time of writing this, many identities were unknown, so I had to make adjustments.

But I will NOT update Legacy to change the new Akatsuki members. Sorry, but this is my story. Everything after chapter 249 in the manga is DISREGARDED in my eyes (though you may see some material brought over). Consider this an AU where it diverges from canon after chapter 249. Understand?

I will not change Deidara from a white-haired woman to a blonde man.

I will not change Sasori so that he has the abilities he has in the manga (if I rewrite these earlier chapters though, I might bring some). Nor will Tobi appear as his replacement.

Toya Shuu will not be renamed to Zetsu (and for good reason).

Akira, Hiroto, and Koumorimaru will not be replaced by Hidan, Kakuzu, and Konan (Kakuzu gets a flashback, and both Hidan and Konan have a 'different' role. You'll see).

The Leader of Akatsuki is NOT Pein (though Pein does appear later on in the story in a somewhat different role).

Uchiha Madara is not the Big Bad; he has a different role!

Please keep this in mind as you read.

**_AFTER CHAPTER 249 OF THE MANGA, CONSIDER THIS STORY AU._**

Begin!

xxxx

_I do not go back on my promises..._

_For that is my ninja way!_

_-Uzumaki Naruto, Ninja of Konohagakure_

xxxx

**_PART I_**

**_ARC I: THE BATTLE AT SUNA_**

**_Prologue_**

xxxx

/Desert, Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

The sun was setting.

A flash of blue sped along the sands. Upon that figure in blue was the green vest of a Jonin. Upon his forehead sat a headband protector, arranged in a way that hid his left eye. Upon that headband was the symbol of Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Finally, a mass of spiky silver hair sat upon his head, pointing toward his left side.

It was Hatake Kakashi the Copy Ninja.

And he was running as fast as he could towards Sunagakure, the Village Hidden in the Sand. When the great battle in Konoha had ended, he had immediately high-tailed it to Sunagakure.

After all, it was Temari and Kankuro that had notified the Leaf of the incident in the Wind Country. That had been three days ago.

Kakashi scowled, his face covered from the nose down by his blue uniform. He still couldn't believe what had happened. _Akatsuki...they made their move..._

Akatsuki. The criminal organization headed by nine S-Class criminals.

And they had lured Naruto to the Wind Country. After all, they possessed Gaara of the Desert...the Kazekage. The host of Shukaku, the Demon Tanuki. Kakashi knew that was motivation enough for Naruto to go to them.

But why? Why had Naruto gone? Didn't he know that was what Akatsuki wanted?

Kakashi's frown deepened as he quickly neared the outskirts of Sunagakure; soon, the village would be in his sight.

_Why did Naruto go?_ Did he sincerely think his three years of training with Jiraiya had been enough? Even if only ONE of the Three Legendary Leafs could take on a member or two of Akatsuki...no one would be able to hold their own against all nine.

It had been a clever distraction on Akatsuki's part. Naruto had left Konoha late in the night...and by the time anyone had gotten wind of his departure, the Leaf had found itself under attack by 100 Nukenin hired by Akatsuki.

However...they had been no mere Nukenin. Although they were renegades, they were SKILLED renegades. 64 of them had been of the Chuunin level...while the 36 that remained were of the Jonin level.

The battle had been monstrous. Even Tsunade - the Fifth Hokage - had been forced to partake in the fighting.

Of course, things had gotten even WORSE when Chuunin and Jonin from the Sound had appeared...and they immediately engaged both the Leaf's Ninja and Akatsuki's Nukenin.

That had meant only one thing.

_Orochimaru_, grimly thought Kakashi. Why had Orochimaru gotten involved? It was known he was no longer a part of Akatsuki...but what had possessed the former Leaf ninja to send Sound ninja to Konoha? Especially when he had not even led the charge against the Leaf...

That could only mean that he had gone to where Akatsuki was as well...but why? Why would Orochimaru go to Akatsuki even though there was clearly some bad blood between them?

Sunagakure was in sight. _My questions will have to wait...I have to find out what's happened!_

As Kakashi neared Sunagakure, he suddenly saw something else.

A gigantic coliseum made of hardened sand.

Kakashi's eye narrowed; no doubt Gaara had constructed that. But did that mean he had escaped...or that Akatsuki had managed to utilize his powers somehow?

He didn't want to think about the latter. Either way, knew that Naruto - dead or alive - was inside that coliseum. He quickly changed his direction and ran towards the monument of hardened sand.

As Kakashi neared the coliseum, he saw a large figure leaning against its outer wall. To his shock, it was none other than Jiraiya.

Jiraiya's red and green robes were stained with blood: the result of a large wound on the left shoulder. His horned forehead protector was cracked and on the verge of crumbling into pieces. His long, unkempt mane of white hair was also stained with blood. He quietly raised his head, revealing dark eyes filled with weariness. The Legendary Sannin chuckled quietly at the sight of Kakashi. "Heh...Kakashi of the Sharingan...I take it the Nukenin have been dealt with?"

Kakashi nodded. Jiraiya had left Konoha to find Naruto...even though the village had been under heavy attack, the Toad Sennin had left the village. It showed how valuable Naruto was...after all, he had the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox sealed within him. Or perhaps it was because the master cared for his apprentice. "Yes. But we were also attacked by the Sound."

This caused Jiraiya to raise an eyebrow out of surprise. Just as soon, however, he chuckled. "I see...that isn't so surprising now. After all, Orochimaru and his assistant Kabuto came...Orochimaru is the one who gave me this wound..."

_As I thought_, thought Kakashi with a frown. Orochimaru HAD come...but that didn't answer the question as to why. "But why? What business does he have with Akatsuki?"

"He has no business with Akatsuki...but his business was with the one person that came here," replied Jiraiya, slightly grinning as he clutched his woudned shoulder. "Gah...I had come to assist Naruto...I even summoned Gama-Bunta...but to think I was caught from behind by surprise..."

"Pardon me..." interrupted Kakashi. "But what person are you referring to?"

This brought a smile to the Sannin's face. "Heh heh...isn't it obvious?" He paused to glance back at the Sharingan user. "I am referring to the other male of Team Seven..."

This caused Kakashi's eye to widen. "You can't mean..."

"Uchiha...Sasuke..." interrupted Jiraiya. "...he came here on his own...freed Gaara...then he attacked Itachi..." Jiraiya grunted as he readjusted his position. "Soon after that, Orochimaru showed up to reclaim his runaway 'prize'...soon after I got injured, Gaara created this coliseum of sand and used his chakra to harden it...I don't know of anything else after that..."

Kakashi frowned. _None of this makes any sense...Sasuke shows up and frees Gaara from Akatsuki...how did he escape from Orochimaru? WHY did he escape from Orochimaru?_ Without saying anything, he reached into one of his vest's pockets and pulled out the only first-aid equipment he carried: medical bandages and antibiotic ointment. "Here."

Jiraiya was silent as Kakashi handed him the materials before scaling the wall of sand. The Legendary Sannin frowned as he glanced down at his wound. He thought of Naruto. Then he grumbled. _That no-talent bum...he'd better have lived._

As Kakashi scaled the wall, his thoughts were in a frenzy. Why had Sasuke shown up out of the blue? _To fight Itachi of course._ Why had he freed Gaara? _No answer_. Why had he escaped Orochimaru? _Has he...changed?_ Was the Kazekage injured? _No answer_. Was Naruto injured or worse? _I hope not_.

He stepped onto the top of the coliseum's wall.

And he literally gasped. _...what...what...what is this?_

The inside of the coliseum was basically a desert that surrounded a sheet of black obsidian; Akatsuki had obviously brought the sheet here for some purpose. Kakashi could see a seal marked upon the obsidian in red dye. It was immensely complex...and in the center of the seal were two symbols in the shape of rectangles...and they were as big as a human...

However, Kakashi's attention was more focused on everything else.

Ten corpses were lying throughout the coliseum at various spots. Kakashi quietly shifted his headband, revealing his right eye: the Sharingan. He gazed at the corpses one by one, using his Sharingan to determine how they had died.

One corpse was that of Hoshigaki Kisame, the wielder of Samehada. Speaking of Samehada, the blade was broken in half, lying by his side. His black cloak - lined with the red clouds of the Akatsuki members - was in tatters, and his mouth was open out of shock. His light blue skin was pale, and his normally beady yellow eyes were wide with shock. _If I'm correct...a powerful Genjutsu technique was used...it looks like he died out of fright..._

The next corpse was of a woman. Her white hair was tied into a ponytail...but it was almost burnt off. Her entire body, cloak and all, was burnt. Near her chest and abdomen, her clothing was completely burned away, revealing horrible, horrible wounds. Around her body sat pieces of gray clay. _Hmm...she looks like the woman Kankuro and Temari said captured Gaara. They said she used explosive clay...and from the looks of her wounds, her own explosive clay was turned against her._

The third corpse was that of a man. His head was bald, save for a few strands of dark hair. What shocked Kakashi was the sight of a wooden scorpion tail protruding from the bottom of his spinal cord...and protruding from other parts of his body were wooden appendages that had various knives and daggers protruding from them. As for the aforementioned tail, it lay beside him, its tip covered in red blood. The man's neck had a hole in it; probably from the tail. _Hmm...he uses **Kugutsu no jutsu**, like Kankuro...except his puppets have been surgically grafted into his body. As for his cause of death...it looks like his own tail was used forcefully against him...against his own control._

The fourth corpse was that of another man. His face was splint into two halves thanks to face paint; the right side was black, while the left side was white. His light green hair was matted with sweat, as was most of his body. The oddest thing was the large, plant-like mouth that surrounded his body, as if threatening to engulf it. It looked like a Venus Flytrap. Protruding from his fingers were thorny vines, and they - like the rest of the vegetation that lay around his body - were wilting away into brown, flaky material. His arms looked like they had been burned by fire, and his torso was crushed. _He used plants as a weapon, and most likely as a defense as well...his arms were burned so that he couldn't utilize his chakra effectively enough to use his plants extensively...I think. As for his torso...it looks like it was crushed...as if he were stepped on. Maybe it was Gama-Bunta...?_

The next body was that of a female. Her red hair was short and spiky, save for the long strands that covered her left eye, which was red in color. Instead of arms, she possessed brown, leathery bat-like wings. Protruding from her toes were claws. Her ears were bleeding, and her sternum had been cut away, revealing her crushed heart and lungs._Hmm...wings of a bat, toes of a bat...maybe she has a contract with bats, allowing her to use **Kuchiyose no jutsu**? As for her bleeding ears...I think she used sound waves to both see and attack, as bats can't see with their eyes...I think the same went for her in this transformed state. Her sound waves were probably amplified and reflected back at her, overwhelming her ears...and in the disorientation that followed, she was attacked up close._

The sixth body was an absolute giant of a man, easily at nine feet when standing at full height. His entire body was made of solid gray stone...and there was no blood visible around the body. However, several parts of the body showed needle-like points of attack near the head, neck, chest, wrists, ankles, and thighs. His eyes - which were utterly blank - were made of rock as well. On the forehead were tiny grooves etched in an intricate pattern; the sign of a seal that had once been, but was no longer. Wrapped around his right bicep was a headband protector...and on it was the symbol of Iwagakure, the Village Hidden in the Stone. _That is no mere transformation jutsu...with the exception of his inner coils, all of his body was transformed into stone, even the brain. That way, there would be no weak points...and with his inner coil system intact, he used his chakra to move the body according to his own will. That seal was probably used to keep the chakra contained...but the seal was removed...and the punctureswere made on or near his opening points so that his chakrea would flow out more quickly. Without his chakra, he simply ceased to be_. Of course, all of his thinking was just logical conjecture. He could be wrong. Perhaps the puncture points were the weak points on the body...the Jonin didn't know for sure.

The seventh corpse was that of another man. His silver hair and uniform were instantly recognizable to Kakshi. It was Yakushi Kabuto, the right-hand man of Orochimaru. His body was lying facedown on the ground. His body showed no signs of battle, aside from a few bruises near the right arm. Even so, Kakashi knew he was dead. _Kabuto...he must have been so heavily damaged during the battle that he had to use his healing ability...but in doing so, he exhausted all of his chakra...and he died._

The next body was that of a man. A headband protector tied down his short, blonde hair, and it had the symbol of the Hidden Waterfall Village on it. His Akatsuki cloak was gone, revealing blue sweatpants and a lean, muscular body. His torso was lined with sweat, and the sand around him was wet with perspiration. On his right pectoral was a tattoo of three wavy lines. Kakashi frowned. _I recognize that symbol...he's Akira of the Waterfall's Fujiwara clan...a clan that specializes in the use of steam. Akira was the progeny of that clan...but a decade ago, he tried to kill the leader of his village, but failed. He joined Akatsuki soon after...and judging by all of the perspiration on the body, he exhausted himself using his chakra-powered steam. His body couldn't handle the strain...but he is a tough adversary. It would've taken something extraordinary to kill him by fatigue._

The ninth body was instantly familiar to Kakashi. The build, the frame...and the other defining factor was the Leaf headband that lay beside the body. The actual metal protector was split in the middle. It was the body of Uchiha Itachi...and it was missing a head. Kakashi was visibly shocked. _Itachi...the one who killed all but one of the Uchiha clan...the one who possessed the Mangekyou Sharingan, the highest level of the Sharingan mirror-wheel eye...I wonder who killed him in such a fashion?_

The tenth and final corpse was that of a well-built man wrapped in dark red robes. The robes were in tatters, revealing a bandaged body underneath. However, it was apparent that the bandages were not for wounds; they were for keeping the muscles tense in those areas. However, the chest possessed a gaping, bloody hole...right over the heard. And, like Itachi, it was lacking a head. _That has to be the body of Orochimaru...and if what Jiraiya said was true...he had come here after Sasuke so that he could take the Uchiha's body as his own..._

Kakashi finally let it sink into him.

Akatsuki was dead. Kabuto, traitor to the Leafs, was dead. Orochimaru, hated adversary of Konoha, was dead.

_No...there should be nine Akatsuki members_. There were only eight Akatsuki corpses. The Copy Ninja grimaced; where was the ninth body?

Suddenly, Kakashi remembered something. Where was Gaara? Where was Sasuke? Where was Naruto?

"You missed the battle."

Kakashi suddenly glanced to his right to see a familiar figure rising out of the wall of sand.

It was the Kazekage: Gaara of the Desert. Gaara's dark-brown robes were matted with sweat, and the sleeves of his uniform were ripped off. His left arm was covered in dried blood; the cut was near his bicep, but a bandage of sand had closed it up. As a result of that, the bleeding had stopped. He also had several large bruises around his torso and right arm. Even so, despite his injuries and fatigue, his face and eyes showed no emotion; the gourd on his back, however, looked to be in impeccable condition. His blood-red hair ruffled in the sudden wind. "Hatake Kakashi, Jonin of Konoha. Why are you here?"

Kakashi quickly answered. "Kazekage-sama...I came because your siblings notified the Leaf of Akatsuki's presence here at Sunagakure."

Gaara said nothing. However, his eyes enlarged ever so slightly...a sign that he was relieved for the help. "Are you the only one to come?"

"I am only the first. Soon, fellow Konoha ninja - both Chuunin and Jonin - will arrive. The Fifth, however, has elected to remain behind in Konoha...because Nukenin hired by Akatsuki attacked us. She has to stay to keep the village strong."

"Of course...being a Kage is a troublesome duty," responded Gaara quietly. He quietly glanced southward toward his village. Inwardly, he was glad that Akatsuki had not touched the village...however, that had been due to the fact that a powerful steam barrier had been set up by the one known as Fujiwara Akira (fortunately, Kankuro and Temari had been long gone by the time the barrier had been set up). Upon his death, the barrier had fallen. Soon, ninja from the Sand would arrive.

The Kazekage glanced down at his bloody left arm. "Shukaku got a good workout...but his battle was not as strenuous as the one the Nine Tails experienced."

Kakashi froze. _Nine Tails...?_ "Kyuubi...?"

Gaara pointed downward at the arena of sand. "Look."

Kakashi did.

And he finally saw them.

Footprints in the sand.

There were the prints of webbed feet: the sign of Gama-Bunta. There were the long, curvy lines indicative of a snake: perhaps a sign of Manda, an anaconda summon of Orochimaru's. There were also tanuki prints: those of Shukaku, the Demon Sand Spirit. But the last kind of paw print was far more commonplace.

Fox prints.

_Kyuubi...could it be...that the seal...was broken?_ It would explain why he couldn't see Naruto...Kyuubi would have run off by now...

"You worry for nothing," said Gaara, his eyes calm as ever. "You only need to look harder. Look down at the Obsidian Seal."

Kakashi looked down at the slab of obsidian...and he suddenly gaped. He saw two figures down there.

Living figures.

He quickly dashed down the wall and towards the obsidian sheet.

Gaara sighed as he quietly charged his hand with chakra. With a quick jab, the Kazekage thrust his right hand into the top of the coliseum wall. Moments later, the entire coliseum began disintegrating into normal sand, falling back down towards the desert. Gaara slowly floated down on a platform of sand, knowing that the collapsing coliseum would bring Sand ninja.

Kakashi meanwhile, leapt onto the Obsidian Seal...and then he gazed to his right.

Naruto was sitting near the edge of the black slab...and his entire body was covered with blood. His hair was matted with blood. His orange and black uniform was in tatters. A number of cuts lined his scalp, cheeks, torso, arms, waist, and legs...and yet, despite his condition, he was smiling.

Kakashi glanced to his left.

And he nearly gaped.

Sitting there on the ground, legs crossed, was Sasuke. His skin was as black as midnight...and his forearms and shins were covered with slanted spikes. His nails had turned into claws. His spiky hair was short and as white as snow. Two white angel's wings protruded from his shoulder blades...and his eyes...

Kakashi could not believe what he saw in those red eyes. Instead of three curvy dots...he saw a three-pointed shuriken. _That is...the Mangekyou Sharingan...Sasuke...he has taken his eyes...to the highest level..._

And beside Sasuke were two things Kakashi had missed during his body count.

The heads of Itachi...and Orochimaru. _Sasuke...did he...beat them...on his own...?_

"So idiot..." said Naruto, out of the blue. "How do you feel? I bet that Level 3 Curse Seal's making you feel like crap..."

Kakashi's eye widened. _Level 3? That would explain why it looks different compared to the Level 2 Curse form Naruto told me about three years ago...but how has Sasuke's 'Heaven' seal been upgraded to Level 3?_

"Kukukuku..." laughed Sasuke, in the style of Orochimaru. "Don't get cute with me dunce. You aren't looking so good yourself." Even as he spoke, the cursed power began to recede back into the seal; Sasuke was reverting to normal.

Naruto chuckled; the way they were carrying on, it was as if they hadn't noticed Kakashi. "So...I've annihilated Orochimaru. You've killed Itachi...by the way, you should be thankful I left him for you..."

Sasuke smirked as his body reverted to its normal color. "I am grateful...but I'm afraid I have no reason to live now...have anything to say to that?" With a blink, his eyes reverted to normal; the Mangekyou Sharingan was no longer visible.

"...yeah." Naruto smirked as he stared at Sasuke's red eyes. "Find a new reason...cause if you don't...how else are you going to make a decent rival...to me...? After all..." He then flashed a toothy - yet bloody - grin at the last of the Uchiha. "I may have beaten Akatsuki...but a life in Konoha wuoldn't be the same without 'Mr. Avenger'."

"Dumbass," muttered Sasuke, a strange smile on his face. "...however...I'm open to suggestions."

"Give me a little while...I'll think of something...I always do..." replied Naruto.

With that said, both boys slumped to the ground. Naruto was unconscious due to his wounds...and Sasuke was unconscious due to the huge amount of chakra eaten up by the Level 3 Curse Seal and the Mangekyou Sharingan.

Kakashi immediately checked both boys. They were alive...but barely. Naruto needed IMMEDIATE treatment...and Sasuke needed his chakra replenished. _Still...they accomplished the impossible..._

Akatsuki had fallen...save for one.

"Help is in sight."

Kakashi turned around to see Jiraiya - his shoulder bandaged up - climbing onto the slab of obsidian. The Copy Ninja glanced behind him to see four Jonin and six Chuunin advancing from the east.

Jonin of the Sand: Kankuro and Temari.

Jonin of the Leaf: Maito Gai and Hyuga Neji.

Chuunin of the Leaf: Haruno Sakura, Rock Lee, Hyuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, Yamanaka Ino, and Nara Shikamaru.

Oh, and one dog named Akamaru.

Jiraiya was silent as he gazed at Sasuke...and then at Naruto. "That foolish dunderhead...taking on Akatsuki on his own."

"And yet he won...and as a plus, Orochimaru was killed...and Sasuke was brought back," replied Kakashi. "However...one member of Akatsuki isn't here."

Jiraiya nodded. _I know...the missing member is the leader of Akatsuki...why didn't he show up? I don't even know what kind of abilities he possesses..._

xxxx

Gaara was silent as Kankuro and Temari suddenly appeared at his side. "Siblings. You are injured."

"It doesn't matter Gaara...er, I mean Kazekage-sama," sputtered Kankuro as he looked at Gaara's left arm.

"No need for formalities...in all honesty, this is a time to relax," said Gaara, his voice calm as usual. "Because of Naruto...Akatsuki has fallen..."

"Naruto?" yelped Temari. "You mean...he beat Akatsuki on his own?"

Gaara shook his head. "The Uchiha, that Sannin, and I helped...but Naruto was the deciding factor..." Of course, Gaara had not - and could not, and never would - forget the sight of Kyuubi, stampeding inside the coliseum, attacking Akatsuki. _Naruto...he is truly like me...he has a monser inside of him...yet he never lost himself. He never let himself succumb to the power of the demon..._

As the Kazekage watched the Leaf ninja advance toward the Obsidian Seal, he let a small smile tug at his lips; a rarity for him. _Naruto...you are not a maelstrom. You are much greater than that...you are a great typhoon of power. Your power affects the land, the sea, and the sky...and yet, you keep it in control...your power utterly crushes those you seek to harm...but your power ripples out, affecting those precious to you...and their lives are made better by that power. Naruto...you are truly unique..._

xxxx

Sakura gasped at the sight of her two former teammates, lying on the slab of obsidian. "SASUKE! NARUTO!" On impulse, Sakura immediately rushed to Sasuke's side.

Kakashi sweatdropped. _Some things never change..._

Kiba snorted as he rubbed his noise irritably. "Geez! This place reeks of blood...it's making my nose itch." From inside his jacket, Akamaru barked out of concurrence. "Ruff!"

Shikamaru grumbled as he stared at the bodies of Akatsuki. "Man...how bothersome."

Ino resisted the urge to strike her friend in the back of his head. "What the heck are you talking about? What's bothersome about Akatsuki and Orochimaru dying?"

Shikamaru sighed. "You misunderstand..." Shikamaru was truly glad about the deaths of Akatsuki and Orochimaru; on the way here, Gai had explained everything he knew about Akatsuki and their presence in Sunagakure. He had also gone further in-depth about Orochimaru, due to the Sound's attack on the Leaf. "The reason I'm bothered is because these corpses will have to be disposed of. After all, their secret jutsu and bloodline abilities can be obtained from their corpses...so to avoid any hassle, we'll have to contact the home villages of these ninja. With the exceptions of Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Itachi, all of these other ninja belong to different clans. They won't like it if any of their secrets are surrendered."

"...oh," replied a bewildered Ino. "That makes sense..." _I guess._

Neji, meanwhile, was gazing at Naruto with his **_Byakugan_**: the Bloodline Limit of the Leaf's Hyuga clan. _Hmm...it looks like most of his opening points have been closed...yet he was still able to come out on top...did he use that strange red chakra that he used to beat me...?_

"OOOOOH!" whooped Lee as he gazed at the battleground. "This was the home to a glorious and valiant battle! Such a battle had to be one of legends! My only regret was that I was unable to partake in such a great conflict!" Immediately afterwards, he showed his nice-guy pose - a thumbs-up accompanied by a toothy grin - to Gai. "But do not worry Gai-sensei! Once we get back to Konoha, I'll do 2,000 one-handed pushups on each hand to prepare for the next legendary battle!"

This exuberant proclamation got a round of sweatdrops from Sakura, Ino, Kakashi, Jiraiya, and Kiba. _Bonehead._

"That's the spirit Lee! Let the fiery blood of your youth spur you on!" cheered Gai. However, he was not so cheerful on the inside. _Unfortunately for you Lee, this was no mere battle...this was more akin to a clash of titans...not even I would have escaped such a fight with my life._

Hinata looked down at Naruto...the bloody, unconscious Naruto. She quietly pulled out a jar of medicinal cream from a pocket in her green Chuunin vest, fumbling with its lid. Her dark hair fluttered in the wind of the desert. The uncertainty in the air matched the concern and worry in her eyes. _...Naruto-kun..._

Naruto opened one eye.

Hinata squeaked. This caused Neji, Lee, and Jiraiya to turn their attention towards the blonde ninja. Naruto chuckled as Neji stepped into sight. "Hey...Hinata..."

The dark-haired girl nevously mumbled, "Y-Y-Yes N-Naruto-kun...?"

"I...never...got...to find out...if you watched me...kick Neji's ass..."

The statement caused Neji and Hinata's eyes to widen. The white-eyed Jonin suddenly blanched out of surprise. _He's referring to my battle with him at the Chuunin selection exam over three years ago..._ As Neji thought about it, he chuckled. _Heh...despite being in such poor condition after such a tremendous battle, you bring up something so old and so off-topic you have no choice but to laugh...Uzumaki Naruto, you are one interesting guy..._

Hinata giggled at Naruto's statement. She quietly fumbled with the lid of her jar as she said, "N-Naruto-kun...if you don't mind...here..."

"Heh...no thanks Hinata..." Naruto smirked as he got to his feet. This caused the two Hyuga to pale. "I can still stand..."

"NARUTO-KUN!" roared Lee, his right hand clenched into a fist. "You are too injured to stand! Let us escort you back home!"

"Feh. Shows what you know thick brows," retorted Naruto as he slowly walked toward Sasuke's position. _I've still got enough chakra to make it home on my own...or should I say, YOU have enough chakra to get me home._

A deep, monstrous voice suddenly blasted through his mind.

**ARROGANT FLEDGLING. WITHOUT ME, YOU'D BE PASTE.**

_Yeah, I love you too...NOT_. Naruto resisted the urge to snicker; ever since he had gone under Jiraiya's training to access the power of the Nine Tails chakra, the voice of Kyuubi had become a more commonplace part of his thoughts. Whether or not it was a good thing, he had yet to know. On one hand, the Fox Demon had a knack for ticking him off to no end. On the other hand, when Jiraiya left to gather 'information' (Ha! Yeah right! Stupid super pervert...), the voice of Kyuubi was a welcome break from the solitude of loneliness.

Naruto stepped in front of Sasuke, his blue eyes staring at Sakura. Her hands were covered with a green aura, a sign she was trying to help Sasuke recover with her own chakra. A wry smile came to his face. "Heh heh...guess you really haven't changed Sakura-chan."

Sakura looked up at Naruto...and she immediately flushed out of embarrasement. Sasuke looked pretty fine (Inner Sakura: In more ways than one...look at those muscles! YOWZA!)...and here was Naruto, covered from head-to-toe with blood. "Eh...I guess...I still need to...work on my priorities...huh?"

Naruto smiled as he grabbed Sasuke and hoisted him over his shoulder. "Well...guess you'll have plenty of time to work on your priorities on your way back to Konoha."

"What are you talking about Naruto?" asked Kakashi out of concern.

"Simple," replied Naruto with a wide smile. "I'm going back to Konoha. I'll be there in no time."

"ARE YOU NUTS?" roared Sakura.

"SASUKE NEEDS ATTENTION!" yelled Ino. The two girls quickly glanced at each other afterwards.

"You're in no condition to even move," said Jiraiya, his dark eyes staring quietly at Naruto. Secretly, he was glad Naruto was alive...but he'd never give the bum the satisfaction of hearing THAT.

Naruto said nothing.

At least, not at first.

Seconds later, he chuckled. "Stupid Pervert-Sennin...don't underestimate me!"

Jiraiya nearly facefaulted. "I'VE TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME THAT!"

"Heh heh...sure..." Naruto smiled at everyone. "See you back in Konoha."

Then, with a yellow flash, he was gone. It looked like he just 'blinked' out of existence. Everyone yelped out of surprise. "WHA!" yelped Kiba. "WHERE THE HECK DID HE GO?"

Kakashi was suddenly flabbergasted. _No...no way...that was...**Hiraishin no jutsu**...the Flying Thunder God jutsu. That's...the Fourth's special jutsu...the technique of Konoha's Yellow Flash! How did Naruto learn it??_

As if sensing Kakashi's confusion, Jiraiya coughed. "Well...when the Fourth was developing that technique as a young boy, he didn't have the precise chakra control needed to use it." The Flying Thunder God was a technique that utilized a kind of 'teleportation'; the user sent out an invisible line of chakra to the target destination. The user then transported his body along that stream of chakra, combining it with his own chakra to 'catapult' him to the end of the line. **_Hiraishin no jutsu_**...the Flying Thunder God technique. It required incredibly precise chakra control...enough to send out a long, invisible line of chakra, and then to teleport yourself along the line using your energy. "Even though he came up with the idea, I helped him develop the control necessary to master it. Granted, it isn't the perfected version that the Yondaime finally made, but the kid ain't that far yet."

"...I take it you gave Naruto the same kind of training." Kakashi was now stoic.

Jiraiya smirked. "Yes...but the ironic thing is this: Naruto was the same age as the Yondaime when he mastered the original version of the Flying Thunder God."

Kakashi was visibly surprised. However, underneath his facemask, he was smiling. _Naruto...do you even HAVE limits?_

xxxx

/The Fifth Hokage's Office, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Tsunade - the Fifth Hokage of Konoha - was upset. _Blasted Akatsuki...blasted Orochimaru..._

It had been about three days since the battle had ended. The outer walls of the village were demolished, and everything else in the immediate vicinity of the walls was destroyed. Right near the end of the battle, Kankuro and Temari of the Sand had arrived. They assisted...and they had told of Akatsuki's presence outside Sunagakure.

Upon the end of that battle, Kakashi had immediately departed for the Wind Country. Tsunade sent two Jonin and six Chuunin - along with Kankuro and Temari - to follow the Copy Ninja to the Sand.

And she was upset because she had yet to hear anything. _What's taking so long? They should've reported via carrier pigeon by now..._

A flicker of yellow suddenly appeared in front of her desk. In the instant it appeared,it was replaced by a bloody Naruto, who was holding an unconscious Sasuke. Tsunade paled as she yelled, **_"N...NARUTO?"_**

Naruto smirked, despite the fact he felt like crap. "Heh...hiya...you old hag..."

Then he slumped to the floor.

xxxx

/Secret Cavern, Fire Country/

A man clad in the black-and-red cloud cloak of Akatsuki frowned. Sitting on a rock in front of him were eight kunai knives. Strapped to them were strands of hair from the other eight members of Akatsuki. They glowed with white light as long as each strand's owner was still alive. This was due to a special jutsu of his that could determine whether or not someone was dead or alive from a distance; the trick was creating a chakra link between the person, the part of their body, and the medium...which was the kunai knife in this case.

Hours ago, they began to go out one-by-one. Finally, the last one - Akira's - had been neutralized less than an hour ago.

"So...they have fallen..."

The man grumbled. _How could this have happened? How could everything have unraveled?_ He had been so close to obtaining Shukaku and Kyuubi...but the plan had failed.

The man cursed to himself. If he had gone, everything would've gone according to plan...but he had not been able to bring himself to go to Sunagakure.

It hadn't been out of fear...it had been out of uncertainty. The host of Shukaku was no problem to him...but the host of Kyuubi was another matter altogether.

The man scowled as he stood. His body became awash in an orange chakra, illuminating him and the dark cavern around him. The only part of his body that could be seen was his hair and his eyes; his cloak covered the rest. His short brown hair was spiky and it jutted upwards. His eyes were colored a piercing, deadly green.

_I did better alone...I defeated the other three before I formed Akatsuki...and I shall defeat the last two alone. Shukaku will fall first...and then, I shall face the host of Kyuubi._

The man sighed as his aura died away, shrouding him in darkness once more.

"Gaara...Uzumaki Naruto...you're both mine."

xxxx

To be continued...

Next time...

**_Return to Konoha! Tale of the Great Battle's Beginning!_**

xxxx

Author's Notes: Well, what do you think? In the next several chapters, Naruto and Sasuke will have flashbacks to their battle in Sunagakure.

See you soon, and please review!


	2. Return to Konoha! Tale of the Great Batt...

Standard Disclaimer: Disclaimer no jutsu! I don't own Naruto!

Author's Notes: Wow. Lots of reviews. Well-received, neh?

To the reviews!

Blood-Fangs: Ooh. Shouldn't you brush your teeth? O.o;

Night-Owl123: Hoot hoot-sure!

hells-fox: (blinks) You're saying this story has a bad butt? O.o;

Fallen Dragon: …'plz'? It could just as easily be mistaken for 'pills'.

reighost: Sorry. Can't use E-mail no jutsu. You must look for this story on your own whenever I update.

Thalian: You've done a good job of waiting so far.

Hunter Hatake: 'So soon'? I hardly call 6000+ words 'so soon'.

crazy-antman: Actually, Gaara DOES use chakra. The only sand that he doesn't need to use chakra to manipulate is the sand inside his gourd that forms the Shield of Sand. He needs to use chakra otherwise. Besides, it's reasonable to say that Gaara uses chakra to harden sand.

Magy: Roger that.

RuByMoOn17: Your name's hard to spell. x.x;

Liliath: The last half of that made no sense. X.X

Alana Quinn: Well keep in mind that as more chapters of the manga are released and translated, my story will deviate further from Kishimoto's storyline. So if I happen to deviate from the canon (this goes for everyone), do me a favor…don't bother talking about it.

shina-lim: (hands her a bottle) Here's your sap.

M(At)G8: …eww. Don't take this personally…but I DESPISE yaoi/yuri pairings. If you're coming here expecting that, you're going to be disappointed.

200 IQ: Don't be too quick to judge. The battle will be a work in progress…it won't just be like 'here comes Kyuubi, all of Akatsuki attacks'! After all, Naruto's not the only one participating in this battle… ;)

R e c R a p t o r: Don't swear.

Loon Luu: LOONEY TUNES!

Starjacker: (smiles) You'll see…

KunochiDreamer: Interest rates shall rise!

kd8gun: I wasn't aware my story sprouted feet. O.o;

Begin!

xxxx

_The prologue has concluded…_

_Now we shall move into the main phase…_

_Prepare for a grand tale that will change your perceptions of the world of Naruto…_

_Come…and I'll show you what legacies are truly made of…_

**_Naruto: Legacy_**

xxxx

**_Return to Konoha! Tale of the Great Battle's Beginning!_**

xxxx

/Desert, Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

The Akatsuki corpses had been lined up. Hatake Kakashi, Maito Gai, and Hyuga Neji were quietly looking at the bodies. Soon, dispatches from other ninja villages would arrive to pick up the corpse that belonged to them. After careful examination, they knew who the corpses once were.

"So…Fujiwara Akira of the Hidden Waterfall Village…" droned Kakashi as he moved onto the next group. Deidara and the one who had transformed his body into solid rock was lying there. "Deidara and Yagami Hiroto of the Hidden Stone Village…" Then he glanced at the body of Kisame. "Hoshigaki Kisame of the Hidden Mist Village…" Then the body of the bat woman. "Koumorimaru of the Hidden Cloud Village…" Then the body of the puppet user. "Akasuna no Sasori of the Hidden Sand Village…" Then he glanced at the body of the plant user. "Toya Shuu of the Hidden Grass Village." Finally, the last of the bodies…bodies that belonged to the Hidden Leaf. "Uchiha Itachi…Yakushi Kabuto…and Orochimaru. All former members of the Leaf."

A bitter chuckle escaped Gai's mouth. "Heh. I guess we finally know where Shuu disappeared to." Over twelve years ago – when Kyuubi had struck the Leaf and the surrounding lands – a member of the Grass' Toya clan had disappeared. It had been Shuu, the newly elected leader of the clan. The Toya clan was a plant-using clan; they even had contracts with plant creatures. Shuu had been talented enough to summon Ogi-Daimyou, the Plant Lord…and then merge him with his body. _The only way Shuu could have done that was if Ogi-Daimyou had agreed to such a thing…the Toya clan will not be happy to hear that the Plant Lord went astray._ Although the Leaf had suffered the most from Kyuubi, the Grass had suffered some damage as well…and when the news of Shuu's disappearance reached the Leaf, it had caused so much of a stir that they had offered some ninja to help search. After all, the Hidden Grass Village was a close ally of the Leaf's.

"The plant creatures are going to need a new Daimyou," commented Neji. The white-eyed Jonin asked, "Why did Shuu leave?"

Kakashi shrugged. "All I know is that he became increasingly despondent after a mission to the Lightning Country. That had been about several months before Kyuubi struck." _I wonder what happened to make Shuu leave the Grass…?_

However, there was also the fact that three infamous traitors had been finally dealt with.

Itachi. Murderer of the entire Uchiha clan.

Kabuto. Spy for the Hidden Sound Village.

Orochimaru. Infamous traitor and murderer of Sarutobi, the Third Hokage.

_It's over…the pain they caused will never strike Konoha again_, thought Kakashi, his mind lost in thought.

Meanwhile, over near the obsidian slab, Lee, Hinata, Sakura, Ino, and Kiba were analyzing the massive circular seal. Lee looked on in curiosity. "I've never seen such a massive seal…it's over two hundred feet in diameter!""

"This seal was used for restraining someone," commented Sakura, her eyes fixated on the two rectangles in the very center. "The way the lines are drawn…and the subtle curves in the corners…they represent a 'bend, but don't break' kind of seal. A 'break, but don't bend' seal doesn't require any help as long as the seal is whole…but if the imprisoned person manages to summon enough chakra, they can break out on their own."

Kiba scratched his hair confusedly. "And what's the difference with this one?"

"This one requires a constant supply of chakra to be maintained…otherwise, the seal is useless. However, this kind of seal can't be broken from within…not one this large and complex anyway," finished Sakura.

"W-Wow…you know a lot Sakura," replied Hinata.

Ino snickered. "She doesn't have that big forehead for nothing."

Sakura glared back at Ino. (Inner Sakura: Just you wait, you porker; I'll roast you alive!) However, part of her was troubled; as a student of Tsunade the Godaime Hokage, she knew a lot about seals, as they were often used for medical purposes. However…something about this seal bothered her. _This was used for more than just imprisoning people…but what…?_

Her mind drifted to Sasuke. And Naruto. She feebly folded her hands together. _Please…please be okay…_

Meanwhile, near the entrance of Sunagakure, Shikamaru was standing in front of Gaara and his siblings Kankuro and Temari. In the vicinity behind the Kazekage were the people of the Sand Village. Their faces telegraphed relief; they were glad that their Kazekage was unharmed.

"Are you sure you want to handle it?" asked Shikamaru, his green Chuunin vest fluttering in the wind. "The Leaf would be more than glad to deal with the return of the corpses to their respective nations."

Gaara nodded. "The other villages would get suspicious if you willingly delivered the corpses of the missing-nin. They might suspect that the Leaf examined the bodies to harvest the secrets within…and that would bring unwanted trouble. When it comes to corpses, the other villages would like to set the terms of their retrieval. If they come for the corpses, it would be less of a hassle…besides, it is a way for the Sand to prove its trustworthiness to the other villages."

Shikamaru nodded. There was an angle to Gaara's approach; Konohagakure possessed many allies. On the other hand, Sunagakure had relatively little after what had happened at the Chuunin Selection Exam over three years ago. This would be a chance for the Sand to gain allies…and that would make the village stronger. Sunagakure would become more widely known...and that meant more clients for the Sand's shinobi. _Sharp, Gaara. Real sharp._

"Besides, one of the bodies belongs to us," said Temari. This statement caused Kankuro to snort; the fact that Akasuna no Sasori had been discovered to be an Akatsuki member was bad enough. It was especially bad for him…because Sasori – the greatest puppet maker in the land – had made Kankuro's puppets for him several years ago.

"So," said Kankuro out of the blue, trying to mask his disgust. "You gonna be departing? It's going to be dark soon, and it gets cold at night in the desert."

"We really have to get back," muttered Shikamaru. "Don't get me wrong; I'd LOVE to spend the night in a nice hotel. But we've got to get back to Konoha to help repair the village." He sighed ruefully. "Man…I'm not even good with woodwork…and I'll probably have to do stuff. It's such a bother…"

This caused Temari to smirk. "Well then, you'd better get going. Just don't get a cramp on the way back." With that said, she turned around and walked towards the village.

A small smile emerged on Shikamaru's mouth. _Heh…girls are so troublesome…_

A sudden shadow began to fall over the land. The Kazekage, Kankuro, and the denizens of the Sand stared with shock. Temari and Shikamaru turned around to see what it was that shocked them so.

They gaped.

The ninja from the Leaf also stared, stunned and in disbelief over what was happening.

On the horizon, where the sun was about to set, a black disc suddenly sprouted up, slowly covering the glowing orb of fire in the sky. It was if it was trying to quell the light of the sun.

It was the moon.

Which meant…

"OOH! AN ECLIPSE!" enthusiastically yelled Lee. "I've never seen one before! What a grandiose way to cap off a historical day!"

"Just don't look directly at it. You might blind yourself," commented Ino.

Lee silenced himself.

The minutes passed. The moon continued to block the sun, darkening the desert as if it were some dark god blighting the land with a blanket of shadows.

Then, the sun was completely covered. The moon was now a black dot in the sky with a fiery white outline. In a way, it was both terrifying and magnificent to gaze at.

The Obsidian Seal suddenly glowed red; its lines and curves all glowed in unison, shocking those who stood upon it. "EVERYONE! GET OFF!" roared Gai.

The Chuunins that stood upon the seal did so. The lines and symbols glowed a red far bloodier in color than any human could muster. However, there seemed to be no adverse affect.

Minutes passed. The eclipse ended. The sun sank, and the moon rose. The Obsidian Seal ceased its glow.

"Mrrr…" whimpered Akamaru from within Kiba's jacket. Kiba nodded out of concurrence, understanding what the little dog said. "I hear ya…what the heck just happened? Why weren't we affected?"

"Because apparently," said Kakashi as he slowly walked over to the Chuunins. "This seal only reacts to the light of an eclipse…and if you look closely, part of the seal was damaged during the battle, so it couldn't achieve its desired effect. Besides…the two people necessary for the seal to carry out its effect aren't here."

The ninja could tell who Kakashi was referring to. Gaara, the Kazekage of the Sand…and Uzumaki Naruto, the show-stopping ninja of Konoha. Hinata felt a pang of sadness grip her heart as she thought about Naruto's horrible condition. _Naruto-kun…_

Meanwhile, on one of the tallest buildings in Sunagakure, Jiraiya stared down quietly. From here, he could see the Obsidian Seal and the horizon. The glow was not at all lost on him. _So…the information about the sun and the moon was correct…_

During the many times Jiraiya had gone info-hunting, he had come up with one phrase that was quite common.

'_We must obtain them before the moon becomes the sun.'_

_During an eclipse, the moon takes the place of the sun…and when the eclipse ends, the moon is no longer one with the sun. _Jiraiya sighed out of frustration. _Today was the deadline for their plan…but the problem is…what were they planning?_

xxxx

/Hospital, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Inside a large hospital room, two beds sat several yards apart. In the left one sat Naruto, and in the right one sat Sasuke. A window embedded in the wall revealed the starry night sky of Konoha.

Hovering over Naruto was Tsunade. He had been cleaned of blood, but his wounds needed healing. Her hands glowed with green chakra as she used her medical ninjutsu to heal the boy. Standing behind her were two medical ninja, their hands on her back. They were supplying her with extra chakra; this way, she wouldn't run low. If they ran low, then two more medical ninja would replace them.

Tsunade grunted, "Shizune…how is Sasuke…?"

Tsunade's dark-haired assistant Shizune grumbled as her hands glowed green with chakra. Although Sasuke's wounds were not as great as Naruto's, his body had been put under a great strain by the Level 3 Curse Seal. Like Tsunade, she had two medical ninja supplying her with extra chakra. "He is…getting better…Hokage-sama…"

The two boys were unconscious. They would not wake up for awhile…

However, their minds were active…

And in Naruto's mind, he was remembering…

xxxx

/Naruto's Flashback/

/Earlier that Morning/

/Desert, 30 Miles Away from Sunagakure, Wind Country/

The blonde-haired teen stood, his feet leaving imprints in the desert sand. His orange and black ninja uniform stood out against the yellow sands. The sun was a thin edge against the eastern horizon. His Leaf hitai-ate reflected the light of the rising sun. Two pouches sat on his right thigh; they held kunai knives and shuriken. His blue eyes stared westward…toward his destination.

Sunagakure.

Where Akatsuki awaited him.

His teeth clenched together out of anger. _Those monsters…Akatsuki…!_

Three days ago, upon returning to home late at night, he had found a note waiting for him. From Akatsuki.

It told him that they had the Kazekage…and that they wanted him to come to Sunagakure.

Naruto snarled. Such ignorance…such arrogance…such idiocy! "Those stupids…stupid stupid stupid…"

**AH. FINALLY ACKNOWELDGING YOUR OWN STUPIDITY?**

_Shut up you damn fox!_

**YOU'VE YET TO FIND A MUTE BUTTON FOR ME.**

_Ignore the fox Naruto, ignore the fox…_

**KNOCK KNOCK.**

"RAAAAGH!" roared Naruto. Of all the times for the fox to talk, it was now. Whenever Naruto was moody or in an angry mood, the fox would talk. And he would make Naruto even angrier. Kyuubi had an uncanny knack for doing that.

_Now where was I…?_

**CONTEMPLATING RELEASING ME.**

_Nice try_, retorted Naruto.

He had been thinking about Akatsuki.

"Those stupid idiots…those arrogant jackasses!" They didn't care…they only saw him and Gaara for what they had in them.

Monsters.

Shukaku…and Kyuubi.

They wanted the demons sealed within them…and they disregarded him as nothing more than worthless refuse. It sickened him…he had dealt with such hateful people for a large portion of his life. They only saw him as a demon…and Gaara too had only been seen as a demon…

Naruto growled. He would end it today. Today he would prove his strength. He would prove that he wasn't just some vessel for a demon. He was a human. He was a ninja! He was a proud warrior for Konoha, the Village Hidden in the Leaves!

He would defeat Akatsuki.

No matter what.

**I BET YOU'LL DIE WITHIN THE FIRST TEN MINUTES.**

_Ignore the fox ignore the fox ignore the fox ignore the fox ignore ignore ignore…_

xxxx

/Desert, Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

A slab of obsidian sat upon the desert sands like a floor mat in a house. Nearby sat the Hidden Sand Village…but a gigantic barrier of steam covered it, preventing access from the outside.

Upon the obsidian slab was a complex, circular seal written on in red dye. Positioned across the seal's circumference were eight nodes. Within those nodes sat the members of Akatsuki. They were using their chakra to keep the seal intact…because within a rectangle at the center of the seal was Gaara of the Desert.

The Kazekage was staring quietly at the eight Akatsuki members around him. He would love nothing more than to strike at them. To crush them with his Desert Graveyard technique. He would…if he could move.

As things were, Gaara couldn't manipulate his chakra. He couldn't even move an inch. All he could do was breathe, blink, and move his eyes. He was restrained…thanks to the Obsidian Seal.

Gaara sat upright, his arms and legs crossed. The red lines glowed a dull color; it was a sign that the eight Akatsuki members were using their chakra to keep the seal active.

Akatsuki.

From Gaara's perspective, they looked like wraiths with straw hats. Their black-and-red cloud cloaks fluttered in the wind of the desert. Their hands were placed on the obsidian slab, transmitting their chakra into the seal.

"Hmm hmm hmm…"

Koumorimaru glared at Fujiwara Akira. He had been the one to chuckle. "Akira," growled the red-haired woman. "I told you to stop reading those crappy books and focus on the task at hand!"

Akira smiled as he glanced back with his blue eyes. One hand was on the Obsidian Seal…and the other held a small book titled 'Icha Icha Paradise'. "Come on Koumorimaru…you know as well as I do that once the eclipse occurs, there's a possibility this book's writer won't survive the chaos that follows. I'm just getting my kicks in while I can." As he said this, his face was red. "Just be glad my **_Yukemuriseki_** doesn't require my focus to hold together." The Yukemuriseki was the gigantic barrier of steam he had erected over the Hidden Sand Village; this way, no one would interfere. He flipped a page with his thumb and chuckled again. "Hmm hmm hmm…"

Toya Shuu chuckled slightly. Ogi-Daimyou, the Plant Lord, sneered. The Plant Lord appeared to be nothing more than a giant Venus Flytrap…but he was so much more. **"Ignorant human. Even as we advance toward our goal, he still partakes in pleasures of the flesh."** Shuu was quick to speak. "Don't forget that he is merely human like all of us. Once the plan is complete, you'll see his strength firsthand…because only the strongest shall survive." His voice was hoarse and whispery, as if he had been a smoker all of his life. On the contrary; his voice was only like that because of the fact plants grew throughout his body. Some of the roots of the Ogi-Daimyou were right next to his vocal cords.

Yagami Hiroto of the Stone was silent. His gigantic frame seemed much smaller under his Akatsuki cloak; however, his face seemed to be nothing more than muscle and bone with facial features on top. He was completely bald…but wrapped around his forehead was a Stone hitai-ate that was split in the middle. He quietly glanced at Deidara, a former Stone ninja as well. "Deidara." His voice was deep and low, like a growling tiger.

The female clay user glanced back at the tremendous Hiroto. "Don't be so worried…yeah. It's all coming together…yeah."

Hiroto was silent. _Insightful. She knew what I was going to say._

"Are you sure the vessel will come here?" asked Sasori. His wooden scorpion tail suddenly slipped out from under his cloak, twitching with anxiousness. "As you can see, I'm feeling a bit restless…"

Kisame chuckled, his light blue skin glistening in the morning sun. "Aren't we all? But don't worry…the fox boy will come." He glanced at Itachi, a wicked smile on his face. "Right Itachi?"

Uchiha Itachi was silent beneath his straw hat. He was busy thinking. For one, he was wondering about the other four that they already had. _Our Leader Mantarou possesses the Three Tails, the Five Tails, and the No Tail…and we have the One Tail with us. Now we just have to wait for the Nine Tails._ Itachi frowned; he had an oddly foreboding feeling about the coming of the Nine Tails…and that was something that was out of character for him. _No matter. The moment he arrives, the Yondaime's Inheritance will be ours._

Ogi-Daimyou suddenly twitched. Toya Shuu smiled, his oddly empty eyes narrowing. "He's coming…"

The eight Akatsuki members glanced eastward. A small silhouette stood out against the horizon.

Kisame grinned. "He came…" He suddenly stood up, clutching Samehada tightly. "I'll get him over here." As Kisame walked away, Hiroto pumped a bit more chakra to compensate for Kisame…but it really didn't matter. Only one Akatsuki member was needed to keep the Obsidian Seal powered. Even so, the amount of chakra needed to hold the seal was massive, so it would take at least four or five Akatsuki members if they wanted to have enough chakra for a fight.

Sasori grumbled. "No fair…I wanted to face the last demon vessel."

"You have more chakra than Kisame…yeah. You'll be able to supply the seal longer…yeah," replied Deidara, her odd style of speaking showing through. Sasori grumbled anyway.

Kisame walked casually towards the rapidly approaching silhouette, which began to form human features as it came closer. In time, it formed into a familiar-looking boy…and that boy skidded to a stop fifteen yards away from Kisame.

It was Uzumaki Naruto.

Kisame snickered as he held Samehada over his shoulder. "So…I take it our messenger bird managed to get the note to you."

Naruto snorted. He glanced beyond Kisame to see the Obsidian Seal…the other seven Akatsuki members…and in the center was Gaara. "Release Gaara."

Kisame chuckled. "That wouldn't quite be fair to you…because you're going to be sitting where he is as well. Like a good little vessel."

Naruto's fists clenched.

**OOH. STRUCK A NERVE, DID HE?**

Naruto ignored Kyuubi. He angrily pointed a finger at Kisame. "There's more to me than just being a vessel for a demon…and I'm going to prove it to you by beating all of you!"

"How cute." Kisame prepared to swing Samehada. "Prepare to die."

The wind blew. The morning sun shined down upon them, casting a reddish glow on the desert.

Soon, the desert would be colored red for a different reason.

Naruto immediately performed katas with his hands. "**_Kage bunshin no jutsu!_**" He split into five different copies that took out one kunai knife each. They all threw them.

Kisame calmly swung his blade, deflecting the kunai knives. "Come now…don't think you can defeat me with such a rudimentary technique."

Growling, four Narutos leapt at the former Mist ninja.

The exploded in puffs of smoke as Samehada ripped through them. Without hesitation, he leapt for the last Naruto. "We need you alive…but that doesn't mean I can't RIP OFF A LEG!"

He swung.

Naruto smirked.

He was suddenly twenty yards behind Kisame. The Mist ninja blinked as he tilted his head backward. _Quick little devil…how'd he move so fast?_

Naruto smiled; **_Hiraishin no jutsu_** had been a success! He quickly performed a different set of katas before slamming his hands into the ground. "**_Hibashira no jutsu!_** BLAZING FIRE TOWER!"

Kisame felt a rumbling feeling underneath him. _Hmm?_

A column of fire suddenly erupted from below, consuming him. Fire that flared with red, orange, and yellow color. The flames roared with rage as they overwhelmed Hoshigaki Kisame.

From a distance. The other Akatsuki members watched on with interest. Akira smiled. "Heh…looks like the runt's got some spunk."

"Just watch…yeah," replied Deidara. "Kisame's barely even started…yeah."

When the flames ceased…Kisame could be seen.

Naruto blanched. "NO WAY!"

Kisame chuckled…but it sounded garbled due to the sphere of water around him. As the water dropped away, the Mist ninja said, "Impressive…if I hadn't used my **_Junsai_**, that would've toasted me quite a bit. Even with my Junsai - the Art of the Water Shield - you still nearly overwhelmed me. Impressive…you've become stronger."

Uzumaki Naruto chuckled as he clenched both fists, flashing a devil-may-care grin at the Akatsuki ninja. "Thanks for the vote of confidence…but it won't make me go easy on you."

Hoshigaki Kisame grinned a feral smile at the Nine Tails. A blue chakra aura flared around him. His yellow eyes glared predatorily at Naruto, his sharp teeth glistening in the light. "Then…I won't hold back either."

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

**_Ferocity of the Shark! Can Naruto make a Comeback?_**

xxxx

Author's Notes: Sorry for the wait. Next time, I show the battle between Naruto and Kisame…and also the beginning of the battle in Konoha!

See you soon, and please review!


	3. Ferocity of the Shark! Can Naruto make a...

Standard Disclaimer: Disclaimer-chan! I don't own Naruto!

Author's Notes: The battle continues on!

To the reviews!

HikaruOfDreams: Not very talkative, are you?

Katt: Don't worry. I plan on finishing this story. However, it'll take awhile; the battle against Akatsuki (Naruto's memories of the fight anyhow) compromises part 1 of this four-part story.

Thalian: UPDATES!

Jenniyah: You'll find out what the eclipse is for…but what do you mean by dial?

Dragon'sSword: Uh…I'd prefer not to be a god. Olympus is full enough as it is.

Great Merciful Goddess: If you read chapter 2 again, you'll realize Itachi refers to Gaara as the 'One Tail'; it refers to Shukaku's single tail, hence the 'One Tail'. Kyuubi has nine tails, hence his name as 'Nine Tails'. The number shown indicates the number of tails that particular demon possesses.

Alana Quinn: Actually, I understood where you were coming from. I just used your review as a springboard to tell everyone else not to get mad if my story deviates from the manga.

Begin!

xxxx

**_Ferocity of the Shark! Can Naruto make a Comeback?_**

xxxx

/Banshee's Gorge, Eastern Highlands, Wind Country/

The full moon shined brightly upon the arid, barren, and mountainous land that compromised the eastern portion of the Wind Country. Right now, the ten ninja of the Leaf were spending the night in one of the few passes that led to the central portion of the country. Although there were some valleys full of sweltering heat and smothering sand amongst the highlands, they paled in size when compared to the larger deserts beyond the Eastern Highlands. Fortunately for travelers, some small rivers and lakes were located near these passes, allowing for less experienced travelers to survive. Nomads, small rodents, scavengers, and hardy vegetation were common in the Eastern Highlands.

The pass that the Leaf ninja were spending the night in was known as Banshee's Gorge. It was called this because when the wind passed through – which was quite often – a high-pitched, howling shriek was created, like the sound of a banshee howling. The Leaf ninja were currently sitting on a large ledge that overlooked the deep gorge. Also, three tightly bound knapsacks were sitting beside them. They were large enough to hold a human, and for good reason; the bodies of Orochimaru, Itachi, and Kabuto lay within them.

Kiba grimaced as he held his arms together, his teeth chattering together. "Dang it…it's freaking cold here…" A muffled 'ruff' from inside his jacket caused the Chuunin to scowl. "Darn it Akamaru, you've got my jacket and FUR! Of course you're warm!"

Hinata slightly smiled; even though it seemed like Kiba and Akamaru were arguing, it was lighthearted in nature…but it was true. Tonight was going to get VERY cold. Especially in the Banshee's Gorge. As the wind continued to howl, Hinata cringed; it sounded like a monster screaming.

Neji suddenly dropped down at them from above. His face was sullen. "No good. I've looked everywhere within a five mile radius. There aren't any caves or caverns around here."

Shikamaru sighed ruefully. "Well…that's not good. It's only going to get colder, and the wind chill doesn't help at all." The concerned Chuunin grumbled; they hadn't dealt with this problem on their way here. They had camped for the night in the relatively warm marshes of the nearby River Country. The next day – which was THIS day – they had crossed the border and crossed the Eastern Highlands. By the time the sun had set, they had reached Sunagakure. Now, they were going backwards…but Shikamaru didn't know if spending the night in such an unforgiving environment was a good idea. Maybe they SHOULD have spent the night in Sunagakure…

A gust of wind blew by, bringing with it its characteristic shriek. Ino grimaced as she clutched her arms. "Man…I'm freezing…"

Sakura breathed heavily, her breath condensing in midair. "I've got goosebumps…" (Inner Sakura: I know exactly who can warm me up…if only Sasuke was here!)

Rock Lee's ears pricked. He quickly shifted a glance at Maito Gai. Gai smiled as he flashed Lee a thumbs up. The look in his eyes said it all: go for it.

"DO NOT WORRY SAKURA-CHAN!" boasted Lee as he leapt to his feet.

Neji sighed out of exasperation. "Not now Lee. Save any energy for keeping yourself warm."

Lee snorted as he confidently replied, "But I'm going to help us all get warm! If we can't find a cavern…" He got into his Iron Fist combat stance. "Then I'll make one! **_Konoha Hasai Ashige!_** Leaf Smashing Kick!"

Rock Lee leapt into the air and slammed his foot, heel first, into the cliff.

**_KA-RACK!_**

The impact of Lee's kick caused a shockwave to pass through the rock, pulverizing it into smaller pebbles and fine powder. The pebbles began to fall away, revealing the cavern Lee had created with his own foot.

The Leaf ninjas – save for Gai – blanched at the sight of Lee's handiwork (or should I say footwork?). Sakura smiled afterwards. "Wow…nice work Lee!"

Lee flashed a knowing grin to Gai, who gave him a congratulatory thumbs up.

As for Hatake Kakashi and Jiraiya…

Kakashi's mind remained in contemplation as he remained perched upon a rocky spire, his body situated into a crouch. Jiraiya, who leaned against the base of the spire – the spire in question jutted upward from the top of a cliff – spoke. "Let me ask you again; how did the battle go?"

"…we won, if that's what you mean," replied Kakashi, his voice deadpan in nature.

Jiraiya's eyebrow twitched. "I know THAT. How is the village? What are the total casualties? How's the Fifth and the other Leaf shinobi?"

Kakashi sighed. His voice droned on as he remembered the events of three days ago. "Well…if you want me to be specific…"

xxxx

/Kakashi's Flashback/

/Three Days Ago/

/Uzumaki Naruto's House, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Hatake Kakashi sighed as he quietly opened the door to Naruto's house. Naruto had arrived at home rather late last night…but then again, after going to a student reunion at the Ninja Academy (hosted by none other than Iruka), the Copy Ninja wasn't surprised. A reason to get together with old friends and allies wasn't one to pass up.

Kakashi stepped inside, glancing around. The one-room house (although that room was large enough to hold a bed, a bookcase, a table, and a refrigerator) was messy; some scrolls were on the floor around the bookcase. The covers and sheets on the bed were ruffled. Kakashi checked the fridge; nothing but canisters of ramen and a carton of milk. He checked the milk.

He immediately sweatdropped at the sight of a moldy hand reaching out of the carton's top. _Yep. It's spoiled_. As he closed the top and tossed the carton into the trash, he remembered that Naruto had been away for three years; of course his place would be in disarray.

Strange though…considering how relatively early it was, Naruto should have still been sleeping.

A piece of paper caught his eye. It was on Naruto's bed. Kakashi picked it up and read it.

He suddenly paled. _Oh no…if this is…then…_ "Naruto!" Kakashi immediately burst away from the house.

**SLAM!**

He immediately ran headlong into the chest of the taller Jiraiya. The legendary Sannin looked down at the Jonin with a measure of annoyance. "You seem rushed." He quickly swapped the piece of paper in Kakashi's hand and read it.

xxxx

_Uzumaki Naruto,_

_We have the Kazekage, also known as Gaara of the Desert. He possesses a demon like you. We want it._

_If you do not come to Sunagakure immediately, he will suffer a most unfortunate fate._

_You have three days to get here. We shall be waiting for you outside the Hidden Sand Village. When you arrive, the Nine Tails will be ours at last._

_Akatsuki_

xxxx

Rather than gasp or pale, Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "Hmm…as I thought. I've been receiving words from my informants that Akatsuki was about to make its move…but so soon? I must admit even I'm surprised…but with the recent kidnapping of the Kazekage, it should be obvious."

"This is a very troublesome incident," said Kakashi, his voice stern and serious. "We have to report this to the Hokage-sama."

**_KABOOM!_**

The southern wooden wall of the Hidden Leaf Village suddenly erupted into fiery flames. Kakashi and Jiraiya paled as alarms sounded throughout the village. Kakashi sputtered, "Akatsuki?"

"Perhaps…to distract us from Naruto," replied Jiraiya with a sense of conclusiveness. "They don't want any Leaf ninja to follow."

As a multitude of Leaf shinobi began rushing toward the site of the explosion, Jiraiya said, "I'm going to notify Tsunade that the village is under attack. Repel the invaders if you can!"

Kakashi nodded as Jiraiya leapt on the rooftops toward the Hokage's Palace. _Hmm…I wonder who came to attack us…_

As Kakashi turned around to go towards the site of the attack, he saw someone coming towards his position. It was a muscular man with a lean build; he wore brown camouflage sweatpants, and his brown hair was greasy and unkempt. Two katanas were strapped to his back. Kakashi stared straight into the man's red eyes. _That's…_

When the man stopped on the rooftop on the opposite side of Naruto's house, Kakashi frowned. "So I thought correctly…you're a Nukenin…"

"Kakashi the Copy Ninja…it is an honor to finally face you," said the Nukenin. "The name's Blaze."

The Copy Ninja sighed out of slight pity; Akatsuki had sent leftovers to hold the Leaf down. Did they think this lowly of the Leaf ? "I suggest you retreat. You're not in my league."

Blaze merely smiled as he drew both of his katanas and held them tightly. He roared, "**_Faiahasaki!_** FIRE BLADE!" Both katanas became alight with red fire.

Kakashi paled. _This technique…a mere Nukenin shouldn't be capable of an advanced jutsu like this!_ The Copy Ninja leapt back as the Nukenin swung at him.

The brown-haired missing-nin smirked. "We may be Nukenin…but we are the cream of the crop. The 100 Nukenin that have invaded this village are all of the Chuunin and Jonin level…and let me tell you this." Blaze grinned maliciously as the flames danced on his blades. "We will not be so easily defeated as the Nukenin known as Zabuza."

This statement, oddly enough, didn't phase Kakashi. The Leaf ninja merely replied, "Tougher than Zabuza you say? Well…if that's the case…" Kakashi shifted his headband, revealing his left eye: the Sharingan. "…then I'll have to be serious, won't I?"

xxxx

Let us move on to a different battle now…

xxxx

/Naruto's Flashback/

/Earlier that Morning, Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

As Kisame dispelled his Junsai, Naruto frowned. He had to take a few things into account. For one, Kisame was a former Mist ninja…and, according to the Pervert Sennin, he had – like Momochi Zabuza – once been a part of the Mist's Seven Legendary Swordsmen. Secondly, his techniques were primarily water and mist-based. Third, his Samehada blade was capable of cutting through his chakra.

Inwardly, Naruto grimaced. _Man…of all the guys to start out against…_

**SCARED?**

_NO WAY!_

**YOU SURE SEEM SCARED. PERHAPS YOU ARE MERELY POULTRY?**

"RRR!" growled Naruto as his chakra began to glow. "Bring it on, fish-face!"

Kisame grinned as he performed a set of katas. "My pleasure. **_Suiryuudan no jutsu!_** Water Dragon Blast!"

A great rumbling sensation was felt in the ground. Naruto blinked out of confusion before paling at the sight of a watery dragon erupting from the ground; the rumbling in the ground had been Kisame bringing up the necessary water for the jutsu from an underground river.

As the watery dragon roared at Naruto, the Leaf ninja concentrated chakra in his feet. He quickly leapt away from where he stood; moments later, the watery dragon crashed into the ground, creating a massive splash of water. The moment Naruto landed, a deathly cold voice came from behind.

"Gotcha."

Naruto didn't even need to look back to know that it was Kisame behind him. He quickly jumped forward as the Akatsuki ninja swung his Samehada blade.

**_SPLICK._**

Naruto cringed as the tip of the blade cut through the back of his right calf. A ragged inch-long cut was now visible. As he landed twenty yards away from Kisame, he winced again. _Crap…crap crap crap! This isn't an ordinary cutting wound…_

**YOUR GENIUS ASTOUNDS ME.**

Naruto bit back an angry retort as he stood. _No time for bantering! Just heal it, or else we're both toast!_

**YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO'LL PERISH BY THE END OF THIS DAY.**

Although the comment sounded like another insult, Naruto could tell that the demon fox was slightly nervous about what Akatsuki had planned. After all, they didn't even know what they planned to with Gaara. Who knows what they had up their sleeve?

Naruto scowled as he glared at Kisame, who had a self-satisfied smirk on his face. "Heh…now you've experienced the teeth of Samehada first-hand…last time, I merely cut your chakra…now I gave you a wound. I sincerely hope it feels like your flesh is burning…"

Naruto was silent…and then he chuckled as his scowl turned to a grin. Kisame arched an eyebrow out of confusion. "You snapped?"

"No…I'm just waiting for you to stop this crappy intimidation act…because it isn't gonna work on me!" boasted Naruto as he performed a set of katas. "**_Kage bunshin no jutsu!_**" Naruto split off into thirty shadow clones. All of them began performing katas as they shouted, "Now DIE! **_Konohaito no jutsu!_** Leaf Cords!"

Kisame blanched as large strands of leaves – all tied together to each other, forming leafy ropes – erupted from the sleeves of all thirty Narutos. Before he could react, they wrapped and bound him tightly, forcing him to drop Samehada.

The Naruto clones leapt forward, preparing to strike at Kisame with a flurry of punches and kicks. Oddly enough, Kisame wasn't feeling any fear.

Instead, he smiled. He quickly wrestled one hand free and performed katas with one hand. The Narutos blanched; they hadn't seen katas being performed with one hand since Haku.

Kisame roared, "**_Kiritou no jutsu!_** Knives of the Mist!" Mist suddenly coagulated around his hands, forming razor-sharp knives on his fingers. The leafy strands were cut by the sharp weapons, allowing Kisame to break free. He launched thirty knives.

Twenty-nine Narutos burst into smoke. Kisame frowned; where was the real one?

He sensed chakra behind him. Kisame whirled around to see Naruto in midair…holding onto the hilt of Samehada. "LET'S SEE HOW MUCH YOU LIKE IT!"

The Mist ninja smirked as he made one hand seal: the sign of the tiger. He then yelled, "**_SASU!_**"

Shark's teeth suddenly erupted from the hilt, piercing through Naruto's hands. However, much to Kisame's shock, the boy didn't let go. _That kid's got guts…_

"IT'LL TAKE MORE THAN A STUPID BITE TO GET ME TO LET GO!" roared Naruto as he _threw_ the blade at Kisame. The Mist ninja grimaced as the blade slashed past his right shoulder, but he managed to grab the hilt in time; the teeth had retracted the moment Naruto had released Samehada.

Kisame grimaced as he watched the kid angrily lick his bloody hands; although he hadn't been generating a large enough chakra aura to be a big target for Samehada, the wound on his shoulder had cut a portion of his chakra away. Kisame chuckled bitterly; considering how much time had passed between the last time he saw the brat, the boy's chakra reserves had to have grown considerably, as well as his control (which explained how he had been able to keep his chakra from being completely cut from his wound on the calf; he had decreased the size of his chakra aura before the hit). And with his chakra being backed up by the massive stores of chakra possessed by the Nine Tails…Kisame smirked. _Looks like I'll have to finish this fight now._

"**_Kage bunshin no jutsu!_**" Four Narutos stood in the place of one. Naruto smirked; the nifty thing about having a demon inside your body…it gave you a lot of chakra to mess around with.

**YOU'LL RUE THE DAY YOU START TAKING ME FOR GRANTED.**

_Nag nag nag, is that all you do?_

**CONSIDERING IT'S ALL I CAN DO IN THIS MISERABLE PRISON, YES.**

Naruto twitched. _Smart-aleck, snot-nosed punk!_

**OOH. I'M SO AFRIAD.**

Making a mental note to pay back Kyuubi (somehow) in the future, Naruto's mind returned to the task at hand. The four Narutos pulled out one kunai knife each.

Kisame merely performed another set of katas. "**_Mizu bunshin no jutsu!_** WATER CLONE!" Water came up from the ground, becoming three different copies of the former ninja of the Mist. Before Naruto did anything else, Kisame performed another set of katas. "Now…**_Kirigakure no jutsu!_** The Art of Hiding in the Mist!"

As a cloud of mist covered the area, Akatsuki and the imprisoned Gaara watched on.

Akira chuckled. "This has been quite entertaining."

"Kisame's chakra is going to run low soon…yeah. The kid has a lot more, so that's why Kisame's going to finish this…yeah," said Deidara.

Koumorimaru snorted. "I just wish he'd hurry up and finish."

"What would you rather do? See a demon vessel fight to pass the time, or wait under the hot sun to pass the time?" sarcastically replied Akira.

Gaara was silent. He was too absorbed in watching Naruto fight…he was interested in how much the boy had grown since their fight three years ago. "…"

Naruto paled; he remembered this technique. Zabuza had used it to hide flawlessly from Kakashi and Team Seven in their first C-Rank mission to the Land of the Waves (officially, it was a C-Rank; unofficially, it was an A-Rank mission). It rendered almost everything invisible to the eyes.

Fortunately for Naruto, Kisame was not a former member of the Kirigakure ANBU. Although Kisame was capable of hunting by sound, his auditory acuity was not as great as the "Demon's".

Unfortunately for Naruto, he didn't know that.

So he forced himself to be cautious. _Okay…time to get creative!_

Moments later, one of the shadow clones was struck. Before he disappeared in a puff of smoke, the clone stuck his kunai knife into the eye of his attacker. The water clone was defeated. A puff of smoke and a mass of water was all that was left of them.

Naruto kept his ears open. Another Naruto was struck by a water clone. This time, he was unable to strike back. Naruto grimaced; two-on-three. He closed his eyes as he pulled out another kunai knife. He had to use his ears here. _Okay…where are you…?_

**WOULD IT BE HELPFUL IF I SAID 'MARCO'?**

Naruto's scowl was his reply. He now regretted informing Kyuubi of some human games and customs. He continued to concentrate.

Then, he threw one knife to the immediate area in front of him, and he threw the second one behind him.

Splashes of water greeted his ears. He opened his eyes with a smile; he had gotten the last two water clones. "Yes!"

"Heh…not bad. But while you've been striking at my clones, I've been preparing for two knockout blows! **_KAPPAJUUGAN!_** Art of the Demonic Water Bullets!"

Naruto gulped. He quickly performed a set of hand seals, roaring, "**_Narakuseki no jutsu!_** UNDERWORLD BARRIER!" A ghostly skull suddenly appeared above Naruto, flaring with dark energy. It then spewed black and blue fire, forming a protective sphere around Naruto.

The bullets erupted from the thick, dense fog. They were made of water, and they had the visage of a demon on their tips. They collided with the fiery barrier, evaporating into puffs of steam.

From within the depths of the mist, the watery bullets were being fired from the fingers of Kisame's right hand. He was busy performing katas with his left hand. _Okay…this'll finish it!_ "**_SAKAMAKU NO JUTSU!_** SURGING WAVES!"

His cheeks suddenly bulged outward; he spewed forth a stream of blue water, creating a massive wave that roared through the cloud of mist.

Naruto paled at the sound of rushing water. _Oh man, this is bad!_

The watery waves slammed into his barrier of fire, dousing it completely. Naruto gagged as he was surrounded by water, tossing him every which way. He underwent an extreme case of vertigo, losing his sense of direction.

**BAM!**

Naruto groaned as he crashed into the ground, his lungs losing their breath. As he tried to get to his feet – his muscles crying in protest – a voice penetrated his ears.

"**_Suirou no jutsu._**"

Naruto's face turned white as the water around him coagulated upon him, trapping him within a sphere of water. He looked up to see Kisame's hand sticking into the sphere. A cocky smirk was pasted onto the Mist ninja's light blue face.

Kisame sneered. "Art of the Water Prison. Game, set, and match."

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

**_Fear of a Demon! Gaara's Kidnappers Step In!_**

xxxx

Author's Notes: The battle between Naruto and Kisame ends in the next episode! The battle for Konoha is kicked up a notch…and more!

See you soon, and please review!


	4. Fear of a Demon! Gaara's Kidnappers Step...

Standard Scroll: Just like a standard disclaimer, except on a scroll! I don't own Naruto!

Author's Notes: The battle becomes more heated this chapter!

To the reviews!

Liliath: The suspense is agonizing, eh?

krn: Look, I don't mind criticism…but only if it's constructive. You say my third chapter 'sucked'…but you don't say why. Your review isn't a review; it's nothing more than a flame.

the essence of popsicles: What flavor are you?

HikaruOfDreams: Finally! A different word than 'awesome':P

Begin!

xxxx

**_Fear of a Demon! Gaara's Kidnappers Step In!_**

xxxx

/Banshee's Gorge, Eastern Highlands, Wind Country/

Even as the wind howled through the massive canyon that was the Banshee's Gorge, the Leaf ninja were sleeping silently, with the exception of Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Gai.

Jiraiya remained silent as Gai explained how several of the attacking Nukenin had given members of the Akimichi and Aburame clans a run for their money before he and his team had arrived to help. "Those Nukenin…they were extraordinary. Although not quite at the level of Akatsuki, Hokage-sama, or the Legendary Sannin, they were tough enough. Even my team and I were pushed to our limits."

"I see," muttered Jiraiya in reply. "Very interesting…Akatsuki was clearly adamant about keeping the Leaf away from Sunagakure."

"Still, it was fortunate you managed to catch up with Naruto," said Kakashi as he read from Icha Icha Paradise in an attempt to keep his mind occupied.

Jiraiya was silent as he fingered at his shoulder wound. His mind began to wander to the events of three days ago. "Yes…yes it was."

xxxx

/Jiraiya's Flashback/

/Three Days Ago/

/Hokage's Palace, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Jiraiya entered the doors of Tsunade's office with purpose in his stride. Judging from the lack of activity at the desk, she hadn't heard of the attack yet.

Probably because she was asleep amongst a pile of paper work. Jiraiya sweatdropped. _…wonderful_. He took a deep breath.

He roared, "WAKE UP YOU FLAT-CHESTED WENCH!"

Tsunade immediately sat up, her drowsy eyes alight with fury. **"SHUT YOUR MOUTH YOU PERVERTED LECHER!"**

"Now that I've got your attention, let me explain," cracked Jiraiya with a smile. However, he immediately became serious. "Our village is under attack."

The blonde-haired Hokage's eyes widened as she paled. "Under attack? By whom? Sound ninjas? Has Orochimaru returned?"

"No," gravely replied Jiraiya. "Akatsuki has sent Nukenin to attack the Leaf…to prevent us from following Naruto."

Tsunade arched an eyebrow out of surprise; she didn't know about the note. "What do you mean? Where's that idiot?" Jiraiya handed her the note, which she promptly read. Her skin color whitened by several shades. "Good lord…that stupid idiot! He ran off to Sunagakure, didn't he?"

"He did. That's why I'm going after him."

The Godaime glared quietly at her former teammate. "What of the Leaf? Judging by your demeanor, these are no ordinary renegades attacking us. What if Konoha were to need your help?"

"The Leaf's denizens are strong. They'll do fine without me. Naruto, however, is off to face Akatsuki alone…and he is the carrier of the Nine Tails. He cannot be allowed to fall into their hands."

Tsunade remained silent as she stared intently into the eyes of her former teammate. The reason was logical to be sure…but she knew it to be more. An ironic chuckle escaped her mouth as she uttered, "The idiot's grown on us, hasn't he?"

Jiraiya merely snorted in response. "He's also a bum and a slacker…protect the Leaf, Tsunade!" With that said, Jiraiya left the palace, leaving Tsunade alone.

Tsunade chuckled as she removed her green robes, standing in her battle uniform…the same outfit she had worn when she and Jiraiya had fought Orochimaru over three years ago. "I shall."

She left to join the fight.

xxxx

As Jiraiya hopped from rooftop to rooftop, his eyes and ears took note of the battles being fought. Even his nose took note of what was occurring; the smell of burning wood, the stench of spilt blood, the aroma of fresh-cut flowers being sliced by stray shuriken.

His eyes momentarily caught a glimpse of Kakashi, who was using two kunai knives to fend off the fiery blades of the Nukenin Blaze. Jiraiya sighed; he would offer his help just once. He performed a set of hand seals as Blaze kicked Kakashi in the stomach, sending the Leaf Jonin to the ground. "**_Mokuton; Kikuzunaifu!_**" Fragments of wood from a wrecked house suddenly floated into the air; Jiraiya used his chakra to sharpen them into knives. "Wood Element; Wooden Knives!"

At those words, the wooden projectiles went flying at the Nukenin.

**SLASH!**

Blaze turned around, using his fiery blades to utterly burn through the wooden knives. The Nukenin smirked. "It'll take more than that to defeat me!"

**SPLICK.**

"Indeed," said Kakashi as he removed the kunai knife he had used to stab Blaze in his back. The Nukenin gagged as his blades lost their fiery aura. Blood leaked from his back as he fell to the roof, dead as a doornail.

The Copy Ninja glanced at Jiraiya…but the Sannin was already gone. _Hmm…_

Kakashi paid it no mind. He had a village to protect. He quickly cleaned his kunai knife, pocketed it, and went off to find another battle to join.

By this time, Jiraiya had left Konohagakure.

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Naruto's Flashback/

/Earlier that Morning, Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

The mist was dissipating.

Akira flipped a page of his Come Come Paradise booklet with a tongue before saying, "Looks like the battle's over."

"No one's died…yeah. I can still feel two different sources of chakra…yeah." Deidara shifted her eyes toward where the mist was thickest.

Ogi-Daimyou uttered, **"The question is who the defeated one is."** Shuu nodded quietly out of concurrence. Koumorimaru, Hiroto, Itachi, Sasori, and Gaara merely watched on in silence.

The mist completely dissipated, revealing Naruto…imprisoned in the Water Prison of Kisame.

Hoshigaki Kisame chuckled as he stared down at the boy imprisoned within his sphere of water. "Heh…the mighty demon vessel falls. I must say, you put up quite a fight."

**OOH. A MEMBER OF AKATSUKI IS COMPLIMENTING YOU. YOU'RE MOVING ON UP IN THE WORLD.**

_Not now_, thought Naruto as he glared at Kisame. He had to keep himself controlled; he couldn't afford to black out or suffocate inside the sphere of water. All he could do was glare at the enemy that had imprisoned him.

Kisame smiled a toothy grin at the demon vessel. "Heh…I bet you're eager to know why we're doing this…our plan is actually for the benefit of our kind."

Naruto arched an eyebrow to show his confusion.

"In a world of peace, shinobi will be useless. As technology advances, artificial weapons will replace ninja as tools of war. For instance, the River Country – arguably the most technologically advanced country today – uses an army and soldiers instead of ninja to settle their conflicts." Kisame sighed ruefully as he thought about it. "A world where ninja are obsolete…it is a world that you should abhore. We're doing something to prevent that."

Naruto's face scrunched together, telegraphing his disbelief.

"Our plan…is to unleash the Nine Tails and the One Tail…and our leader already possesses the No Tail, the Three Tails, and the Five Tails. We shall unleash them…chaos will be wreaked upon the world." Kisame smiled at the thought of the rampaging demons. "Armies will prove useless. Only the strongest shall survive the havoc…and the ninja will forever be necessary. That is our goal…to save the world, it must be destroyed."

**I LIKE THIS PLAN.**

_SHUT UP!_ Naruto glared angrily at Kisame, who leered down at him with a smirk. "We're actually saving the existence of shinobi…something you should be perfectly fine with. Now if you don't mind…I'm going to release this prison so I can take you the Obsidian Seal. I'd rather you be awake when the demons are unleashed instead of out cold."

Naruto was silent.

Then, he chuckled, his voice echoing through the water of the sphere. He didn't care; he'd be getting out soon anyway. "You dunce…if you really think I'm going to go along with such a plan, then you're even more stupid than Sasuke! I'm a ninja of Konoha…and I'm not going to let you win!"

Kisame was silent before he sighed. "A pity." He performed some katas with his free hand. "**_Kiritou no jutsu._**" Misty knives formed on his fingers. "I'm going to make you bleed till you're out cold…but you won't die, so be grateful."

Naruto smirked. "Heh…by the way…did you know you only got two of my clones?"

Kisame arched an eyebrow out of confusion. "Hmm?"

**_CHOOM!_**

The third Naruto shadow clone erupted from the sand behind Kisame. The Mist ninja couldn't turn around in time before the clone slammed his foot into the back of the Mist ninja…but to do that, he had go through the Samehada.

The blade shattered into two from the force of the blow. Kisame gagged as the collision sent him flying forward, breaking his connection with the Water Prison. Naruto smirked as his third – and now last – clone stood beside him.

Kisame grimaced as he stood. _That brat…he broke Samehada…_ "Impressive…using the mist so that your clone can hide in the sand while you garnered my full attention. Still…that doesn't change the fact that I'm going to defeat you."

"Blah blah blah, I've heard it all before…" Naruto's chakra began to flow around him…and it began to glow red.

From afar, Itachi's eyes narrowed. _That red chakra…the chakra of the Nine Tails…_

Kisame blinked as Naruto's eyes turned red. As his body underwent a transformation – the result of him utilizing more chakra from the Nine Tails than normal – he growled, "You just think you can dictate the fate of the world…like it was your own little play-thing…" He grew fangs, and the whisker marks on his cheek became more prominent. "Well guess what…it's not your place…**TO DECIDE!**"

The only Naruto clone suddenly appeared behind Kisame – using the Flying Thunder God technique – and latched onto his back. The Mist ninja grimaced as he tried to shake the clone off; his chakra was getting low…

Naruto snarled; with the changing of his chakra aura into a fox-like form, his transformation was complete. "And if you think releasing demons on the world is a good idea…well let me give you a demonstration…of how fearsome a demon like Kyuubi can be!"

**AH. GOING TO USE THE JUTSU I TAUGHT YOU?**

_He deserves it._

**FOR ONCE, I AGREE. I LIKE HIS PLAN…BUT I AM NOT A TOOL FOR OTHERS. LET ME FEAST ON HIM.**

_Will do_, thought Naruto with a smirk. A murderer like Kisame deserved it anyway. "Now…**_NINPOU; REIKONYUEKI!_** Spirit Transfusion!" Naruto charged at Kisame, who was inert thanks to the clone's hold on him. As Naruto charged, his right hand charged with a white glow.

Then, he slammed the glowing hand onto Kisame's chest. Both the eyes of Naruto and Kisame became blank.

Akira blinked out of confusion. "What the heck just happened?"

"Not sure…but I know of a similar technique," said Koumorimaru. "It involves the spirit of the shinobi battling the spirit of his victim…a battle on the spiritual plane is different than that on this plane of reality. It comes down to the willpower of the individual…"

"Then this battle will be interesting then," muttered Yagami Hiroto.

xxxx

/Naruto's Soul Room/

Kisame blinked as he looked around. There was nothing but darkness around him. _What the…where'd the brat go? Where am I?_

A deep chuckling permeated the room.

Kisame whirled around, trying to find the source of the chuckle. "Who's there?"

"Your worst nightmare."

Kisame glared to his left to see a gate separating the room he was in from the outside. The one who had spoken was the Leaf brat. "You…where am I?"

Naruto merely grinned. "I told you…you're getting a taste of what Kyuubi is…or should I say it's the other way around?" Naruto snickered as he walked away. What was about to befall Kisame…he didn't mind. Scum like Kisame didn't merit sympathy.

Before Kisame could retort, the voice responsible for the deep chuckling spoke up again. **"AH…I CAN'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I TASTED ANYTHING…EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE ONLY A SPIRIT…I'M GOING TO ENJOY THIS."**

Kisame turned around to see the fang-filled maw of an orange demon fox roar at him, red eyes filled with furious hunger.

Kisame tried to move…but he couldn't. Never before in his life had he felt such terrible, horrific fear. He thought of Akatsuki…he thought of their plan…to unleash the demons…he figured he might've stood a chance in such a world…after all, it had only taken the Fourth to defeat the beast.

But he was mistaken. The demon fox had been caught off-guard…had he truly wanted to, he could've evaded the **_Fuuinjutsu Shiki Fuujin_** – the Demonic Soul Seal – of the Yondaime…

How could he have miscalculated the strength of one of the Ten Tailed Demons?

One last thought came to him; if Kyuubi was this strong as one of the Tailed Demons…then how strong was their leader…if he had defeated three of them?

Kyuubi's mouth was upon him.

"**TIME TO FEED!"** Kyuubi smashed his teeth onto the body of the Mist ninja.

"**_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"_**

Those were the last words Hoshigaki Kisame said before death claimed him.

xxxx

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

A startled gasp erupted from Kisame's mouth as his yellow eyes went wide.

Naruto's eyes returned to normal as he removed his hand from the clothed chest of Kisame. The lifeless Mist ninja slumped to the ground…dead.

Naruto sighed as his body returned to normal. His only shadow clone disappeared in a cloud of smoke. The Leaf ninja smiled as he looked at the dead Akatsuki member. _I did it…I beat him…_

**YOU MAKE IT SOUND LIKE YOU WON THE…THE…OH, WHAT THE DEVIL DO YOU HUMANS CALL IT?**

_Lottery?_

**THAT. **

_I might as well have! I beat a member of Akatsuki!_

**LEST YOU FORGET, THERE ARE SEVEN MORE MEMBERS RIGHT BEHIND YOU.**

Naruto sweatdropped as he turned to face the seven other Akatsuki members; they were all still sitting on the Obsidian Seal. _Yeah. I get what you're saying.._

**A FIRST.**

_Stupid fox…besides, you didn't even thank me for letting you eat that guy's soul!_

**IT TASTED HORRIBLE. ALMOST AS BAD AS THE FLESH OF AN ONI.**

_Something is better than nothing!_

**LET ME PUT IT IN TERMS YOUR PUERILE MIND CAN UNDERSTAND: WOULD YOU RATHER EAT NOTHING, OR EAT EXCREMENT?**

…_point taken._

**ANOTHER FIRST.**

_Shut your mouth!_

Upon the Obsidian Seal, Akira chuckled heartily. "Hehehehehehehe…that kid's got some chops."

"He killed Kisame…impressive," muttered Hiroto.

"The advantage of having a Tailed Demon living in your body, I'm sure…yeah," said Deidara, who glanced down at the mouth in the palm of her left hand._ Heh…it's salivating out of anticipation._

Akasun Sasori suddenly stood, removing his straw hat. "I'll face him now."

"Probably for the best…unlike Kisame, you tend to go all out at the very beginning of any fight," said Koumorimaru as she scratched her scalp with one hand. "You don't like to take chances."

"Indeed." Sasori smiled as he stepped off the seal; Koumorimaru pumped some more chakra into the seal to compensate for the loss of Sasori.

Itachi suddenly glanced at Deidara. "Let's not take chances; two-on-one will be a safer path to tread."

Deidara smiled as she stood and walked over to Sasori, removing her straw hat. "Heh…safer is better…yeah." As both of Gaara's kidnappers walked towards Naruto, Shuu gave more chakra into the seal to make up for Deidara.

Speaking of Gaara, the Kazekage frowned. _Hmm…the clay user…and according to village records, the other is Akasun Sasori…let's see how you fare now, Naruto…_

Naruto frowned as he watched Deidara and Sasori advance toward him. _Great. More fighting._

**YOU EXPECTED LESS?**

Naruto ignored the Kyuubi as the two Akatsuki members stopped twenty yards away from him. The Leaf ninja got into an offensive battle stance, ready to fight again.

Sasori's strands of black hair strayed in the wind as he clutched his cloak. "I'm not the type to procrastinate…" With a simple movement, he removed his Akatsuki cloak and the handkerchief covering his mouth.

Naruto paled. _What the…?_

Sasori's body was changed beyond belief. His entire lower jaw was made of wood, separated into three different segments. Even his teeth weren't real. Strips of wood were grafted into his ribs, and wooden panels covered his abdomen, back, spine, shoulders, arms, and legs. Another oddity was the large scorpion tail protruding from the back of his spinal cord, stretching on for several more feet. He then finished his sentence. "…so let's end this quickly, shall we?"

Naruto paled. "Your…your body…"

"I personally changed myself into a puppet/human hybrid. I still possess my nervous system, my brain, my inner organs, my blood system, and my inner coils system…but the advantages of this new state are quite numerous. I was the greatest puppet maker of the Sand…I am a personal testament to that fact."

Naruto gaped. "You were once part of the Sand?" Sasori nodded. Naruto's shock was replaced by anger. "Why…why'd you abandon your village?"

"I'll put it in simple terms," tersely said Sasori. "My puppets, in the hand of a skilled puppeteer, would lay waste to any foe. I became disenchanted…for what purpose did I make puppets if there were no strong opponents to test them against?"

"So that's why…" Naruto's frown deepened into a furious scowl. "You think that you'll have a purpose for making puppets again…because a world overrun by chaos and demons is going to need ninjawith powerful weapons. Right?"

Sasori grinned. "You're smart. Perhaps fighting against you will be worth my while after all."

**YOU? WORTH HIS WHILE? YOU HAVE NO WORTH TO SPEAK OF.**

Uzumaki Naruto snorted. He glared at Deidara. "Hmph…while we're at it, what's YOUR story?"

"Hmph," grunted Deidara as she flexed her fingers. "My story doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things…yeah. I only do what I please to do. If I feel like slaughtering someone, I'll do it…if I feel like creating a catastrophe for a ninja village, I'll do it. When you have such power at your fingertips, goals don't seem so meaningful…I merely joined Akatsuki because it presented something new…yeah." Deidara smiled as she pulled open her Akatsuki cloak, revealing two-dozen tan duffel bags strapped to the inner folds of it. "And with my explosive clay…I'll make sure you're brought down…yeah."

Naruto snorted. "So…you're willing to inflict all this suffering…just for the sake of DOING it? YOU MISERABLE SCUM!" The Leaf ninja sneered as he pulled out two shuriken. "I'm going to kill you both!"

He threw both shuriken at Sasori and Deidara.

Deidara calmly reached into a duffel bag and pulled out a small portion of clay, which was eaten by the mouth in her palm. Less than a second later, it was spit back out; now that it was mixed with her chakra, it had become a potent explosive. With a clenching of her fist, she molded it into a bird and sent it flying at the shuriken aimed for her. The throwing star was vaporized in a small explosion.

As for the shuriken aimed at Sasori…he sliced it apart with tiny knives that jutted outward from his fingers. The former Sand ninja narrowed his eyes as he said, "Now it's my turn."

He stuck his tail into the ground and used it to vault himself towards the fox boy at high speed. Naruto paled. _That guy's fast!_

**THE UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE YEAR.**

Naruto quickly leapt backwards to avoid Sasori's kick.

Nevertheless, a cut appeared on his cheek; a small knife had jutted outward from the puppet master's wooden big toe, allowing his kick to connect. _Crap…his entire body's one big bag of tricks…I can't let him get close to me!_ Naruto quickly leapt up to avoid the puppeteer's next attack.

Sasori aimed his arm up at Naruto as a panel opened up. Spring-loaded needles were launched out of the panel and toward Naruto.

The Genin gaped; he couldn't dodge in time! All he could do was cross his arms to prevent any major wounds. The skin on his sides, arms, and legs were cut open, letting blood flow freely from them.

He let his arms down in time to see a clay eagle flying at him. Naruto gulped as the explosive neared him.

**_BOOM!_**

Deidara chuckled as clay rained down from the fiery cloud. "Heh…hope he's not burnt too badly…yeah."

Sasori glared at her.

Deidara silently turned around, looking at what Sasori was really glaring at.

Naruto.

_Impressive…yeah_, thought Deidara with a smile as she reached for more clay.

Naruto panted as he wiped some of the blood that had leaked down to his hand; he had managed to use the Flying Thunder God in time. _Dang it…Kisame was tough…but I can't handle two at once!_

**RELEASE ME THEN. TWO-ON-TWO IS FAIR, RIGHT?**

_Nice try._

**CAN'T BLAME ME FOR TRYING.**

Sasori charged. Naruto prepared himself.

Then…

"_**Fuuton**_**_; Geirufoosu!_** Wind Element; Gale Force!" A sudden blast of wind suddenly struck Sasori, throwing him backwards. Deidara, Sasori, and Naruto all blinked.

"Heh heh…you bum. Haven't I told you before…"

Naruto suddenly smiled at the sound of that voice. He looked around to see none other than Jiraiya standing there. The member of the Legendary Sannin finished by saying, "If you're going to battle against superior numbers…bring allies."

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

**_Might of the Pervert Sennin; Master and Apprentice Unite!_**

xxxx

Author's Notes: It occurred to me over the course of this chapter that no wood element or metal element jutsu has been done yet in the series. Well…THAT SHALL CHANGE!

See you soon, and please review!


	5. Might of the Pervert Sennin!

Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Uzumaki Naruto! However, I do own Kyuubi! (SLASHSMASHCRASHROAR) Okay, maybe not. X.X;

Author's Notes: Kyuubi's painful to play with.

To the reviews!

Liliath: Slow torture? I'm actually moving quite fast for updating decent-sized chapters (weekly update at the very least).

TimeShifter: I'm not going to say whether NaruHina will be in the fic or not…but I will say that I support NaruHina. ;)

the essence of popsicles: Actually, elemental ninjutsu (spells based off the five elements Doton, Suiton, Katon, Mokuton, and Kinton, AKA Earth, Water, Fire, Wood, and Metal) isn't confined to any one village, although some villages specialize in certain types more than others. Kirigakure is pretty much all Water-based. As for Konoha…well, there's the possibility for all five types to be used. It just depends on the ninja casting the ninjutsu.

HikaruOfDreams: A reviewer of few words…or should I say word:P

Dragon Man 180: Welcome to Legacy! And thanks for the compliments!

tiggra: Not very talkative eh? Welcome!

jpthug12: (Standing on top of the Empire State Building) This up enough for you:P

BlackCoven: Don't worry…the battle will be nice and sugary. ;)

Begin!

xxxx

**_Might of the Pervert Sennin; Master and Apprentice Unite!_**

xxxx

/Banshee's Gorge, Eastern Highlands, Wind Country/

Neji's eyes opened up. His white eyes dilated so he could see better in the dark; the Jonin got to his feet, ignoring the howl of the gorge. It was a miracle the Leaf ninja had fallen asleep here.

He quietly walked towards the entrance of the cave, passing by the sleeping Chuunin and Jonin…well, there was one other Jonin that was awake beside him; Jiraiya, who only SEEMED asleep. His back was against the wall, eyes peering quietly on the three body bags that held the corpses of Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Itachi.

The male Hyuga stepped outside into the cold night air…and he saw a familiar figure staring up at the full moon. A sigh escaped his lips. "Hello Hinata."

Hinata didn't turn around.

"I thought I heard someone step outside…" Neji stepped towards his cousin, his black hair fluttering in the wind. "Naruto. That's who you're thinking about, isn't it?"

Hinata nodded. "Y-Yes Neji-san…I am worried about him…"

Neji smiled quietly as he stepped to her side. "You don't need to worry about him…after all, he had enough chakra to use that Flying Thunder God technique. He's most likely in Konoha by now…and Tsunade's the best medical ninja around. Add Shizune and the other medical ninja in the village, and he'll be as good as new."

"…I know that Neji-san," replied Hinata. Her gentle frame seemed so much more formidable under the green vest of the Chuunin. Although she did not normally wear it, the battle in Konoha had required all of a shinobi's resources (that the vest had some armor plating inside it was also a factor). Her meek voice was barely louder than the wind. "I was just thinking…about the class reunion at the Academy."

Neji arched an eyebrow…that is, until he remembered the events that had occurred before the battle in Konoha. "Oh…THAT." Neji let a small laugh escape his mouth. "Naruto…quite the clown, wasn't he?"

"…yes," replied Hinata as a small blush came to her face. Even though Neji remembered Naruto's antics…she remembered it for a different reason. "Naruto-kun was very funny indeed…"

Neji's smile faded as the gusts picked up, threatening to blow the two away. "Let's get back inside the cave. These winds are too fierce."

"Okay Neji-san…" quietly whispered Hinata as she followed her higher-ranking cousin into the cavern. Her mind would not leave the memory of that day…

How close had it been…how close to her dream's realization? To be noticed…by him…

She smiled as she lay down to sleep. _Naruto-kun…_

Hinata fell asleep with a smile on her face.

xxxx

/Hokage's Palace, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Tsunade walked into her office with all the grace of a crippled moose. She didn't even bother using the doorknob; she just punched through them to get in. She was too frickin' tired to care.

Tsunade had exhausted almost all of her chakra trying to heal Naruto. Shizune had also succumbed to tiredness after expending most of her energy to heal Sasuke. Even though the boys were on their way to recovery, Konoha still had to be repaired…all the damage from the battle three days ago…wait. Scratch that. It was past midnight.

Technically, the battle FOUR days ago.

All the damage from the battle four days ago had to be repaired…and that meant more paperwork!

_Oh, how joyous._

Tsunade just sat in her chair, looking at the mountain of paperwork she had to do.

With an ungraceful _plop_, she laid her head down on the desk, causing the papers to scatter. She didn't care right now. She needed to sleep.

Her mind started wonder as her body shut down for the night…

xxxx

/Tsunade's Flashback/

/Four Days Ago/

/Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Tsunade ran through the streets towards the closest battle site. Those who had advanced farthest into the village had to be dealt with first. _Okay…they're very powerful enemies, so just because they're Nukenin doesn't mean I can underestimate them._

She leapt onto the nearest rooftop, getting a better view of the area. The southwestern portion of the village's outer wall had been demolished…and several summoned creatures were running rampant. Some of the animals included lizards, rats, and hawks. Tsunade frowned; she had to even the odds.

With a quick bite of her thumb, Tsunade quickly ran the blood along her arm. She leapt onto the ground below and slammed her hands onto the dirt. "_**Kuchiyose **_**_no jutsu!_**" The blood on Tsunade's arm shifted down onto the ground, forming a summoning circle. A bright flash of light emanated in the ground and the air.

When it faded, Tsunade stood upon a gigantic slug that was colored white with blue vertical stripes: Katsuyu the Slug Queen. "Katsuyu!"

Katsuyu's eyes stalks shifted so that the giant slug could see Tsunade. "YES?"

"I'm going off to help another section of the village. Attack those summoned creatures!"

"UNDERSTOOD." Tsunade jumped off of Katsuya as the slug slithered over to the attacking summoned beasts. The first creature that she encountered was a large rat, which hissed and fired a shower of fangs from its maw.

Katsuyu countered by dousing the fangs – and the rat – with a shower of acid.

Tsunade smiled; Katsuyu would be able to hold her own. She quickly ran off to find a battle to join.

After one minute of hopping over rooftops, she found one.

A Nukenin wearing nothing but a brown bodysuit was fighting Team Gai. However, it was clear that black-haired Nukenin was in his element…all because of the wooden houses around him.

"**_Mokuton; Kazehakuuki!_**" Over a hundred pieces of wood suddenly floated into the air, revolving around him like protective shield. "Wood Element; Windy Shower of Wood!" The one hundred pieces suddenly split off into thousands of sharpened splinters, swirling around the area in a frenzied wind. Maito Gai and Lee both grabbed sections of a fallen roof to shield themselves from the splinters. TenTen – who was a Chuunin – used two nunchucks to defend herself, spinning them around at such a high speed that all splinters that came near her were pulverized. As for Neji, he alternated between leaping from hiding spot to hiding spot and using his Kaiten to deflect incoming splinters.

The Nukenin smiled. "Pathetic…worthless…cowards…is this the best the Leaf has to offer? WELL?"

It was at the point that Tsunade's fist slammed into his head.

The Nukenin's skull was instantly pulverized. The force of the blow sent his body flying backwards, even as blood and brains trickled from his crushed head.

Gai popped out of hiding, only to gape at the sight of Tsunade. "Hokage-sama!"

Tsunade smiled. Her arms and face were bleeding; in order to get to the Nukenin, she had been forced to dive straight into the storm. "Don't worry. It's nothing." Her hands glowed with green chakra; after several moments of waving her hands over her arms and face, the wounds had disappeared.

TenTen flushed as she bowed. "Thank you Hokage-sama. You saved us."

"Don't bother talking," quickly interrupted Tsunade. "Our village is under attack by Nukenin sent by a dangerous organization known as Akatsuki." Gai and Neji's eyes widened; Lee and TenTen merely looked confused, as they did not know the truth about Akatsuki just yet. As a Jonin, Neji – who hadn't encountered Akatsuki personally like Gai had – was privy to that information."Your mission is to protect Konoha…and I will help in this mission! We must keep the Leaf safe from harm!"

"Yes ma'am!" Gai, Neji, TenTen, and Lee all stood at attention.

The Fifth smirked. "Shinobi…SPREAD OUT!"

At those words, the five ninja spread out to face Akatsuki's Nukenin.

xxxx

/Naruto's Flashback/

/Yesterday Morning/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

Upon the Obsidian Seal, the five members of Akatsuki and Gaara watched silently as the new arrival advanced toward Naruto. Akira raised an eyebrow out of confusion. "Who the heck's that dude?"

"That is Jiraiya," replied Itachi.

"One of the Three Legendary Leafs?" asked Koumorimaru out of surprise.

"Yes…" answered Shuu. Ogi-Daimyou also spoke up. **"Not only that, but he is capable of summoning Gama-Bunta, the Boss Toad. Three years ago, Gama-Bunta held is own against Shukaku the One Tail - of all demons - with the help of the fox boy…that frog is a formidable opponent."**

Hiroto nodded quietly as he gazed at the old man walking towards Naruto. "He seems old…but I assume he's much stronger than he appears."

Itachi concurred. "He is." After all – the last time he had met the Sannin – he had been forced to use his Divine Illumination technique in order to escape him. _Let us see how he and the demon vessel fare against Deidara and Sasori…_

And all the while, Gaara silently watched on.

xxxx

Naruto smiled as Jiraiya stepped at his side. "Yes! About time you got here!" His lips contorted into a cocky grin. "But then again, I was doing awesome without you. You probably shouldn't have wasted time coming here!"

**_POW!_**

"**OW!**" yelped Naruto as he rubbed a sore spot on his head. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"

"FOR GOING OFF HALF-COCKED, YOU PATHETIC ASS!" roared Jiraiya, his fist clenched tightly.

**WELL SAID.**

Naruto seethed. "WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO YELL AT ME?"

"BECAUSE YOU'RE AN IDIOT WHO RUSHED OFF TO FACE AN OBVIOUSLY SUPERIOR ENEMY!"

"**SUPERIOR?**" Naruto snorted. "DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH!"

Meanwhile, Sasori and Deidara were sweatdropping. The former Sand ninja chuckled. "My my…such poor chemistry. All to our advantage, nonetheless. Deidara?"

"Way ahead of you…yeah," replied Deidara as she reached into one of her bags of clay. The mouth in her left hand swallowed a good portion of the pliable substance. _Heh…let's give those two a wake-up call…yeah._

All the while, Jiraiya and Naruto were continuing their bickering. The Toad Sennin roared, "YOU OVEREAGER FOOL! YOU REALLY THOUGHT YOU COULD TAKE AKATSUKI ON YOUR **_OWN?_**"

"**YEAH!** AND I'VE ALREADY KILLED ONE!"

**AHEM. GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE.**

Jiraiya snorted. "DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH, YOU PATHETIC LIAR!"

Naruto immediately pointed towards Kisame's body. "Then start laughing!"

Jiraiya eyed the corpse…and his eyes widened. He remembered that man; he had encountered him over three years ago when Itachi had burned through his Toad Mouth Enclosure technique with the Divine Illumination jutsu. He had possessed a blade that could cut through chakra…

_Impossible…this squirt beat him on his own?_

Naruto grinned, drinking in the pleasure he got from Jiraiya's stunned expression. "Heh heh heh! Speechless, huh?"

**PARDON MY LITTLE INTERRUPTION OF THIS TIRADE, BUT YOU MIGHT WANT TO DODGE.**

Naruto looked around him to see hornet-shaped pieces of clay buzzing toward them at high speed. Naruto immediately grabbed Jiraiya's robes and yelled, **_"HIRAISHIN NO JUTSU!"_**

Both master and apprentice disappeared in a yellow flash. The hornet projectiles all collided, exploding in a flash of red.

Deidara smirked as she saw both of her targets in one piece…ten yards away from the sight of the explosion. "Heh…they managed to evade my explosive clay hornets…yeah…"

Naruto grimaced as he let go of his teacher's robes. "Rrr…why the heck are we fighting, you idiot? We have a fight to win, don't we?"

"Agreed," muttered Jiraiya, swallowing his pride for once. "I'll take the clay-using female."

Naruto smirked. "Heh. I'll get the puppet guy. That girl seems boring anyway."

Sasori smiled. "Yes…it seems the demon vessel wishes to face me."

"And the Legendary Leaf wishes to face me…yeah. I wonder how my clay will perform against him…yeah," uttered Deidara as her right hand ate clay from a large bag labeled 'C3'. "I'll try the third level of potency…"

Naruto and Jiraiya suddenly split apart. Sasori and Deidara did the same.

The fight had begun.

Naruto quickly performed a set of katas as Sasori circled around him. "**_Konohaito no jutsu!_**" Leafy cords immediately began encircling the former Sand ninja.

The man sneered as panels in his arms opened up, revealing knives that shredded the cords into nothingness. "Pathetic…I shall rend you limb from limb, for I am the greatest master of **_puppet no jutsu_** in the world! And I will show you…" He crouched down into his customary position. "…why I am known as the Scorpion of the Red Sands…because I will make this desert red with your blood…"

Naruto smirked. "You can try."

"And so I shall." With that said, Sasori's tail suddenly extended, lashing out at the Leaf ninja. Naruto leapt up high into the air, only to suddenly find Sasori in front of him. _Fast!_

**DIDN'T YOU ALREADY THINK THAT?**

Tiny daggers popped out of Sasori's fingers, becoming claws that the former Sand ninja used to strike at Naruto. The boy grimaced as the daggers slashed the side of his thigh, causing blood to spurt forth. Just as quickly, however, the fox boy grinned.

Why?

Because he had his hands on Sasori's left leg. "Take THIS!" Naruto heaved the Sand ninja towards the ground.

Akasun Sasori was not worried. His tail suddenly sped downward, slammed into the ground, and shot him backward up like a metal spring. One moment later, his knee met Naruto's gut.

"OOF!" grunted Naruto as the air escaped his lungs. Seconds later, he met the ground, causing the sand and dust around him to fly up. "Ow…"

**A REAL DOWN-TO-EARTH EXPERIENCE.**

_Shut up._

**I ONLY HOPE IT TOOK YOUR EGO DOWN A FEW NOTCHES. IT WAS GETTING TOO NOISY HEARING YOUR BOASTFUL THOUGHTS 24/7.**

_Shut up._

**NO WITTY COMEBACK? HOW SURPRISING…YET FORTUITOUS FOR MY EARS.**

_Shut up._

"Hmm hmm hmm…" Sasori chuckled as his tail twitched. "I've gotten excited…please make this battle worth my while…"

xxxx

**BOOM!**

Jiraiya leapt to his side as a bird-shaped piece of clay crashed into the ground where he had been moments ago. A shower of sand and dirt was kicked up.

Deidara quickly threw four more pieces of clay, shaped like pigeons. "Come now…don't run all the time…yeah. It makes the fight too boring…yeah."

"I'll give you a fight," muttered Jiraiya as he performed a set of katas while on the move. Finally, he yelled, "**_Aboushita no jutsu!_** Palm of the Frog's Tongue!" He thrust both palms forward, and from each one materialized the tongue of a frog.

Deidara directed the four clay pigeons toward Jiraiya. One of the tongues shot forward, swatting the four pigeons. As the pigeons exploded – taking one tongue with it – the other tongue grabbed Deidara, wrapping itself around her body. The former Stone ninja grimaced as she was slammed into the ground repeatedly.

Jiraiya smiled. _Easy so far…but this can't be all she has to offer._

**_BOOM!_**

Jiraiya paled as his second tongue exploded. "Wha?"

Deidara broke through the remnants of the tongue and landed on the ground, chuckling softly. "Heh heh…when I threw the pigeons, I also threw tiny chunks of clay shaped liked winged ants…yeah. They got onto your tongue when it appeared and blew it up…yeah." Deidara calmly reached into one of her bags; this one was labeled 'C4'. "Now to kick it up a notch…yeah."

A large stream of clay suddenly shot out of her mouth, formulating into the visage of an eagle. Performing a quick set of katas, Deidara enlarged the one-foot tall figure into a ten-foot tall beast with a twenty-foot wingspan. She hopped onto the eagle as it flapped its wings, taking to the sky.

Jiraiya grimaced as Deidara took to the clouds. _This just made things more difficult…_

xxxx

Naruto barely managed to dodge two knives that were sent flying at him by a spring-loaded launcher implanted into the wood in Sasori's thigh. The living puppet immediately followed this up with another attack. Two wooden panels in his shoulder blades suddenly opened, revealing two more spring-loaded launchers that flipped upward, aiming over his shoulders and at the boy.

Naruto gulped as thin needles were launched from the launchers, aimed straight at his arms and legs. He quickly slammed his hands onto the ground, roaring, "**_Hibashira no jutsu!_**" A column of fire rose in front of Naruto, albeit a smaller one; there was no need to waste chakra needlessly.

The needles were vaporized. Sasori did not follow up with another attack.

Naruto chuckled. "Hah! Having second thoughts? I could torch your wooden body without any trouble at all! **_HIBASHIRA NO JUTSU!_**"

Sasori was silent as he felt a rumbling occur beneath the ground beneath him. Without hesitation, he leapt to the side a mere moment before the ground he had once stood on erupted into a column of flames. As he landed, the former Sand ninja chuckled. "Hmm hmm hmm…puppets are so misunderstood…"

**NOW THE VILLAIN GIVES A STORY OF WHY HE DOES WHAT HE DOES. HOW CLICHÉ.**

_Shut up_.

**YOUR RETORTS HAVE BECOME BORING. WHERE'S THE PIZZAZZ?**

"Most people think that puppets are just flammable tools, useful for only distraction and surprise…but it is that very misconception that drove me to become the greatest puppet maker…" A sneer formed on his transformed mouth. "It is also why I was driven to turn my body into this…"

"To prove a point?" mocked Naruto.

Sasori's eyes narrowed, forming a dangerous glare. "For the practicality of it all." His sneer formed into a smirk at the sight of Naruto's raised eyebrow. "Think about it. Most ninjas use their chakra for ninjutsu spells, genjutsu illusions, and physical taijutsu…and through battle, their chakra is slowly, yet surely drained. Usually, most ninjas cannot battle longer than fifteen minutes with the continuous use of their chakra…but that is not true for me."

Naruto snorted. "What makes you think that?"

"I KNOW that because of what I've become," replied the Akatsuki member. "Although I have altered my body, I am still capable of moving with my own bones, muscles, and skin. It requires no chakra on my part to move. I only require chakra to open the wooden panels on my body…and since a majority of my projectiles are loaded into spring-loaded launchers, I don't require any chakra to fire them. I only use chakra to activate my weapons…to aim my launchers…and in THIS case, to move like lightning!"

Two wooden panels on the side of each calf suddenly popped open, revealing metal wheels that slid down to the sides of Sasori's feet. A wooden platform joined the protective inner hubcaps of the wheels on each foot together, and it served as a platform for Sasori's feet to stand on. In essence, he had now formed two-wheel skates. "Hmm hmm hmm…and last but not least…"

A wooden panel embedded into his very spine opened up, revealing a katana that he pulled out with one hand. Sasori grinned maliciously as licked the flat side of the blade with his tongue. "Chakra…to use my sole ninjutsu technique."

Naruto blinked. _He uses a ninjutsu technique?_

**YOU MUST BE DEAF. HE JUST SAID THAT.**

_Shut up._

**BANTERING WITH YOU HAS BECOME DULL.**

"It's a fairly common technique among high-ranking Sand ninja…but it is very deadly…and with a blade as a focusing tool, it becomes even more so…add my speed…and it shall become apparent that this fight is futile!" Sasori held the katana lightly with one hand as he performed katas with the other.

Suddenly, the metallic wheels began to whirl.

**_CHOOM!_**

A cloud of dust and sand was kicked into the air by the sheer force of Sasori's propulsion. Naruto paled; Sasori had been fast before…but now he was unparalleled.

In the span of two seconds, Sasori had gotten behind Naruto. The fox boy quickly prepared to use **_Hiraishin no jutsu_**-

"Now demon vessel…try THIS. **_Kaze no yaiba!_**" Wind began swirling around Sasori's katana. "WIND BLADE!" Without hesitation, he swung.

The blade-shaped current of wind dug into Naruto's back…and the blood came forth in a thick spray of red.

xxxx

**_BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM!_**

Deidara gave the term 'carpet bombing' a new meaning.

Jiraiya was having a tough time navigating his way through the figurative mine field Deidara had set up. The female Akatsuki ninja was forming more and more clay explosives, throwing them down with an ever-increasing speed, and at an ever-increasing rate.

Jiraiya snarled. He had to even the odds…and now. A smile adorned his face as he dodged another bird-shaped clay explosive. _Hm…one of the main exports of the Wind Country is iron ore…and a majority of the country's ore is located near the many underground rivers. And since Sunagakure was built over a large underground river…_ He quickly performed a set of katas. **_"Kinton; Kinryuudan no jutsu!" _**The ground underneath him began to rumble. "Metal Element; Metal Dragon Blast!"

A metallic dragon's head erupted from the sandy ground, roaring at Deidara with an unearthly ferocity.

The former Stone ninja blinked. "Well that's just peachy…yeah…" She leapt off of her clay eagle as the metal dragon head devoured it. With a thought, the eagle exploded, taking the metallic dragon with it. As she fell, she was quickly digging into a clay bag to create another form of transportation.

_Not so fast_, thought Jiraiya with a smirk as he slammed his hands into the ground. "**_Ninpou; Atsuensansui!_** Art of the Rolling Hills!" Using his chakra, Jiraiya created vibrations in the ground, creating a rolling wave of sandy hills just as Deidara neared the ground.

The moment Deidara created a clay hawk and enlarged it, a hill of sand threatened to engulf her. Without hesitation, she roared, "**_Bakuha no jutsu_**; EXPLOSION!"

A ball of chakra erupted from the mouth in the palm of her right hand, crashing into the wall of sand that threatened to crush her. The chakra ball exploded, creating a hole in the rolling hill.

However, much to Deidara's surprise, Jiraiya was above the hole, his hand holding an orb of swirling blue chakra. "Huh…?"

"If you haven't had enough yet…then my **_Rasengan_** will blow you away!"

xxxx

Sasori wheeled around for another strike at Naruto.

Speaking of Naruto, several cuts had been made on his back, arms, and legs by the former Sand ninja's Wind Blade. Thankfully, they were all being healed. _Man…that Wind Blade is getting annoying…_

**I'M FORCED TO HEAL YOUR PATHETIC HIDE. HOW DO YOU THINK I FEEL?**

_Shut up._

**WHERE'S THE CREATIVITY? FOR SHAME.**

_IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP, I'M GOING TO SHAVE YOUR TAILS OFF AND STICK EM' IN YOUR MOUTH!_

**AH. THAT'S BETTER. YOU MAY NOW COMMENCE GROWLING OUT OF IRRITATION.**

_RRR!_

**OH, AND HEADS UP.**

Naruto looked up to see Sasori swinging his katana. The fox boy impulsively jumped up to avoid the blade.

The former Sand ninja smiled. _Impressive…for all intents and purposes, he should be dead…but the chakra of the Nine Tails is healing him…and the Kyuubi is even preventing his body from being cut apart to the point of limb removal. The symbiosis of their chakra is astounding…fighting a demon vessel is truly a pleasure…but I must end this now._ "NOW THIS ENDS!"

Uzumaki Naruto scowled as Sasori charged again. _Crap…he's gonna try and knock me out now…I've got to get rid of those wheels!_ He quickly pulled out two shuriken…as well as something else. He quickly performed some hand seals. "**_Kage bunshin no jutsu!_**" Five clones appeared beside Naruto.

Sasori snorted. "THAT WON'T HELP AT ALL!"

Two of the clones smirked. "**_Hiraishin no jutsu!_**" The two clones disappeared in a flash of yellow. Naruto and his other clone both threw one shuriken each at Sasori, while two other clones just stood there.

Akasun Sasori adeptly ducked under the shuriken. "WORTHLESS! **_KAZE NO-_**"

"HAH!"

The Scorpion of the Red Sands tilted his head back to see the two clones grab the thrown shuriken…and then they threw them back, this time at the legs. Sasori, however, jumped, avoiding the shuriken yet again. "I told you…IT'S WORTHLESS!"

The two clones that had done nothing grabbed the shuriken. As for Naruto and his first clone…they held string.

_String?_ thought Sasori with a frown. Then, he paled as he glanced down at his feet, seeing string wrapped around the back of the wheels. He paled out of shock; string had been tied to both shuriken...the boy had thrown the shuriken to get the string wrapped around his wheels! That meant-!

Naruto and the three clones pulled both ends of the two lengths of string.

Sasori yelped as both of his feet were brought upward into the air; his tremendous forward momentum sent him flying forward…

**SLAM!**

…and into Deidara, who had been sent flying by Jiraiya's **_Rasengan_**.

"OH YEAH!" cheered Naruto. "SCORE!"

The two Akatsuki ninja were silent. Jiraiya remained on guard, nevertheless. "…"

Then, both of them stood. Deidara muttered, "It seems we've underestimated you…yeah."

Sasori finished by saying, "This means we have no choice but to use our combination attacks…prepare yourselves."

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

**_Two-on-Two! Double Combo Attack!_**

xxxx

Author's Notes: This battle concludes in the next chapter!

See you soon, and please review!


	6. Two on Two! Double Combo Attack!

Standard Disclaimer: Himura Battosai…HITEN MITSURUGI-RYU: I DON'T OWN NARUTO!

Author's Notes: Who do you think would win…Hatake Kakashi…or Hitokiri Battosai of Rurouni Kenshin?

To the reviews!

Dragon Man 180: If Naruto yelled out of frustration, that would be admitting defeat to Kyuubi. You know Naruto wouldn't do THAT. ;)

Cloud-821: Technically, you can't LOSE talent…sometimes, however, you have trouble accessing it (AKA: Writer's block). :P

the essence of popsicles: I know about the spelling error. Don't care. I've stricken the extra 'U'. Why? Cause I felt like it. THE AUTHOR HAS SPOKEN! (goes to get a drink)

Liliath: True that.

Ann: Here's your update.

PersonaJXT: That's true. Except that's not what happened here. Read on.

o.o: Interesting name. :P

Begin!

xxxx

**_Two-on-Two! Double Combo Attack!_**

xxxx

/Kazekage's Palace, Sunagakure, Wind Country/

The full moon glistened down upon Sunagakure. The wind howled as it picked up the sand, turning the dark horizon into a dusty brown. The sky was empty of clouds…and of stars. Only the moon had decided to show up tonight.

From the rooftop of the Kazekage's palace, Temari sighed. Her Jonin uniform – a set of purple robes that were tied around her body by a black sash, plus slip-on shoes and her Sand hitai-ate – ruffled in the blustery wind. Her eyes were staring up at the moon, which seemed so bright in such darkness.

It reminded her of the events of the past week.

One week ago, Akatsuki had kidnapped Gaara…and that was when she and Kankuro had been sent to notify their ally, the Leaf, of what had happened. They had managed to get far enough away to escape Akatsuki's notice…and they had also witnessed the raising of the steam barrier by one of the eight members of Akatsuki.

Four days ago, they had arrived at Konoha…and they had assisted the Leaf in fending off their attackers: the Nukenin of Akatsuki and the Oto-nin (Sound Ninja) from the Hidden Sound Village. After the battle, they had returned to Sunagakure with eight Konoha-nin.

Yesterday evening, they had arrived at Sunagakure to find that Naruto had defeated the Akatsuki invaders, with help from Gaara, Sasuke, and Jiraiya. Not only that, but Orochimaru and Kabuto – nemeses of Konoha – had also been vanquished.

Temari sighed…and then she suddenly grimaced as a spike of pain washed over her injured stomach. She had been injured in the battle in Konoha…but it was mostly a flesh wound.

_A very painful one at that_, bitterly thought Temari.

Still, she was happy. Akatsuki was gone, save for one (or so she had been told). Gaara was safe…and he would continue to serve the Sand as their Kazekage.

"You okay sis?"

Temari turned around to see Kankuro, wearing plain black pajamas. It was late at night, and he had actually decided to go to sleep. Temari, meanwhile, had been unable to sleep…and thus, had seen no reason to remove her clothing. Yet.

She quietly nodded. "Yeah…just watching Gaara."

Watching Gaara?

Yes; on the roof of a small building adjacent to the Kazekage's Palace, Gaara was sitting there. He was staring up into the sky, quietly letting sand swirl around him like a miniature whirlwind.

Kankuro smirked as he ran a hand through his dark brown hair. "Heh. Don't you mean 'Kazekage'?"

Temari irritably whacked Kankuro on the left shoulder. This caused him to wince. "OW! That hurt!"

"Then don't be a smart aleck. You know we can call him Gaara when no one else is around," retorted Temari.

"I know that!" Kankuro irritably rubbed his left shoulder; it had been the target of a powerful Water element ninjutsu in the battle for Konoha. _Stupid girl…can't even take a joke._

The two siblings silently watched their younger brother Gaara stare into the sky…into the darkness…and into the moon…

Temari quietly looked back up as she thought of the events of four days ago…

xxxx

/Temari's Flashback/

/Four Days Ago/

/Outside Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"How much further Temari?" yelled Kankuro from the base of a giant oak tree. His sister Temari was on the very top of the tree, scouting out the area ahead.

No response.

"Temari?"

Still no response.

Kankuro angrily roared, "**TEMARI!** ARE YOU DAYDREAMING UP THERE?"

_Thip._

Temari quietly landed on the grass beside her younger brother. Kankuro – wearing his Jonin outfit (black uniform with a black head covering, as well as purple face paint) – angrily demanded, "Why the heck didn't you respond?"

"I saw Konoha…"

"And?"

Temari raised her head, staring into Kankuro's black eyes with dark green irises full of uncertainty. "And…it's under attack."

A thunderbolt of shock ran through Kankuro. "No way! What the heck??"

"I know…prepare yourself Kankuro." Temari tapped the giant fan roped to her back before leaping off into the branches.

Kankuro grimaced. _What rotten luck…oh well, at least Karasu, Kuroari, and Sanshouuo will get a decent workout_. Yes…the Crow, the Black Ant, and the Salamander would get a workout indeed.

The two Sand Jonin made it to the outer wall of Konohagakure in less than three minutes. Temari quickly yelled, "SPLIT UP!"

"RIGHT!" With that said, the two split up. Temari quickly dashed away from her younger brother. Part of her regretted splitting up…but she knew that they worked better alone. Her wind-based abilities would screw up Kankuro's **_puppet no jutsu_**.

In a matter of seconds, Temari found an enemy. A bald Nukenin wearing nothing but gray sweatpants and a brown headband was dealing with three Chuunin; she recognized them as Hyuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, and Inuzuka Kiba. Oh, and there was a little dog named Akamaru.

"**_Katon; Kanryushiikaa!_** Fire Element: Fire Dragon Seeker!" The Nukenin blew out five different strands of dragon-shaped fire from his mouth. Two of the strands sought out Kiba and Akamaru.

"AH! FIRE! HOT!" yelped Kiba as he and Akamaru both tried to dodge the fiery dragon strands. The ninja was unable to cast a jutsu.

Two other strands sought out Shino. The calm, even-headed Chuunin quickly back-stepped away from the two tongues of flame. When they came too close, he would raise his arms. Sticking to his forearms were shields made of destruction bugs that had been reinforced with chakra…the shields made for a fine defense. But that was all he could do.

The last strand targeted Hinata. Since she only had one to deal with, she could effectively alternate between dodging and attacking. Unfortunately, the bald Nukenin was too good at evading her strikes and countering with lightning-quick punches and kicks. Even with her Byakugan bloodline limit, she couldn't track the Nukenin's counters.

The Nukenin smirked. "Come on. Can't I have SOME fun?"

"I'll give you fun! **_Ninpou; Sunasenpuu!_** Sand Whirlwind!"

The Nukenin whirled around to see a cyclone made of sand rushing toward him. The bald renegade yelped as he was picked and launched into a building by the whirlwind.

"RUFF!" barked Akamaru as he saw the source of the attack. Kiba did too. "Well…look who's decided to show up!"

Temari smiled, bracing her fan beside her. "Yo. Need any help?"

xxxx

/Naruto's Flashback/

/Yesterday Morning/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

On the Obsidian Seal, the five members of Akatsuki sat silently, watching Deidara and Sasori fight the demon vessel and his sensei.

"Hmm…it's been an impressive bout so far," commented Akira as he flipped a page in his _Icha Icha Paradise_ book. Imagine how he'd react if he knew Jiraiya was the author.

Yagami Hiroto wiped some of the sweat off of his head with one hand; the sun was now beating down upon them with its terrible, terrible heat. "Indeed."

"But now that Deidara and Sasori are going to use their combo attacks, it's all over…that's why they always go on missions together…because their abilities compliment each other so well." Koumorimaru snickered. "There's no way the fox brat and his teacher will be able to win."

Shuu chuckled quietly. "I wouldn't bet on that…they are master and apprentice, after all. It would not be surprising to see that they have combination attacks as well…"

"Let's just watch," interrupted Itachi. The Akatsuki ninja resumed their task of keeping Gaara sealed.

xxxx

Sasori and Deidara stood silently as they stared at Naruto and Jiraiya. The fox boy wiped the sweat off his brow irritably; the sun was getting to him.

**GETTING NERVOUS?**

_Of course not! It's just getting hot!_

**EXCUSES, EXCUSES.**

_WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREAKIN' DESERT!_

**YOU CALL THIS SANDY PLAIN A DESERT? SURELY YOU JEST.**

…_I don't even wanna KNOW what deserts are like where you're from._

**A SHAME. I WOULD CERTAINLY ENJOY WATCHING YOUR SKIN MELT.**

Naruto shook his head to ignore the demon fox's words. "Gah…so…how much chakra did you pour into your **_Rasengan_**?"

"Not nearly as much as I wanted to," commented the irritable Pervert-Sennin. "I could only get one-fifth of the chakra I wanted into the ball before I had to attack. Otherwise, she would've dodged before the attack connected, and I would've wasted chakra."

Naruto snorted. "Pathetic…"

**_POW!_**

"LIKE YOU'RE ONE TO JUDGE!" roared Jiraiya as Naruto painfully clutched his aching head, thanks to the Sannin's fist.

As the two Akatsuki members watched the two rant at each other, Sasori glanced at Deidara. "Is your Z2 clay ready?"

Deidara nodded as her right hand's mouth spewed out blue-colored clay. With the clenching of her fist, the mound of clay was transformed into a bowl shape. She performed a quick set of katas, enlarging the bowl of clay until it was big enough to comfortably house a human.

The former Sand ninja quietly jumped into the bowl before it closed over him. Deidara smirked. "Now to show them Combo #1…yeah." With a thought, Deidara sent her ball of huge explosive clay toward Naruto and Jiraiya. "**_Combination One: Sneak Attack!"_**

Both Leaf ninjas sensed chakra heading in their direction. They turned to see a ball of chakra-reinforced clay heading in their direction. "Uh oh."

Naruto leapt high into the air, focusing chakra in his feet so he could get extra height. Jiraiya, on the other hand, performed a set of katas, yelling, "**_Hari Jizo_**; Needle Guardian!" His white hair suddenly increased in size, forming a protective barrier of spiky hair that surrounded his entire body. He crouched down to protect his face.

Then, the ball of blue clay catapulted into the air, exploding right at the midway point between Naruto and Jiraiya.

**_KABOOM!_**

Naruto grimaced as the force of the explosion sent him further upward. Jiraiya grunted as a forceful shockwave pounded him downward, forming a small crater in the sand.

Naruto grimaced as he looked down…and to his shock, the ball of clay was still in the air. However, it was now gray, and a few chunks of blue clay were stuck to it. It was also a good deal smaller. _Wha…?_

Suddenly, Sasori burst from within. "Peek-a-boo." Without hesitation, his tail extended high into the air and wrapped around Naruto's body.

Deidara grinned as she watched Sasori burst from the ball of clay. _Heh heh…my Z2 clay is special…yeah. It only explodes on the outside, leaving behind a protective inner shell…it makes for good surprise attacks…yeah._ She quickly dove into another bag of normal clay, preparing for the second combo attack.

Meanwhile…

**HAVE A NICE FALL.**

Naruto screamed as Sasori slung him downward towards Jiraiya, his tail acting like a slingshot.

"Hm?" Jiraiya gazed upward to see Naruto falling towards him. "AGH!" With a thought, his hair returned to normal. He quickly raised his arms to catch his idiot apprentice; he then promptly fell onto his bottom when Naruto landed on him. "YOU IDIOT!"

"YOU SHOULD'VE CAUGHT ME THEN!" roared Naruto.

**SUCH SPLENDID DISHARMONY. BRINGS A TEAR TO THE EYE.**

_Shut up!_

**WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I'LL LISTEN TO YOU?**

Thip.

That was the sound of Sasori landing on the tip of his tail in the soft desert sand. Panels in his heels suddenly opened up, revealing steel rods attached to a wooden axle. Sasori grinned as the axles began spinning…causing the rods to spin at high speed like helicopter blades. "They may not be like tonfa…but they're just as good!"

His tail sprang backward, building up potential energy. Then, he sprang himself forward, aiming his feet for the heads of the two Leaf ninjas.

**_KA-POW!_**

Naruto and Jiraiya were both sent flying by the hit; the steel rods had slammed into their chins. Sasori smirked as he aimed his tail into the air. The tip of the tail opened up, revealing a small barrel. "Now…to begin the second combo! **_Combination Two: Death Trap!_**"

**_CHOOM!_**

Eight black orbs were launched from the barrel in his tail. Each orb landed five yards away from them, forming a circle with a ten-yard diameter around the two Leaf ninja.

Naruto frowned. "Smoke bombs…?"

"Nothing so passive…" said Sasori, who was at least fifteen feet away from the nearest orb. Suddenly, dark green gas was expelled from the eight orbs, forming a thick cloud that loomed dangerously close to the two ninjas. "Those are poison bombs…and the corrosive gas they have just released will melt away at your skin should you touch it."

This new piece of information was disquieting to the two Leaf ninja. Jiraiya and Naruto stood back-to-back, trying to stay as far away from the toxic cloud as they could. Naruto muttered, "Crap…"

"And that's not all." Sasori's words filtered in through the gas, possessing a scarily ghostly quality. "Look above you."

Both Leaf ninja did.

High in the sky, standing atop another clay bird – this one a large falcon – was Deidara…and she held arrow-shaped pieces of explosive clay. Without any hint of qualm, she threw them downward at the master and apprentice.

Naruto grimaced. _CRAP! We either die from the arrows made of explosive clay…or we die from the cloud of toxic gas!_

**HMM…**

_You got a plan?_

**NO. JUST WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT I'D PREFER YOU BLOWN TO BITS, OR MELTED INTO A PUDDLE OF GOO.**

_RRR! YOU'RE NO HELP!_

**GLAD TO BE OF SERVICE.**

SLAP.

Naruto tilted his head to see that the Pervert-Sennin had slapped his hands together, obviously preparing a ninjutsu spell. A smirk adorned his lips. "Hmph…if they think we can be so easily done in…they're mistaken! **_Suiton; Kaisuihadou!_**" His cheeks suddenly bulged as he aimed his mouth upwards. "Water Element; Ocean Surge!"

A torrent of blue water erupted from his mouth, enveloping the explosive arrows. Deidara barely managed to dodge the fountain, veering her clay falcon away. "Well…that's not good…yeah…"

The water then fell downward, consuming the toxic gas cloud and washing it away. Sasori frowned as the water rushed toward him. _Clever._

He then pointed his tail straight up.

The clay falcon soared by him, grabbing his tail. The former Sand ninja was whisked into the air by Deidara, avoiding the surge of water wrought on them by the Legendary Leaf. He glanced upward at Deidara and said, "We've used the first two combination attacks. They have failed." As he spoke, his metal wheels once again appeared beneath his feet.

"I get what you're saying. We have to use our last one…yeah," uttered Deidara as she thrust both hands into her largest bag of clay: the bag was labeled 'X'. Once she had devoured all of the clay within the bag, she hopped off the clay falcon. Simultaneously, the falcon released Sasori. His wheels began spinning in midair as Deidara landed on his shoulders. Seconds later, his wheels made contact with the last remnants of the surging water, skiing across the surface with ease. When the water receded, leaving nothing but muddy sand, his speed still remained constant. "NOW!"

"**_Final Combination: Doomsday!_**" Deidara then aimed her palms toward the ground; the mouths in them spat out the clay she had consumed, forming lines on the ground.

Jiraiya wiped his mouth clean of water as he watched Sasori skate around in the mud, letting Deidara place clay on the ground. "Hmph…they think they can simply use combination attacks whenever they please?"

"Nah…not when we have our own." Naruto smirked as he gazed at the clay falcon, which was rushing toward them. "Let's take care of that oversized pigeon first."

"Agreed," replied Jiraiya as he quickly performed a set of katas. Naruto did so as well.

Jiraiya yelled, "**_Doton!_**"

Naruto yelled, "**_Katon!_**"

Then, simultaneously, they roared, "**_Shoudo no jutsu!_** Earth and Fire Element; Burning Earth!" Jiraiya expelled a wave of hardy earth from his mouth and into the air. Naruto spewed out a stream of red fire that surrounded Jiraiya's soil, turning it into a fearsome weapon.

The burning earth and the clay falcon collided, creating a massive explosion.

Naruto eagerly pumped his fist. "BOOYAH!"

A male voice interrupted the boy's joy. "Hmm hmm hmm…don't be too quick to celebrate demon vessel."

The two Leaf ninjas turned around to see Sasori standing fifteen yards away. Atop his shoulders was Deidara, who had an odd smile on her face.

Naruto frowned. "What's with them?"

**LOOK AT THE GROUND, DUNCE.**

Naruto did…and paled. "Pervert-Sennin…"

"I see it…" muttered Jiraiya.

All around them were lines of explosive clay, situated in an intricate geometric pattern. In a way, it resembled a seal.

Deidara smiled as she performed a set of katas. "Now…let me show you the true power of my explosive clay." Then, she formed the sign of the Ram: **O-hitsuji**. "**_Ninpou; Hanyuubakudan!_**"

The large clay pattern started glowing red.

"ART OF THE EARTH BOMB!"

Then, the clay lines exploded.

**_KABOOM!_**

The explosion created a massive column of sand and fire that roared upward, taking Naruto and Jiraiya with it. The shockwave of the explosion shook the land for miles around. Clouds were blown away by the force of the explosion.

Akira's teeth chattered from the vibrations. "I-I-Impressive."

"Indeed," muttered Hiroto.

Gaara was silent as he his eyes tried their best to follow the explosion. "…" Oddly enough, he was not concerned. He knew how hardy Naruto was. As for Jiraiya…well, he WAS a Legendary Leaf.

Sasori smirked as Deidara hopped off of his shoulders. "Hmm hmm hmm…I certainly hope that the vessel for the Nine Tails isn't THAT fragile. Mantarou will have our heads if the boy turns out dead."

"Don't worry. The boy's alive…yeah. I can still sense his chakra…yeah." Deidara smirked as she stared down at the mouths embedded in her palms. _Such wonderful tools…_

Long ago, using forbidden scrolls, she had learned a forbidden kinjutsu technique that had had demonic origins. It led to the creation of the mouths in her hands, which were connected directly to her Inner Coils system…and thus had she developed her fighting style, using clay. _Heh heh…such useful tools indeed…yeah…_

"**_DOTON!_**"

Sasori and Deidara paled; that was the voice of the old Sannin.

"**_KINTON!_**"

Both Akatsuki ninjas looked up; the fire had dissipated, and the sand kicked up by the Earth Bomb was falling down…and falling from high in the air was the fox boy and his sensei.

Granted, their clothes were covered with burn marks, and they were bleeding in several places. They also possessed burn wounds…but despite that, they were attacking. Simultaneously, they roared, "**_Kidotekkou!_**"

A large mass of metal erupted from the desert, sailing into the air. It shifted and transformed, eventually turning into the shape of an armored fist. Jiraiya spat out more earth from his mouth, which coagulated upon the knuckles of the metallic fist. Both Leaf ninjas roared, "Earth and Metal Element; Earthen Iron Fist!"

The fist began spinning as it roared downward towards Sasori and Deidara. The former Sand ninja impulsively sped away on his wheels. Deidara hurriedly tried to form another bird from her clay.

_CRASH!_

Too late. The former Stone ninja yelped as the fist crashed into the ground in front of her. She was sent sailing through the air before landing on the soft mud of the desert floor; seconds later, she was submerged by a torrent of sand.

Sasori scowled as he glanced upward. "Accursed fools!" Panels in his knees opened up, revealing spring-loaded needle launchers. The needles sailed at high speed towards the two falling ninjas.

"Grab onto to me Naruto!" Naruto clutched onto Jiraiya's shoulders as his teacher performed a set of katas. "**_Aboushita no jutsu!_** Palm of the Frog's Tongue!" Sticky tongues emerged from Jiraiya's palms, connecting to the desert floor below.

Jiraiya and Naruto's downward velocity increased tenfold as the Legendary Leaf shot them downward, avoiding the needles by a good margin. Thankfully, a mere twenty feet above the ground, he stopped their descent. With a thought, he dismissed the tongues, and the two landed on the ground without a scratch.

The Pervert-Sennin narrowed his eyes. "Hmm…the clay-user's buried for the moment. Let's take this opportunity and strike at the puppeteer now!"

"Gotcha!" exclaimed Naruto.

"Now…to use my very first original technique." Jiraiya quickly performed a set of katas before saying, "**_Touton no jutsu_**…Art of Camouflage." Suddenly, he disappeared.

Sasori's eyes narrowed. _An invisibility ninjutsu…interesting._

Naruto suddenly roared, "**_Kage bunshin no jutsu!_**" He split off into four copies; five Narutos now faced Sasori.

The former Sand ninja smirked. "Hmph. You think this will be enough…" His wheels once again appeared as thin knives jutted outward from his fingers. "BUT YOU'RE WRONG!"

He kicked up a cloud of dust as he sped at the five Narutos.

Suddenly, the real Naruto closed his eyes as he performed an entirely different set of katas. Sasori frowned. _A new technique?_

"**_Ninpou; Sanhirameki!_**" Naruto's eyes opened…and out came a blinding flash of light. "Solar Flash!"

Sasori's vision exploded into a million multi-colored bulbs of light. "AGH!" He screamed as he skidded to a stop, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands to try and regain his vision. He quickly brought his tail upward to defend himself from attack while he was momentarily blinded.

That is, if he could. His tail wouldn't budge. _What's going on?_

"Now to show you what it means to be a ninja of the Leaf!" exclaimed Naruto as he and his clones moved into position around Sasori; two in the front, and three in the back.

Naruto leapt high into the air as his clone leapt forward, punching Sasori in the chin. "**_U!_**" The Sand ninja was sent backward…and his tail remained in place, as if stuck.

The three clones behind Sasori ran forward and skidded across the desert sand, kicking him in the back. "**_ZU! MA! KI!_**" The Sand ninja was sent flying high into the sky…and yet his tail refused to move.

Finally, Sasori regained his sight just in time to see Naruto doing a flip in midair. _No! I can't lose to-_

His thoughts were interrupted by Naruto's foot slamming down onto his forehead. "**_NARUTO RENDAN!_**"

Sasori gagged as he was sent flying down to the ground, face-first. He tried to move his tail…but he couldn't. _WHY?_

Then it became apparent as Jiraiya's camouflage ninjutsu wore off, revealing him clutching the wooden tail. Sasori's eyes widened…and then he smiled. _Hmph…so I lost…looks like my puppets…were too weak…_

Jiraiya thrust the razor-sharp tip of the tail into Sasori's throat. Red blood poured from the wound as the Legendary Leaf unceremoniously dropped the Akatsuki ninja to the ground.

Within seconds, the Scorpion of the Red Sands was dead.

Naruto smirked. "That's two down!" _Heh…whaddya think now Kyuubi?_

**UNIMPRESSIVE.**

_WHAT!_

**YOU SPENT FAR TOO LONG FIGHTING HIM. I WOULD'VE MERELY STEPPED ON HIM. QUICKER AND MORE EFFICIENT. PLUS, LICKING THE MEAT AND BLOOD OFF MY PAW WOULD MAKE MY STOMACH HAPPY.**

_Yeah right. I'd like to see you try!_

**LET ME OUT AND I'LL TEST MY FANGS ON THE REST OF AKATSUKI.**

_Fat chance. This is my fight!_

**A FIGHT YOU'D HAVE LOST BY NOW WITHOUT MY CHAKRA RESERVES.**

_…_

**I WIN AGAIN.**

_GRR! JUST YOU WAIT!_

By this time, Deidara finally dug herself out of the sand. "Ghu…agh…" She looked around…and paled at the sight of Sasori's dead body. _So…they killed him…_

Naruto, his four clones, and Jiraiya turned towards Deidara. "Just one more…" muttered the Sannin.

Deidara quickly let her right hand's mouth consume an entire bag's worth of clay…and the bag was labeled 'Z1'. Unlike 'Z2'…the Z1 clay would explode on contact. She smirked as she expelled the now-explosive clay into her palm, forming it into the shape of a wasp. Due to the amount of Z1 clay packed into the wasp, it was glowing blue with chakra. "Now…TAKE THIS!"

She launched it at Naruto and Jiraiya.

Naruto smirked as he performed several hand seals. It was time to try a technique that was based off a move he performed years ago, on his mission to the Land of the Waves. When he had been consumed by the Nine Tails' chakra in his rage, he had been able to deflect the needles of Haku with just his chakra aura.

This technique was like that, except it only worked on an object that was exhibiting a chakra aura…and the wasp definitely qualified. "**_Chakra Rifure no jutsu! _**Chakra Reflection!" His red chakra aura flared brightly as the wasp neared.

The wasp collided against his aura.

And, much to the shock of Deidara, it was bounced back to her at an even higher speed than when she had launched it. _No!_ She quickly tried performed a set of katas, trying to decrease the wasp's size in an attempt to minimize-

"**_HIRAISHIN NO JUTSU!_**"

Deidara paled as Naruto and his four clones appeared behind her in a yellow flash…and then each clone slammed their right foot into her back.

Pain overwhelmed Deidara's senses as she was sent flying into the wasp. She had no time to prepare a defense, to raise her arms, or to even harden her muscles in an attempt to lessen the damage.

The wasp slammed into her chest.

**_KABOOM!_**

Naruto's four clones stood protectively in front of the real thing, lessening the damage from the explosion's shockwave. The clones dissipated in a puff of smoke as the shockwave passed…and Naruto wiped his eyes free of dust.

Deidara lay on the ground. Her white hair was nearly completely burned away, and her entire body and cloak was burnt…and it was the worst around the chest and abdomen. Around those areas, her cloak was gone, and her skin was burned away, revealing charred bones and vaporized organs.

Jiraiya smiled. _That's three down…_

Naruto whooped as he leapt into the air. "YAHOO!" He then turned towards the Obsidian Seal and flashed a 'V for Victory' sign. "You see this Akatsuki? YOU'RE **NEXT!**"

**BOLD…AND STUPID.**

Akira chuckled at the boy. "He's got guts, I'll give him that."

"This is absurd…how could he still have enough chakra to triumph against not only Kisame, but also Sasori and Deidara?" demanded Koumorimaru, her tone incredulous in nature.

"It's due to the demon fox," muttered Shuu. Ogi-Daimyou grumbled, **"The chakra reserves of a Great Demon like Kyuubi are immense. Why do you think your Leader desires them so? He already has three…and with Shukaku the One Tail stuck in our seal, that makes four."**

"But it seems claiming the Nine Tails will be more difficult than initially thought…" Hiroto calmly stood. "Three of us should go."

Koumorimaru stood up, running a hand through her red hair. "It should be Itachi and Akira who stay then; they have more chakra than any of us here."

The former Waterfall ninja snorted. "Fine. Go ahead and ruin all of my potential fun." Akira irritably turned a page of _Icha Icha Paradise._

Itachi, however, was strangely silent.

"Itachi?" Hiroto stepped off the Seal, glancing at the Uchiha. "What troubles you?"

Itachi was staring northward, his red eyes as narrow as slits. "…we have more company."

It was at this moment that Naruto froze. "…Pervert-Sennin. You feel that?"

"I do," replied Jiraiya as he stared northward. _A powerful chakra aura coming from the north…who could it belong to?_

Naruto already knew who it was. Even though the figure was only a mere silhouette against the desert's northern horizon, he recognized the feel of the chakra. He'd recognize it anywhere. "…"

_"Dunce…"_

Naruto suddenly blinked. _Wait a minute…that's not part of this memory._

_"Dunce…"_

The world suddenly disappeared in a flash.

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Hospital, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Naruto's eyes opened suddenly as he sat upward. His brow was lined with sweat. He looked down; he was in a hospital bed. He looked to his right to see a window; it was nighttime. The full moon's light poured in through the window.

"Dunce…"

The fox boy's eyes narrowed at the sound of that voice. He turned his head to the left to see another hospital bed…and sitting in it was none other than Uchiha Sasuke. "Hey…about time you woke up."

Sasuke smirked slightly. "I could say the same thing about you…dunce."

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

**_Sasuke Awakens! Tale of His Escape from the Sound!_**

xxxx

Author's Notes: Sasuke finally comes into the picture. Next chapter details how he arrived in Sunagakure to partake in the fighting!

FYI, if you're curious about what a tonfa is...doing a Google image search. You'll understand immediately.

See you soon, and please review!


	7. Sasuke Awakens! Tale of his Escape from ...

Standard Disclaimer: Kage combo henge mane wonder twin banana-fana bunshin no jutsu! I don't own Naruto! (transforms into a banana)

Author's Notes: Thank VGCats for the above jutsu. :P

To the reviews!

Dragon Man 180: Kinton equals Metal Element. As for Akira…I think you'll enjoy what I have in mind when he (SPOILER) fights Naruto (END SPOILER).

TomokiG: Too bad, so sad…in my opinion, this approach actually ENHANCES the suspense. Naruto fans know who Akatsuki is. They know how insanely powerful they are…and in this fic, readers know they've died. That increases the suspense…because even though they know Naruto and his allies won (and be honest; in pretty much every fic, you KNOW the good guy wins in the end). But they don't know HOW it happened. Plus, if I had no flashbacks, that would mean going through the Konoha battle before the Akatsuki battle. That's not my intention. That's my opinion anyhow, and you have yours.

If it's any consolation, the flashbacks come to an end after the Akatsuki battle (with a minor exception or two)…at least until part 3 of this 4-part story. And FYI…'bore' the audience away? I seem to have drawn quite a large audience that isn't bored. :P

Liliath: Here ya go!

nonengel: Uh…don't you mean 'sixth chapter' (unless this is the first chapter you've reviewed for)?

Kwisatz Haderach: Ooh. Long name. O.o;

Peter Kim: Well…in my opinion, the dialogue will be even funnier between the two. ;)

Cloud-821: But things won't be like that for long…

madnarutofan: Actually, the flashbacks to the Akatsuki battle and the battle in Konoha make up part 1 of this four-part fic. Part 2 will be made up of the aftermath of the battles, as well as the battle against Akatsuki's leader: Mantarou. As for part 3 and 4…well, that would be spoiling. :P

Ann: Yes. And there will be marriages. And kids.

HikaruOfDreams: The One-Worded Reviewer. :P

Begin!

xxxx

**_Sasuke Awakens! Tale of his Escape from the Sound!_**

xxxx

/Banshee's Gorge, Eastern Highlands, Wind Country/

Ino awoke to the sound of grumbling. As she sat up, she also took note of the howling winds outside of Rock Lee's self-made cavern. She glanced at the entrance to the cavern to see Shikamaru staring out at the starry sky above.

The blonde-haired Chuunin calmly stood and walked over towards her teammate. With a sigh, she said, "You should really get some sleep. We still have a ways to go before reaching Konoha."

"Couldn't sleep. The wind's too dang loud…it's really annoying…" muttered Shikamaru, in his classic 'annoyed' tone.

Ino groaned; that tone always got on her nerves. But then again, she knew Shikamaru well enough to know that the wind wasn't the only thing keeping him awake. "You worried about Chouji?"

"…" Shikamaru silently turned his head, glancing into Ino's eyes. "Sort of…but I'm not as worried as you, eh?"

Ino's eyes slightly widened. Then – realizing Shikamaru had her pinned down – nodded. "Yeah…it's just that it was a pretty bad wound."

"Superficial mostly. No organs were hit," replied Shikamaru. "He'll be fine."

Ino smiled slightly. "Yeah…he'll be up on his feet in no time, filling up and pigging out again." She snickered slightly.

Shikamaru hid a smirk. _You could stand to gain a few pounds yourself_. As he silently looked at the sky, his mind drifted…

xxxx

/Shikamaru's Flashback/

/Four Days Ago/

/Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"**_Doton; Doshigure no jutsu!_**" The brown-haired, gray-eyed Nukenin – wearing a large black trench coat that shrouded his body – slammed his hands into the ground. "Earth Element; Earthen Rain!"

The ground in front of the Nukenin suddenly arose in a mighty wave, raining down upon the three Leaf Chuunin he faced in a mighty downfall.

The three in question were Shikamaru, Chouji, and Ino of Team Asuma.

Shikamaru and Ino quickly dodged to the side, grunting as several of the heavy earth drops pelted their bodies. Chouji, meanwhile, performed a quick set of katas, preparing to use the trademark jutsu of his clan: the Akimichi. "**_Baika no jutsu!_** Multi-Size!" Chouji suddenly grew ten times his own size, the rain acting like nothing more than a stain upon his body. The sixty-foot tall Leaf shinobi smiled. "Heh…now to put an end to this!" He raised his foot, preparing to stomp on the Nukenin.

The Nukenin smirked as he quickly performed another set of katas. "**_Doton; Doryukasui no jutsu!_**" The ground that the Nukenin had launched suddenly rose, becoming a dozen large dragon heads made of earth; protruding from their mouths were spike-like tongues. "Earth Element; Earth Dragon Spikes!"

The twelve earth dragons were large enough to impale a human through the stomach, effectively bisecting them with just one strike. But for Chouji…not so. The Akimichi Chuunin roared as he punched through two incoming dragons. "RAH!"

The dragons split apart into chunks of earth. Chouji smirked as the rest came roaring at him. "Come on!"

The Nukenin smirked back. "My pleasure." The remains of the first two dragons reformed…behind Chouji.

The enlarged Chuunin whirled around to smash the two dragons, having heard the dirt coagulate together. Unfortunately…this left his back open to the other ten dragons. Their spiky tongues were aimed directly at his spine. _Oh no…!_

Suddenly, beyond all reasonable speed, Chouji dove downward. Four of the spikes managed to impale themselves into the right shoulder, four of them grazed the top of his shoulder, while the last two missed entirely. The Nukenin raised an eyebrow. _How? Such a fatty couldn't have dodged so quickly…_

It was then that he noticed that the big guy's shadow was connected to that of the small, pineapple-headed ninja…and he too was on the ground.

Shikamaru grimaced as his shadow disconnected itself from Chouji's. As Chouji irritably – and painfully – removed the four earth dragons from his shoulder, Shikamaru muttered, "**_Kage mane no jutsu_**…success." Had it not been for his involvement, Chouji's back would have been skewered completely.Shikamaru glanced at Ino, who watched Chouji as he shrunk back to his normal size. "Ino. Watch over Chouji. I'll take care of this guy."

Ino nodded as she leapt over towards the bleeding Chouji, leaving Shikamaru to deal with the Nukenin. The Leaf shinobi glared at NNukenin, glancing over his head momentarily. The Nukenin returned Shikamaru's glare.

"**_Kage mane no jutsu!_**" Shikamaru's shadow suddenly extended forward, zooming towards the trench coat-wearing Nukenin.

The gray-eyed renegade chuckled as he leapt backward. "Come now…you think you can catch me THAT easily?"

Shikamaru bluntly replied. "Nope. But the guy above you can."

"…eh?" The Nukenin blinked as the area around him was doused with a large shadow. He glanced upward just before he was squashed by a gigantic wooden salamander.

Shikamaru grimaced as the wooden puppet stepped off of the squished remains of the Nukenin. "Well…unexpected help arrives…"

"You bet." Kankuro smirked as he sat atop Sanshouuo, the Salamander. His fingers lined with chakra strings, connected straight to Sanshouuo. "Nice of you to leave him for me…especially considering that you saw me coming on the rooftops."

Shikamaru shrugged. "That Nukenin would've focused his chakra aura and beaten off my shadow technique." His eyes narrowed, staring straight into the Sand Jonin's. "So tell me…why are you here?"

Kankuro frowned as he glanced at the now-unconscious Chouji, whose wounds were being bandaged by Ino. "Well…Temari and I came here together with an urgent message. We need to go see the Hokage immediately."

"A message important enough for the Hokage? As you can see, we're in the middle of a battle against renegade ninja sent by Akatsuki." Shikamaru had found out about that information after he and his fellow ninja had encountered Shizune – Tsunade's former apprentice before Sakura – in an earlier battle that day.

Kankuro's eyes widened slightly. Then, he grinned. "I see…it makes sense now. While keeping the enemy occupied with one hand, you do something else with the other…"

"What are you getting at? What is your message?" asked Shikamaru.

The puppeteer's eyes stared directly into Shikamaru's. "To be blunt, Gaara was kidnapped by Akatsuki."

Shikamaru froze on the spot, utter terror gripping his veins. "What the…the Kazekage…was captured?"

"Yeah…and right after Temari and I were sent to acquire help from Konoha, one of their members sealed off the Hidden Sand Village with a barrier made of steam." Kankuro suddenly flinched as a cloud of fire and smoke erupted from elsewhere in the village; most likely as a result of explosive tags.

Shikamaru's eyebrow rose at the mention of Temari. "So both you and your sister are here, huh? Where is she now?"

"We separated before entering the village. Our fighting styles contradict each other too much." With the twitch of his fingers, Sanshouuo stepped forward, stopping momentarily beside Shikamaru. "I need to find the Hokage now. Take me to her."

Shikamaru frowned, weighing the options in his head. In mere seconds, he sighed. "Fine…I'll help search." He looked towards Ino and ordered, "Ino. I need you to get Chouji to a medical facility…I'm going to help Kankuro find the Fifth Hokage."

Yamanaka Ino's eyes lit up with angry fire as she roared, "WHAT? IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, ALL OF KONOHA'S GRIPPED BY A BATTLE!"

_I hate it when she gets angry…irritating girl…_ "Too bad. What I've just learned ties into the Nukenin that have attacked the village." Shikamaru's calm stare was oddly disquieting to the blonde-haired Chuunin. "Although we're both the same rank, Asuma gave me authority as team captain. Understand?"

"…understood," muttered Ino, acknowledging her defeat.

Shikamaru nodded. "Good." He tilted his head, glancing at Kankuro. "Follow me."

That's when he paused.

Kankuro frowned. "What is it?"

Shikamaru glanced northward…music was emanating from the direction…

_But why?_

It was at that moment that the northern section of Konoha's outer wall exploded.

**_BOOM!_**

Meanwhile…standing outside the now-destroyed north wall…a great multitude of ninjas – Genin, Chuunin, AND Jonin – had gathered there.

All of them were Oto-nin…Sound Ninja.

The ninjas that served as the group's vanguard – all of them were Jonin – were brandishing handheld musical instruments. They included flutes, harmonicas, harps, ocarinas, trumpets, and saxophones.

One of the Jonin smirked at the vanguard's handiwork. "Well then…let's get to work. We all have Orochimaru's orders…attack this village and destroy what you can! Remember: EVERYONE who is not of the Sound is the enemy!"

A thunderous roar of applause erupted from the Oto-nin as they charged.

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

/Hospital, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Naruto grinned as he glared at Sasuke, who just looked at him with a calm, almost listless stare. None of them said anything.

Finally, Naruto commented, "Your hair's longer. Did it to impress Sakura-chan?"

Sasuke grumbled as his stare hardened into his familiar glare. "First time we speak off the battlefield in three years, and that's all you can think of?" However, it WAS true; the spiky tips of his black hair went all the way down to his shoulders. Even so, the pointy hair that protruded from the rear still remained the same.

"Heh…you need a haircut. Should I call Sakura-chan?" Naruto snickered. "She'd just LOVE to cut those locks of yours."

"Will you talk about something BESIDES my hair?" retorted Sasuke with an angry frown.

Naruto's grin became even wider. "Why should I? You're enjoying it so much!"

"Rrr…dunce." A vein bulged in Sasuke's head…and not just because of Naruto's annoying topic of conversation. It was because the blonde-haired fox boy had gotten under his skin so easily. It should've been HIM getting Naruto ticked off…not the other way around.

Then again…a lot HAD changed since he had left the Leaf… "…"

"Fine then. Let's change the topic: how you escaped from Orochimaru."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow as he stared at Naruto, who suddenly looked dead serious. "Hm?"

"You heard me. I know that you went to Sunagakure for the purpose of fighting Itachi…but considering how hot of a commodity you were to Orochimaru…how'd you escape?" Naruto's scowl turned into grin. "Either that, or I can keep talking to you about your hair."

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. "Fine. If it gets you off the subject of my hair…then I'll tell you."

xxxx

/Sasuke's Flashback/

/One Week Ago/

/Orochimaru's Palace, Otogakure, Sound Country/

The Sound Country.

Up till around fifteen years ago, the Sound Country had been uninhabited land to the north of the Fire Country…AND unclaimed land. Why? Well…to be blunt, it was more of a wasteland than the Wind Country. Rocky plains and deep canyons were the norm for the arid land. No one wanted it.

And that is exactly why Orochimaru, after leaving Akatsuki, had claimed it as his own.

The first thing he had to do was to acquire water. With the help of some of his disciples – AKA, former renegades he had recruited – he had managed to crack into a river deep underground, allowing it to seep to the surface. The water eventually formed a lake in one of the larger canyons – named Cobra Canyon – near the center portion of the country. After that, a tributary had been carved through the hard rock, leading northward towards the ocean.

After that, life began to grow in the recesses of Cobra Canyon and along the banks of the tributary. Of course, Orochimaru hadn't done it out of any kindness in his heart. It had all been part of his long-term plan to overtake Konoha and assassinate his old sensei, the Sandaime Hokage.

Within Cobra Canyon, Orochimaru founded Otogakure, the Hidden Sound Village. He had made his most talented followers into Jonin, who would then teach the ninja arts to their children (his followers were well over four dozen…and they were both male and female); however…a special emphasis was placed on the art of killing. Meanwhile, Orochimaru's spies – like Kabuto, who was a spy in the Leaf – would continue to watch over nearby countries for information on disgruntled ninja…ninja probably willing to join Otogakure.

By this time, Orochimaru had gotten the Sound Country recognized as an official country by the others…however, a close eye was kept on him and Otogakure by Konoha's higher officials.

Over three years ago, most of the native children had matured to the point of becoming ninja…thus leading to the Oto-nin trio of Dosu, Zaku, and Kin joining the Leaf's Chuunin Selection Exam…and the rest is history.

Otogakure itself was mostly comprised of huts built on ledges in Cobra Canyon, as well as on the banks of the tributary near its beginning at the canyon's lake. Hardy trees, tall grass, and thick shrubbery grew from the rocky ledges of the canyon, whereas only cacti had survived before. The lone exceptions were the Ninja Training Facility and Orochimaru's Palace; both were carved out of the rock of the canyon walls.

Inside the western wall of Cobra Canyon…was Orochimaru's Palace…and deep within its recesses was a single large room. A room shrouded in darkness and shadows.

Lining the walls were eight torches, two for each wall. They flickered with blue fire. Black ink marked the walls, the roof, and the ceiling: a massive seal. All of the markings coagulated on one stone barrel, which had paper tags – specifically used for curse seals – pasted to it, ceiling the lid shut. Inside that barrel…was Sasuke.

And he had been sitting in it for the last four months…in a hibernation of sorts.

Watching from another room through a series of video cameras was Orochimaru and Kabuto.

The silver-haired ninja quietly examined the barrel…and then said, "Orochimaru-sama…do you think this will work? We don't know if he's the same after four months…"

"Ku ku ku ku…" chuckled Orochimaru with his own distinct laugh. He sat quietly in a chair, in the body he had possessed three years ago. Dark red robes adorned his body, and white bandages covered him from toe to head…leaving only the top of his head and his right eye visible. His spiky hair was dirty blonde, and his visible eye was colored yellow. The final visible characteristic in the darkness was his pupil…and it was shaped like a vertical slit. "Precisely. I KNOW he is not the same. Because he has become more…"

Kabuto remained silent as he gazed at the screen, his eyes fixated on the stone barrel. "We don't know if he'll survive the forced upgrading of the curse seal. Even though we were slow with the process, we don't know if he can handle level 3."

"Ku ku ku ku…you seem to have lost faith." Orochimaru glanced at Kabuto, his visible eye wide with glee. "Sasuke-kun's will to kill Itachi is so great that he won't die until it is done. Compared to his strength, any pain that this curse seal will offer him…will be nothing."

"…if you say so Orochimaru-sama," replied Kabuto. He glanced at the screen…and blinked as the seal that surrounded the barrel began glowing purple. "…it's ready."

Orochimaru grinned malevolently. "Excellent…" He quietly walked out of one door, leading down a stony set of stairs towards the Seal Room. At this moment, an Oto-nin appeared in the monitor room. "Orochimaru-sama!"

"He has business to take care of. Tell it to me," ordered Kabuto.

The Otonin did. After doing so, Kabuto rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Huh…that IS interesting…" Such information needed to be relayed to Orochimaru immediately.

xxxx

Orochimaru quietly stepped along the floor, the seal glowing purple beneath his feet. With a snap of his fingers, the paper tags sealing the barrel shut disintegrated. As he walked closer towards the barrel, it was opened up…from within.

Orochimaru's grin grew as he watched a pair of hands push the lid up, throwing it down to the ground. Even in the dim blue light of the torches, the Legendary Leaf could see that Sasuke's skin was jet black. Anticipation gripped his evil heart. _Level 3 Curse Seal…how fortuitous…_

Orochimaru's grin grew even wider as he watched Sasuke's muscular form – clothes and all appear out of the barrel. Although they were mere silhouettes in the dull light, angelic wings were protruding from his shoulder blades. "Ku ku ku ku…Level 3 Curse Seal. Angel's wings…appropriate since you possess the 'Heaven' Seal…"

Sasuke stared at Orochimaru quietly, almost listlessly. His black shirt and white shorts were loose…but his powerful frame was evident nevertheless. Atop his forehead rested a Sound hitai-ate headband. All he said was this: "I only exist now to gain power…I have to gain power to kill the one I swore to kill…but I don't know where he is…"

"Don't worry Sasuke-kun," said Orochimaru, his chakra aura beginning to flare a deep purple in the dark room. "Your intentions and ideals will live on in my subconscious…and I can easily find Itachi. I will kill him with your body…"

Sasuke nodded. Deep inside, the remaining core of humanity he still possessed cried out out of helplessness. He wanted to kill Itachi…there was no doubt about that. But the part of him that was still a shinobi of the Leaf…that part wished to fight Itachi without Orochimaru.

But it was too late. He had already accepted the great, destructive power of the Level 3 Curse Seal…and Orochimaru was able to find Itachi, whereas he could not. He did not possess the worldly knowledge and the resources of the Sannin…and there was no doubt Orochimaru stood a better chance against Itachi than he.

Even so…part of him regretted what he was about to do. Such power at his fingertips…and he would not personally wield it as the avenger he was. Orochimaru would…and what he would do next…Sasuke had no doubt what would come next.

_Kakashi-sensei…Sakura-chan…Naruto…forgive me…_ His eyes hardened as Orochimaru's chakra began to coagulate into a snake shape; it was the beginning of a paralysis technique. It would ensure his cooperation. _…but I MUST do this…for the sake of killing my brother. Nothing else matters to me. Hopefully…after this…maybe you could kill Orochimaru…and erase him and myself from this world…_

"Now…let us begin." Orochimaru began to perform a set of katas-

"Orochimaru-sama."

Orochimaru's concentration was broken by Kabuto's voice. He whirled around, hissing, "Damn it Kabuto! What could merit interrupting such an important event?"

"Akatsuki," calmly replied Kabuto.

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow. Sasuke's brow furrowed. _Akatsuki…the group Itachi belongs to…_

"One of our spies in the Wind Country sent information via a messenger bird. Akatsuki has set up right outside Sunagakure. They've finally begun to advance their plan…because they've kidnapped Gaara, the Kazekage."

Kabuto's words caused Orochimaru to chuckle. "So…it looks like after all this time, their plan has begun to move forward." The Legendary Leaf's chuckle became more boisterous. _Heh…so the Leader's plan to 'unleash the Tailed Demons upon this world' is about to come to pass._ Orochimaru fought back a snort; he knew the Leader's true plan. It was FAR different than what the rest of Akatsuki believed. _It's fortuitous that Sasuke's body is now mine. I can capitalize on this once his plan is finished._ "This new development is very appreciated Kabuto. Now, if you'll excuse-"

**_SLAM!_**

Orochimaru gagged as a powerful kick slammed into his back, sending him flying into Kabuto. The two Sound ninja unceremoniously landed on the ground…and the former member of the Leaf seethed with rage, his eyes full of killing intent. "WHO DARES…?"

He saw into the eyes of Sasuke…and those red orbs had turned into a familiar sight: three commas arranged in a circular pattern. The Sharingan. Combined with the white angelic wings, his black skin…and his snow-white hair, Sasuke suddenly appeared very intimidating. The last of the Uchiha glared at the man he had sold his soul to for power. "…you gave me the power I wanted…and now, I've been given the knowledge to find my brother. You are not needed…" His hand glowed with a burning purple chakra aura…and he placed it upon his hitai-ate, melting the metal on the headband. The Sound symbol faded away…and with a simple chakra manipulation, the metal had formed the symbol of Konoha.

Sasuke's red Sharingan eyes narrowed. "I have no use for you anymore." Faster than even Orochimaru could comprehend, Sasuke's foot slammed into his face, sending his vision into a sea of blackness.

Before Kabuto could do anything to aid his master, Sasuke was upon him. Within seconds, he too was knocked out.

Both had been unprepared for such a sudden assault…but Sasuke knew they wouldn't be out of it for long.

He quickly left the room, heading for the armory.

xxxx

Sasuke quietly set down atop the statue of the Shodai…the statue that served as part of the barrier between the Fire Country and the rocky lands – lands that were now part of the Sound Country – to the north…the statue that was part of a battlefield…a battlefield that held great significance to him…

It was where he had fought Naruto last.

The Valley of the End.

"…" With a thought, Sasuke quietly dismissed his cursed power. His wings seemed to shrink back into his body, and the black on his skin melted away, revealing his normal, tan skin beneath. At last, the white color of his hair seemed to evaporate into smoke, revealing his black, natural hair color.

Strapped to his waist was a belt; upon it, several pouches were buckled to it. They held kunai knives, shuriken, explosive tags…and in one pouch was a red ocarina, used with a couple of the few jutsus he had learned whilst being a Sound ninja.

Even though he had the power to fly to Sunagakure, the Level 3 Curse Seal was still too dangerous to use continuously for a long period of time. Even though he had been eased into the upgrade, Sasuke felt a dull ache emanate from the seal on his neck…and that was just flying away from Otogakure.

He had to make it to Sunagakure on foot. And quickly; Orochimaru wouldn't be out for long. Sooner or later, he'd come and reclaim him…

Without hesitation, Sasuke leapt past the border, now completely in the Fire Country. He quickly went southwest…to the Hidden Sand Village.

One hour later…

Orochimaru awoke with a frustrated snarl. _How dare he? How dare he?_

No…he had let his guard down, if only for a moment. It had been enough for Sasuke to take advantage of his new power. In a way…that was a good thing for the Sannin…it meant Sasuke's powers had become quite formidable. "Ku ku ku ku…very nice…"

"Ugh…" Kabuto groaned as he rose, shaking his head angrily. "Blasted kid…"

"He has obviously departed for the Sand…you and I will pursue him…but before we go, we must take precautions."

Kabuto blinked out of confusion. "What kind of precautions?"

"The Sand and the Leaf are allies…and I have no doubt that Konoha will discover the issues plaguing Sunagakure right now." Orochimaru smirked as he flexed his neck…a neck that had once belonged to another. By now, all original traces of Orochimaru's original body had disappeared from the world, extinguished when he had anchored his spirit and soul to the very essence of the world. Although his body might die…his spirit could not be killed. Not by conventional means, anyhow. "Alert all of the ninja in the village…tell them to attack the Leaf, and destroy all they can. I can't risk having Leaf shinobi showing up at Sunagakure…Sasuke might get the idea to rejoin them should he kill Itachi…"

Kabuto nodded. "Very well Orochimaru-sama…" The medical ninja walked out of the room, his eyes narrowed as his lips contorted into a sneer of sorts. His blood was beginning to boil again…the blood of a killer. Part of him hoped that backup from the Leaf WOULD arrive at the Sand. _Heh…if so…I hope you are there…Naruto-kun._

As his assistant left, Orochimaru chuckled quietly. "Dear little Sasuke-kun…you are like a cornered mouse. You try to flee…but I, the cat who corners you, will claim you… ku ku ku ku…"

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

/Hospital, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"That's the tale of how I escaped from the Sound. You happy?" irritably asked Sasuke.

Naruto shrugged. "Sort of. Seems boring though. I mean, where's all the crazy action? You just knocked out the two traitors and SNUCK out of the Sound? Where's the fun in that?"

"UNLIKE SOME PEOPLE, I actually took into account what those actions would do to my chakra reserves. Not everyone has a demon fox they can simply use to recharge with," retorted the irritable Uchiha.

**PARDON ME, BUT TELL THAT BRAT I'M NOT A MERE BATTERY.**

Naruto ignored Kyuubi as he shrugged off Sasuke's words. "Don't bore me with the technicalities. All I know is that you took the easy way out of the Sound…although…" A smirk adorned his face. "…it did leave you enough energy to make the battle against Akatsuki interesting."

"…you know…I'm quite fuzzy as to how you performed in battle." Sasuke stared at Naruto calmly. "I was too busy trying to fight to pay attention to you."

Naruto grinned. "Likewise…here's the deal. I'll tell you what happened with me…and you do the same."

**MORE REMEMBERING? THIS IS GETTING BORING.**

"Fine then…" Sasuke sighed as he gazed upward, remembering his arrival at Sunagakure. "I'll go first…"

xxxx

/Sasuke's Flashback/

/Yesterday Morning/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

Sasuke was silent as the warm light of the sun beat down upon him and the desert sands, turning the ground into an oven that would surely torch those with unprotected feet. Judging by the position of the sun, it was almost 10 o'clock.

All Sasuke could do was glance around at the figures standing about. To his left, he could see the Legendary Leaf known as Jiraiya…and, of course, there was Naruto.

Standing in front of a slab of black obsidian were three figures. Although he didn't know their names, they were Toya Shuu, Yagami Hiroto, and Koumorimaru.

On the slab were three figures as well; one he clearly recognized as Gaara, imprisoned in a seal of sorts. Supplying the necessary chakra to that seal was a guy with a Waterfall headband…and of course, Itachi.

_Itachi…_

Sasuke calmly walked towards the seal, pausing once to gaze at Naruto. "…I'm only here to kill my brother. Interfere, and I'll kill you."

Naruto said nothing as Sasuke continued to walk forward.

**COLD. RUTHLESS. DETACHED. I LIKE THAT KID.**

_Shut up._

"His attitude hasn't improved at all," muttered Jiraiya irritably. However, part of him was on the alert. If Sasuke was here…then what of Orochimaru?

Naruto said nothing as Sasuke walked towards the Obsidian Seal. _…Sasuke…_

As Sasuke neared the large slab of black stone, Akira scratched his head out of confusion. "Who's that punk?"

"My brother," calmly uttered Itachi. His dark eyes were narrow and calm…if Sasuke was here…then Orochimaru would undoubtedly come soon to reclaim his errant prize. When it come to monitoring their former ally, the Akatsuki ninja were not in the dark as to his desire for Sasuke.

Koumorimaru frowned as Sasuke continued to walk closer. _I don't like the look in that boy's eyes…_

Suddenly, Sasuke grinned. "So Itachi…do you think powering that seal…merits more attention…than me? If so…does that mean…" His dark eyes suddenly glowed with the red Sharingan mirror-wheel eye. "THAT YOU THINK _I'M STILL **WEAK?**"_

Sasuke leapt into the air, pulling out one shuriken and throwing it, quickly performing a set of katas. "**_Kage shuriken no jutsu!_** Shadow Shuriken!" This technique had been taught to him by Orochimaru, who had in turn been taught it by Sarutobi…so long ago…

The shuriken Sasuke had thrown suddenly sprouted two-dozen shadow clones of itself. Each copy of the shuriken was real…and they could inflict real damage.

Akira quickly pocketed his book and performed a set of katas with his right hand. "**_Joukibuki no jutsu!_**" Steam suddenly erupted from the sweat pores on his hand, forming a long whip made of steam. "Weapon of Steam!"

With one quick swipe, Akira slashed through all but four of the shuriken; the ones he had neutralized had been threatening to hit him and Itachi. _Heh. Too easy._

One of the shuriken – the original one – sailed onto the seal…striking one of the lines that led from Itachi's portion of the seal.

The seal was broken, all because one shuriken had messed it up.

His chakra once again under his own control, Gaara raised both hands. All the sand surrounding the Obsidian Seal rushed upward in a mighty column, causing both Akira and Itachi to flee.

When Itachi landed and looked ahead, he found himself facing Sasuke. "Well well…if it isn't my little brother. Come to settle the score I take it?"

"There's nothing left to say…let's just finish this." As Sasuke spoke, his Sharingan eyes swirled…as did Itachi's.

Meanwhile, Naruto couldn't help but smile. "Heh…that idiot did something useful for once! He freed Gaara!"

"Now it's four on five…I'll take Shuu," muttered Jiraiya.

Naruto grinned as he glanced at the Waterfall ninja. "That guy just used a strange jutsu…I wanna see it up close." Then, he gazed upward at Gaara, who was floating on a platform of sand. "What about Gaara? Can he handle the other two?"

**HE SHOULD. HE HAS A TAILED DEMON SEALED WITHIN HIM AS WELL.**

"Hey…he IS fresh," joked Jiraiya. Even so, he was nervous...the Kazekage had already fought a member of Akatsuki and failed. However, he still had hope that Gaara would succeed against different enemies...

xxxx

High in the sky, floating on a platform of sand, was Gaara.

He was honestly steamed…because he had failed as the Kazekage, the champion of the Hidden Sand Village. He had been unprepared for the unique challenge provided by Akatsuki…but now, he would show no mercy. He would go for the kill…and if he needed to, he would call upon Shukaku.

"Hmph," muttered Gaara with a sneer, his light green eyes glaring ominously at the Akatsuki enemy below. "They thought they could bind me forever…but now I shall show them why **_I_** am the Kazekage…"

The battles had been set.

Uzumaki Naruto versus Fujiwara Akira.

Jiraiya versus Toya Shuu.

Gaara versus Yagami Hiroto and Koumorimaru.

And, finally, the last of the Uchiha…

Uchiha Sasuke versus Uchiha Itachi.

Are you prepared?

You should be.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

**_Wrath of the Kazekage! Shock; Akira is like the Pervert-Sennin?_**

xxxx

Author's Notes: Hope you don't mind the longer wait. I had to think about the Sound Country's history and Sasuke's flashback to the Sound. Hope it was good.

Next chapter…MORE FIGHTING! The action kicks into high gear next chapter with multiple battles!

And for those of you wanting interesting dialogue between Naruto and Akira…you're gonna get your wish!

See you soon, and please review!


	8. Wrath of the Kazekage!

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto! FACE!

Author's Notes: Sorry for the long update. Had a bit of writer's block.

To the reviews!

Dragon Man 180: It was intentional. After all, how else was he supposed to get his brother's attention? ;P

Peter Kim: HENTAI!

Audriel: And fights are what you shall receive!

Liliath: Excited, aren't ye?

Cloud-821: I'm seeing you right now!

Begin!

xxxx

**_Wrath of the Kazekage! Shock; Akira is like the Pervert-Sennin?_**

xxxx

/Shikamaru's Flashback/

/Four Days Ago/

/Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Shikamaru sat quietly on Sanshouuo while Kankuro directed the puppet over the rooftops. "If I know the Fifth, she'll head immediately towards the northern wall."

"Straight into enemy reinforcements, eh?" Kankuro chuckled. "Gutsy woman to lead the charge."

Shikamaru shrugged innocently. "What can I say? Hokage-sama's a tough woman…a bit of a temper though…though I'd never say that to HER."

"I get what you're sayin'," cracked Kankuro as he clenched both fists, causing Sanshouuo to jump into the air. The massive puppet landed with a _thud_ on the ground…and what the two ninja saw…could only be described as chaos.

Sound ninja were storming through the gate; some of them had summoned snakes, pythons, and cobras to attack the village. Already a number of Leaf shinobi had engaged the Oto-nin in battle. But even more surprising was the fact that the Oto-nin had also engaged Akatsuki's Nukenin. In moments, the two got a glimpse of several battles.

A Nukenin wearing a black trench coat gagged as a sound wave smashed him against the ground…but he quickly retaliated with a **_Doton; Doryuudan no jutsu_**; an earthen dragon suddenly erupted from the ground, crashing into the Sound ninja.

"**_Otoaori no jutsu! _**SOUND GALE!" An Oto-nin blew on her flute, the chakra-powered sound waves creating a massive gale that blew a Nukenin into the mouth of a summoned snake.

A Nukenin wearing nothing but large blue pants grinned as he tripped a charging Oto-nin with a sweep kick. He leapt back and roared, "**_Dokusei Gasu!_** TOXIC GAS!" A massive cloud of green gas erupted from the Nukenin's mouth…and it covered the fallen Oto-nin. When the toxic cloud disappeared, the Otonin had completely dissolved into nothingness.

"What the…what's goin' on?" muttered Kankuro.

Shikamaru grimaced as he rubbed his forehead out of apprehension. _This is bad…very bad. Sound ninja…does this mean Orochimaru's here…?_ "We have to find the Hokage. NOW. The presence of Sound ninja is a problem."

"No duh," grumbled Kankuro as he winced at the sight of an Oto-nin being gutted by a Nukenin's katana. "Hang on." He clenched his fists, causing Sanshouuo to jump on top of another building. The puppet jumped from rooftop to rooftop, searching for Tsunade.

Suddenly, two Oto-nin leapt in front of them. On impulse, Kankuro flexed his fingers, causing Sanshouuo to open its mouth. Knives laced with poison were launched from the mouth at high speed.

One Oto-nin paled and fell as some of the knives impaled his chest. The other one chuckled as he aimed his palms at the rest of the poisonous knives. Much to Shikamaru and Kankuro's shock, small holes could be seen in the palms.

"**_ZANKUUHA_**!"

Kankuro and Shikamaru grimaced as a blast of supersonic sound waves erupted from the holes in the palms, sending them – and Sanshouuo – flying. They barely managed to right themselves before landing on the ground.

SNAP!

That was the sound of one of Sanshouuo's legs breaking. Kankuro cursed before the Oto-nin glanced down at them from the rooftop, grinning sadistically. "DIE! **_ZANKUUHA!_**"

**BOOM!**

That was the sound of the Oto-nin's arms exploding. A blood-curdling scream erupted from the Oto-nin before a blast of wind sent him flying. The remains of the exploded arms fell down to the ground…and to Shikamaru's surprise, bugs crawled out of the holes in the palms. _Bugs? Then…that means…_

He glanced up to see Shino, Kiba, Hinata…and Temari.

Temari offered him a coy smirk. "Heh…you just can't take care of yourself, can you?"

At this, Shikamaru just smiled. _Heh…troublesome girl…_

xxxx

/Present Day/

/Rooftop, Sunagakure, Wind Country/

Gaara was silent as he calmly let sand whirl around him, guided by just a faint portion of his chakra. Staring up at the sky, he had plenty to think about.

Although Akatsuki was down to its last member, that member was the Leader. He wondered how powerful the Leader – this 'Mantarou' – was…in any case, the Leader possessed three Tailed Demons. That enough was a cause for worry.

**Kee hee hee hee…scared?**

Gaara sighed; ever since he had begun trying to sleep more at night, Shukaku had become a more prominent voice in his head. Out of fear of becoming a mindless shell, the Kazekage had tried his hardest to stay awake. Even so, after the Akatsuki battle, it had become painfully clear to Shukaku that he could not take his shell for granted.

Whether he liked it or not, he was stuck with Gaara…and as such, he needed to keep the boy's personality whole. Otherwise, he might be exorcised…and left as a free-roaming spirit that would eventually rot away into nothingness.

**Answer the question.**

_No._

**You sure SEEM scared…frightened of this 'Leader'?**

_Perhaps._

The difference between Gaara and Naruto was rather fundamental: pride. Unlike Naruto, Gaara could admit his shortcomings to the demon housed within him.

**Kee hee hee…you just contradicted yourself!**

_Just because I am fearful of the Leader's power does not make me scared. I will face him should he decide to attack._

**Ka ha! You amuse me…if you lost to ONE member, how can you hold out against the head honcho?**

_Because I will fight away from Sunagakure…away from the innocents. And lest you forget, I killed one in this recent battle._

**Keh heh…true.**

Gaara remained silent as he stared at the desert outside Sunagakure, where the Obisidan Seal sat…where the battle had taken place just yesterday…

xxxx

/Gaara's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

Gaara was silent as he stood upon a platform of sand, narrow eyes gleaming down upon the two that calmly walked towards him.

The tall, muscular man known as Yagami Hiroto; former ninja of the Stone.

The sharp-eyed, red-haired woman known as Koumorimaru; former ninja of the Cloud.

Without hesitation, he roared, "**_DESERT AVALANCHE!_**" Without warning, a massive tidal wave of sand erupted upward, threatening to smother Hiroto and Koumorimaru.

Both of them quickly performed a set of katas.

"**_Iwakasu no jutsu!_**" yelled Hiroto.

"**_Battokasu no jutsu!_**" yelled Koumorimaru.

The avalanche of sand obscured them from view…but Gaara saw a figure fly out of the wall's path. A pair of brown, bat-like wings had taken the place of her arms. _Hmm…_

Koumorimaru floated in the air, flapping her wide wings for support. "Bat Transformation…complete."

Gaara glanced down at where the avalanche had fallen, smothering Hiroto. Surely that man had not fallen so quickly…

A fist punched through the surface…but it was fist made entirely of stone. Gaara raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"

Hiroto emerged from the sand, no worse for the wear…save for the fact his entire body now consisted of nothing but gray stone. The only exceptions were his Akatsuki robes and his eyes; they were now nothing more than blank white orbs of hardened rock. Hiroto muttered, "Rock Transformation…complete."

_Hmm…transformation jutsus_, thought Gaara with a frown.

Koumorimaru snorted as set down beside Hiroto. "What a rude boy…forcing us to transform so soon."

"It matters not. We will subdue him nevertheless," said Hiroto as he knelt down…and, with his incredible strength, leapt high in the air.

Gaara didn't even flinch as he pulled the plug out of his gourd, letting the bloody sand emerge from within, forming a protective shield. Moments later, Hiroto's stony fist collided with the shield.

The fist managed to break through. Gaara winced as the fist sent him flying; he couldn't believe that the former Stone ninja had penetrated his shield of sand so easily. His strength was even greater than that of Rock Lee's…and Lee had been forced to removed his leg weights. _This guy is strong…_

Hiroto landed on the sandy ground, his massive form creating a small crater. As soon as he landed, Koumorimaru roared, "**_Hibiki no jutsu!_** ECHO BLAST!" She immediately expelled a high-pitch squeal from her mouth, directing it at the ground. A visible wave of energy bounced off the sand, slamming into Gaara.

To the Kazekage, it felt like he had gone deaf…at least for a moment. The Sand ninja grimaced as he tried to right himself. _Curses…I can't risk playing around!_ "**_DESERT CYCLONE!_**"

Hiroto and Koumorimaru blinked as a massive whirlwind of sand erupted from beneath Gaara, roaring toward them at high speed. The Stone ninja quickly slammed his hands together, yelling, "**_SAKU!_** SEPARATE!" His body suddenly split apart into a few dozen pieces; his clothes fell away, and his two Stone hitai-ate headbands could be seen: one around his forehead, and the other around his right bicep. Hiroto remained silent as his multi-faceted body was picked up by the whirlwind.

As for Koumorimaru, she quickly flew upwards and away from the cyclone. She hovered high in the air as thirty-six pieces of rock floated out of the cyclone; the pieces of Hiroto. The solitary head hovered beside Koumorimaru, the rest of his body parts swirling beneath him like an angry cloud. "Impressive. He managed to use a jutsu even when disoriented by your Echo Blast."

"That's cause he's the Kazekage, you blockhead," retorted Koumorimaru with an irritable tone. As the cyclone dissipated, they finally saw beyond it…and what they saw was a sphere of hardened sand floating in the air. Right above the sphere was an eye…made of sand.

Hiroto frowned. "He's sealed himself inside that sphere…I can already sense his chakra growing."

"Then let's bust him out of there. **_HIBIKI NO JUTSU!_**" Koumorimaru's Echo Blast once again rebounded off the desert ground, soaring for Gaara. To the former Cloud ninja's displeasure, the powerful wave didn't leave a single scratch on the shield. "…"

"Allow me." One of Hiroto's rocky body parts – his abdomen – suddenly grew larger, become a massive boulder of sorts. "**_Borudaakatsu!_** Art of the Boulder Smash!" With a push of his chakra, Hiroto sent the boulder flying.

Inside the dark recesses of his protective sand sphere, Gaara winced as he felt the boulder smash into his shield. Fortunately, it was to no avail. The shield held strong…which was fortunate for Gaara, considering what he was about to do.

**"Kee hee hee…you must be desperate to bring me out so soon."**

"It's not a matter of desperation…" said Gaara; although one couldn't see in the darkness, half of his face had transformed into the face of Shukaku, the Demon Sand Spirit. The transformation was already beginning on his left arm. "It's a matter of not showing mercy. I'm going to destroy Akatsuki as quickly as I can…"

**"Ka ha ha! It matters not to me…I'll be able to fight for the first time since my battle against the vessel of Kyuubi!"**

"Except this time, your will will not consume my own," uttered Gaara as he supplied as much power to keeping the shield of sand intact.

xxxx

/Naruto's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

By this time, the sun was fully beating down upon the desert with all of its terrible might.

Naruto glanced at Jiraiya. "You sure you can handle the plant freak?"

"That 'plant freak' happens to be the leader of the Grass' Toya clan." _At least he WAS_, thought Jiraiya with a frown. "Even so…I'll be fine. Sure you can handle that Waterfall ninja?"

"Hah! He's chump change!" boasted Naruto as he confidently walked toward Fujiwara Akira.

**RATHER COCKY, AREN'T YOU.**

_I'm not cocky! I'm confident!_

**BLAH BLAH BLAH. NO MATTER WHAT PRETTY WORD YOU SUBSTITUTE FOR IT, YOU'RE STILL COCKY.**

_…_

**YOUR SILENCE SAYS IT ALL.**

_Feh. I don't have time for this._

**I WIN AGAIN.**

_DAMN YOU FOX!_

**OOH, I'M QUIVERING WITH FEAR.**

As Naruto continued his mental tirade with Kyuubi, a voice penetrated his thoughts.

"Yo. You gonna fight or what?"

Naruto blinked as he stared at the blonde-haired Akatsuki member: Akira. His entire body was hidden by his black-and-red cloud cloak. Once again, the Waterfall ninja asked, "Well? Speak up."

Naruto smirked at his opponent, his chakra aura beginning to flare a glorious blue color. "Heh…you've got a lot of guts challenging someone who's defeated THREE members of Akatsuki!"

**YOU NEEDED HELP ON THE LAST TWO.**

_Who cares!_

**ARROGANT TWERP.**

_Stupid fox!_

**IGNORANT WHELP.**

_I swear, one day I'm gonna turn your hide into a coat!_

**TRY ME.**

"Hmm. And you've got a lot of moxy…but know this:" Akira's blue eyes glinted with mischief. "I don't really have time to entertain you…as I have higher priorities than fighting you."

Naruto quickly got into a defensive stance. He had to be ready for anything.

Akira reached inside his cloak…and pulled out a red book titled '_Icha Icha Paradise_'. With one hand, he opened it to the bookmarked page and started reading. "Heh."

Naruto could only sweatdrop. _…no way. You've got to be kidding…_

**APPARENTLY, EVEN AKATSUKI HAS ITS PERVERTS.**

…_wait_. Naruto suddenly looked peeved. _THAT IDIOT THINKS THAT BOOK'S A HIGHER PRIORITY THAN ME??_

**A PUZZLING PARADOX INDEED. WHAT'S WORTH MORE; YOUR HIDE OR A BOOK FILLED WITH PORNOGRAPHY?**

…_I know there's an insult in there somewhere._

**GOOD LUCK FINDING IT. IDIOT.**

_YOU…!_

"Heh heh…whoever wrote this book is a great man…" muttered Akira as he flipped a page, his face red.

Naruto snorted. "Feh! That's a nasty book for perverts!"

Akira glared at the fox boy. "Well pal, apparently you have no appreciation for the finer things in life…"

"If you mean icky perverted stuff, then I DEFINITELY have no appreciation for it!" retorted Naruto, his face red with anger.

Akira's face was red as well…although for an entirely different reason. "Hey, I'm an honest one; I LIKE reading books filled with naughty stuff and pictures of naked women. After all, I'm an S-Class criminal; the babes tend to ignore me. And trust me, I've TRIED hooking up with Deidara and Koumorimaru. The former wasn't interested, and the latter hates my guts. What to do, what to do…"

"STOP TALKING ABOUT YOUR FRICKEN' LOVE LIFE!" roared Naruto as he charged. "**_WE'RE FIGHTING HERE!_**"

**_POW!_**

Naruto's fist slammed into his opponent's left palm. The Waterfall ninja glanced at Naruto with a calm eye…and then he grinned before releasing Naruto's fist and kicking him away with one swift roundhouse. "Poor boy…if you can't even get my attention away from _Icha Icha Paradise_, then you don't deserve my seriousness."

"You…" growled Naruto as he stood, wiping a small trickle of blood away from his split lip. "You're just as bad as the Pervert-Sennin…and he WROTE the stupid book!"

This actually caused Akira to glance at him out of surprise. "Hmm?" He glanced over at Jiraiya, who was over staring at Shuu; their fight had yet to begin. "The Legendary Leaf…Jiraiya…HE wrote this book?"

"Yeah? So?"

Akira was silent, causing Naruto to raise an eyebrow out of surprise. "…what's with you?"

Silence.

Finally, Akira said, "Time out." He leapt away, leaving a bewildered Naruto behind.

_…huh…?_

Meanwhile…

Toya Shuu stared quietly at Jiraiya, who was giving off an intense stare.

Finally, Shuu spoke in a whispery voice. "Jiraiya. One of the three Legendary Leafs of Konoha…the Grass has heard many tales of you and your comrades' exploits." A crooked grin lined Shuu's painted face. "It's an honor to finally meet you…and I'm sure you've heard of me."

Jiraiya nodded; he had recognized Toya Shuu the moment he arrived here. "I know all about you. Shuu; member of the Grass's Toya clan. Became a Chuunin at the age of 7. Became a Jonin at the age of 10. Became a Clan Elder at 14. At age 16, you managed to summon Ogi-Daimyou, the Plant Lord. Finally, at 20, you became the Clan's Leader…"

Shuu smiled. "I'm pleased to see you know so much about me…I'm flattered."

"I wish I could say the same about you," growled Jiraiya. "The Toya Clan is the strongest of the Grass…and when Kyuubi attacked around sixteen years ago, you disappeared, along with Ogi-Daimyou…why?"

Ogi-Daimyou snorted. **"Such things are not for you to understand. We've joined Akatsuki for one purpose…and you are not worthy of hearing. Now prepare yourself-"**

BAM!

Shuu and Ogi-Daimyou yelped as a foot stepped on top of them, sending them face-down into the ground. Jiraiya blinked as Akira suddenly stopped in front of him, holding out a book and a pen with an almost fanboy-ish look on his face. "Can you sign my copy of _Icha Icha Paradise Volume 17?_"

"…uh…sure…" Jiraiya numbly signed the book, his body on autopilot and his mind in stasis. When he finished, Akira chirped, "Thank you!" Then he leapt away…

BAM!

…and in doing so, stepped on Shuu and Ogi-Daimyou again. The duo snarled angrily as they stood up; Ogi-Daimyou grumbled, **"When we finish this battle, can we eat him?"**

"…of course," replied Shuu before glancing at Jiraiya. "Now…where were we?"

Back to Naruto!

Akira smiled as he looked at the handwriting. _Huh. Who woulda thought that fox boy's teacher was the writer of Icha Icha Paradise?_ He paused when he noticed the look on Naruto's face. "What?"

"GAAAAAH! WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE FIGHTING!" He quickly made **Tora**: the sign of the Tiger. "Fine then…I'll show you…my most advanced Taijutsu technique!"

"Really? Then show me," cracked Akira as he flipped a page. Afterwards, he immediately grinned. "Oh yeah…color pictures…he he…"

"TAKE THIS!"

Akira blinked as he looked behind him; Naruto was right there. _Fast…!_

**_POOM!_**

Akira blanched. Naruto grinned…and roared, "FEAR THE **_THOUSAND YEARS OF PAIN!_**"

As Naruto jabbed his butt, the Waterfall ninja squealed. "**_YAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!_**"

**…DID YOU REALLY JUST DO THAT?**

_So? It worked when Kakashi used it on me!_

**…FOR ONCE, I HAVE NO WORDS FOR YOU.**

"Rrr…" growled the Waterfall ninja as he pocketed his book. "THAT does it…now you have my FULL ATTENTION!"

Naruto blinked as the Akatsuki shinobi threw off his cloak, revealing a well-muscled body wearing nothing but blue sweatpants. Also, on his right pectoral was a tattoo of three wavy lines. "I am Fujiwara Akira of the Hidden Waterfall Village…and now I'm not going to play around. **_JOUKIBUKI NO JUTSU!_**" Steam erupted from his palm, forming a katana. "Weapon of Steam…now…are you ready?"

Without hesitation, Akira charged. Naruto quickly pulled out two kunai knives to parry the blade.

Seconds later, red blood stained the desert floor.

xxxx

/Sasuke's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

Uchiha Sasuke.

Uchiha Itachi.

The last of the Uchiha clan…

At last, a long-awaited fight will come to pass…and in so doing, will put to rest an old hatred that should never have come to be…

But that is the human heart for you.

Sasuke glared quietly at Itachi, whose glare was not red with hatred…but cold with detachment. Sasuke understood why; Itachi knew this day would eventually come, when his little brother would come for him.

_And I've come at last…to settle this_. "Well Itachi…" His Sharingan eyes swirled. "Shall we?"

Itachi's Sharingan eyes swirled at high speed. "Yes."

Both of them quickly performed a set of katas, roaring, "**_Katon; Goukakyuu no jutsu!_**"

They inhaled deeply. "Fire Element; Grand Fireball!"

Both fighters utilized one of the signature techniques of the Uchiha. They expelled a massive red fireball…and the two coagulated together, forming a swirling mass of flames…a living inferno.

The fireball suddenly exploded…and when the red fire dissipated, both Uchiha were seen, leaping toward each other. Sasuke attacked first, his fist outstretched.

POW!

Itachi dissipated into a puff of smoke. Sasuke grimaced. _Shadow Clone…he's developed it so far that it even deceived the Sharingan…but since it's not a Bloodline Limit…_

Itachi suddenly appeared behind Sasuke, foot jabbing into the younger boy's back.

Sasuke also disappeared in a puff of smoke, genuinely surprising the elder Uchiha. _Impressive. He copied my Shadow Clone in mere seconds…_

"**_Katon; Ganshoukire!_**"

Itachi whirled around to see Sasuke in the air; his outstretched right arm was covered with lava. "Fire Element; Magma Slice!"

Sasuke swung his arm, causing a thin line of super-hot magma to slash at Itachi. The elder Uchiha leapt backwards, avoiding the attack. He leapt back again as the line of magma erupted upon collision with the ground, splashing hot molten material around the battlefield.

The moment Itachi landed, he shot his foot back.

Sasuke – who had appeared behind Itachi to strike – barely managed to catch the kick. _Shoot…he saw me coming!_

"**_Katon Kinton…_**"

Sasuke blanched as Itachi performed a set of katas. _A dual element jutsu?_

"**_Yousen no jutsu!_**"

Sasuke blinked as the ground beneath him rumbled. Itachi continued to speak. "Fire and Metal Element; Molten Iron!"

The younger Uchiha impulsively leapt into the air before a column of blazing hot metal burst from the ground, following him into the sky. Sasuke blanched as the molten slag threatened to overwhelm him. He quickly performed a set of katas…and his left hand crackled with blue electricity. "**_CHIDORI!_**"

He thrust his hand into the column of molten iron…and it burst into pieces. Sasuke dropped down onto the ground, his left hand still crackling with the Chidori jutsu. He glared quietly at Itachi, who was silent. _Now…what's your next move…brother?_

As if hearing Sasuke's thoughts, Itachi performed a set of katas…and held his right arm forward. "**_Katon…Unari!_**" His right fist suddenly became awash in blazing fire, a mixture of red, orange, and white flames. "Fire Element…Fiery Fist."

Sasuke scowled at the sight of Itachi's new technique. "Just like Chidori…but with fire. You copycat."

"Unari is actually a Bloodline Limit…our grandfather was the last to master such a power. Even our father was unable to utilize it." His eyes narrowed as he stared at Sasuke, his fist emitting a unique sound like the Chidori. It was named Unari…because of the growling sound it made. "So…shall we see whose is stronger? Unari…or Chidori?"

"I'll be glad to prove my superiority…ITACHI!" Sasuke roared as he charged at Itachi, left fist crackled with lightning.

Itachi was silent as he charged at Sasuke, right fist blazing with fire.

Their fists met…Chidori met Unari.

Lightning crackled and chirped, bouncing around. Fire danced and growled, flaring brightly. Where lightning and fire landed, sand melted and became glass.

Sasuke and Itachi's aura grew and enlarged; neither were willing to back down.

Then, the massive amount of energy that had been brought together exploded in a flash of fire and lightning, enveloping both Uchiha.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

**_Shuu's Tale of Betrayal! A Battle of Summons!_**

xxxx

Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay. Hope you all liked the battles!

See you soon, and please review!


	9. Shuu's Tale of Betrayal!

Standard Disclaimer: BLARG! I don't own Naruto!

Author's Notes: My disclaimer's an idiot. AND SO AM I!

To the reviews!

Dragon Man 180: BLARG!

Audriel: BLARG! (FYI, I use an online Japanese-English translator. URL escapes me at the moment; will bring it up in the next update…oh wait, I remember now.)

www(dot)trussel(dot)com/f(underscore)nih(dot)htm

Cloud-821: BLARG!

Liliath: BLARG!

Begin!

xxxx

**_Shuu's Tale of Betrayal! A Battle of Summons!_**

xxxx

/Banshee's Gorge, Eastern Highlands, Wind Country/

The moon had completely disappeared from sight, setting beyond the high walls of the gorge. Morning would arrive soon.

And already, Rock Lee was up.

"TWO THOUSAND AND ONE!"

Maito Gai opened one eye. Lee's shouting had finally awoken him. _Hmm?_

"TWO THOUSAND AND TWO!"

The Jonin stood up, glancing outside the cavern. It was still dark…but he could still make out the person standing on the ledge outside the cavern.

"TWO THOUSAND AND THREE!"

It was Lee, doing pushups with only his right hand…well, to be more precise, his right hand's index finger.

"TWO THOUSAND AND FOUR!"

Gai smiled as he walked out of the cave, standing behind Lee in silence.

"And…TWO THOUSAND AND FIVE!" Rock Lee quickly pushed off his finger, standing up to his full height. He flexed his numb index finger-

"Even now, you don't skip out on your morning exercises."

Lee whirled around to see the familiar silhouette of his teacher. "Gai-sensei! Good morning!"

"So…how far have you gotten in the daily morning routine?" asked Gai.

Lee flexed his arms as he replied, "Well, I've only done finger pushups with both arms so far…"

Gai smiled as he cheered, "Well don't worry about disappointing me, Lee! Continue your exercises! Continue making your youthful vitality burn brightly!"

"YES SIR!" cheerfully replied Lee. He immediately did a handstand with his left hand…and began doing pushups. "One! Two! Three! Four! Five!"

Gai smiled as he walked back into the cave, sighing. "Ah…to be young again…"

"You should tell that boy to be a little more quiet. It's hard to sleep with all of the noise."

Gai's nose scrunched tightly as he glared at Kakashi, who had fallen asleep standing up, leaning against the wall for support. "Well my rival, detest all you like! But for one who is so full of the fire of youth like Lee, he should be as loud as possible to express his youthful vitality!"

"…huh?" mumbled Kakashi, whose eye suddenly opened. "Sorry…I must've dozed off again. What'd you say?"

Gai scowled as he turned around, clenching his fist. _Oh…good one, my rival. Trying to act all cool and innocent…your suaveness really ticks me off!_

Kakashi, wondering why Gai was pointing his fist to nothing in particular, calmly asked, "Do you think Konoha is okay…?"

At first, Gai was silent.

"…hmm hmm hmm…"

Then he chuckled. "Silly Kakashi…when it comes to vitality, even Lee cannot compare to the fiery spirit of the Leaf. Konoha is fine! Even though we left after a hard-fought battle, the Leaf was made stronger than ever!"

"…"

"Kakashi?" Gai took a glance at his rival…and growled at the sight the Sharingan user sleeping. _Why you…!_

However…Kakashi was in deep thought…as was Jiraiya (although he had nothing to do with what just happened. :P ).

xxxx

/Kakashi's Flashback/

/Four Days Ago/

/Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"**_AGGGGGH!_** GET EM' OFF ME…**GET EM' OFF ME!**"

Kakashi was silent as the dogs he had summoned mauled a Sound ninja to death. He didn't have time to fool around; he summoned the dogs for the sole purpose of taking care of one of the two ninjas he was facing.

His other opponent leapt out the wreckage of a house. It was a Nukenin wearing a white shirt and black pants; also the roots of a tree were forcibly twisted around his biceps. It was more of a decoration than anything else…but it did hint at the renegade's specialty. "Heh…that wasn't a bad kick of yours…but TAKE THIS! **_Mokuton; Uddoryuudan no jutsu!_**" Suddenly, the wreckage of the wooden house coagulated together, forming the face of a dragon. "Wooden Dragon Blast!"

Kakashi's Sharingan eye swirled as he dodged the huge wooden dragon by mere feet; the massive dragon face smashed into another house, demolishing it into splinters and fragments. The Sharingan user grunted as wooden shards rained down on him.

"YAR!" roared the Nukenin as he charged, wielding a _kodachi_ – a medium-length katana – that he swung with reckless abandon. "TAKE THIS! AND THIS!"

Kakashi calmly parried the blows with one kunai knife before kicking the Nukenin in the face. The Leaf ninja quickly leapt back, performing a set of katas. _Hmph…he made it easier by performing it right in front of me_. "**_Mokuton; Uddoryuudan no jutsu!_** Wooden Dragon Blast!"

The Nukenin gaped as a wooden dragon face – except this one was larger and faster – slammed into him. The renegade ninja was smashed into a small pancake as the wooden dragon propelled him into the ground.

Kakashi groaned as he fell to his feet. He glanced at his dogs, whose mouths were dripping with blood. "You won't be of anymore use here…that was a desperation move I'd like to not use again."

The dogs nodded simultaneously. Goro, the pit bull, grumbled, "Just watch yourself Kakashi…" Then, all of them disappeared in a puff of smoke.

_That's going to be a little difficult…_ With the arrival of the Sound ninja, the job for the Leaf shinobi had gotten much more difficult. However, there was one good bit of news; the Oto-nin were also attacking Akatsuki's Nukenin. As a result, the already-weakened Nukenin were dwindling down to just several men…

Even so, there were still almost a hundred Sound ninja to deal with. _Just wonderful…_

"Ha ha ha! Sitting on your butt, eh Kakashi?"

The Sharingan user blinked as he gazed upward; standing on top of an untouched hotel was Team Gai: Lee, Neji, TenTen, and Gai of course. The black-haired Jonin grinned as he gazed down at his rival, flashing his set of sparkling teeth (even though the sun was blocked by clouds…). "Get up! Hokage-sama wants us to report to the monument in the center of the village!"

Kakashi knew what Gai meant by 'monument'…the small mountain range that sat in the middle of Konoha, serving as an eternal dedication to Konoha's leaders, from first to the current: Tsunade the Fifth. It was known as Monument Range. "What is it?"

"The last of the Nukenin have holed up atop Monument Range; they number in only seven," spoke Neji, his voice full of seriousness. "They're managing to fend off repeated assaults by Leaf shinobi from the south and Oto-nin from the north."

TenTen added, "We ran into Tsunade-sama again; she wanted us to gather shinobi to sneak up the mountains from the west, taking the Nukenin by surprise."

"Very well," muttered Kakashi as he stood. "If we're going to end this…we have to be quick about it."

Gai nodded as he said, "Team Gai…TO MONUMENT RANGE!"

The five ninjas quickly dashed off to Monument Range.

In a mere minute, they had reached the large mountain. True enough, Leaf shinobi were attacking with distance attacks from the south; they were trying their hardest not to deface the faces of the five Hokages. As far as they could tell, none of their attacks were hitting. Even so, it didn't stop the last of the Nukenin from responding with a deadly assault of long-distance jutsus; mostly 'Katon' and 'Suiton' element jutsus. A tremendous rush of fire and water was storming down at the Leafs from atop the mountain.

And sure enough, Tsunade was commanding the assault. Shizune and Sakura were nearby, tending to wounded warriors with fellow medical ninjas. Ino stood by as she watched Sakura tend to Chouji (ironic, ne?).

"HOKAGE-SAMA!"

Tsunade turned around to see Team Gai and Kakashi land behind her. "So you found Kakashi…anyone else?"

Neji shook his head. "We found no one else. All Leaf shinobi are either here with you or fighting the Oto-nin on the other side of Monument Range."

"I see…" muttered Tsunade.

"HOKAGE-SAMA!"

Team Gai blinked as they turned around…to see Shikamaru, Kankuro, Temari, Kiba, Hinata, and Shino coming from the same area Team Gai and Kakashi had come from. Tsunade grumbled, "No one else, you said?"

Neji sweatdropped; he probably should have used his Byakugan during the search. Instead, he merely asked, "So…were you following us?"

Temari huffily said, "These idiots didn't know where the Hokage was…so they decided on following you."

Shikamaru shrugged. "It worked, didn't it?"

"Speaking of which, why are Sand ninja here?" asked Lee.

Kankuro stepped forward, saying, "We came here with an urgent message. The-"

"Gaara was kidnapped," interrupted Tsunade.

Kankuro and Temari blinked out of surprise. The other shinobi – aside from Kakashi, who already knew – blanched out of shock. The Sand Jonin sputtered, "B-but how did y-you-?"

"Akatsuki left a note. Naruto left the village early in the morning. Jiraiya managed to escape the village before the attackers got too far in; he's currently on his way to Sunagakure to help Naruto fight Akatsuki…"

Nothing else needed to be said. The shinobi all understood what those words entailed…

"This whole attack…was nothing but a diversion", numbly said Shino.

_While Naruto-kun went off to face the true threat._ Lee gulped as he thought of the terrible danger Naruto would be facing once he arrived in Sunagakure. If what little he had been told about Akatsuki by Gai during the fighting was true…then…what if…? _No…_

Hinata breathing shortened at the thought of Naruto going up against such a horrible threat. Even though she didn't know the specifics of Akatsuki…she knew that they were powerful. Especially if they could send so many powerful renegade shinobi to Konoha. _Naruto-kun…_

"HOKAGE-SAMA!"

Tsunade twitched as she turned around, yelling, "NOW WHAT?"

She came face-to-face with a bleeding Kurenai. The female ninja was bleeding from a wound on her shoulder, staining her custom Jonin outfit. The Fifth's irritable demeanor suddenly changed. "Report."

"Only one Nukenin remains…and all Oto-nin attacking from the north on Monument Range have been annihilated," grumbled Kurenai as she sat down. Two medical ninja tended to her injury, their hands glowing with green chakra.

Kiba smirked. "Awesome. They wore each other down!"

"No…" muttered Kurenai. It was at this point that they noted how pale the female Jonin was. "The Oto-nin managed to kill six of the Nukenin before they charged up the mountain on their summoned snakes…I saw the last Nukenin's summoned beast destroy them all. That last Nukenin…was a monster…before an Oto-nin ambushed me, I saw him counter the Leaf assaults from the south, letting his beast massacre the rest of the Sound ninja."

Tsunade paled at this. _So all this time…the fire and water coming down from the mountain was the work of one individual?_

"**_RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!"_**

Everyone's faces bleached at the sound of that monstrous roar. Lee roared, "Look! Up there!"

A black monster had jumped off the face of the First: the Shodai. It landed with a tremendous thud on the ground, letting the Leaf ninjassee it in all of its terrible glory.

The beast was a quadruped, standing on four muscular legs. Black scales covered its entire body (save for the stomach, which showed gray, leathery skin), and its tail ended with a spiky tip made of diamond. The beast's angular maw was lined with razor-sharp fangs…and they were coated with blood. Its red eyes glared ominously at them…and standing atop its head was the last of the Nukenin. This particular Nukenin was of a far different breed than the others. A white cape shrouded his lithe, yet muscular body. He wore a blue shirt and black pants, and thick brown boots reinforced with metal soles covered his feet. His long white hair went down to his waist, and the strands that covered his face hid blue eyes filled with a killing intent rivaled only by the likes of Orochimaru or Itachi.

However, what sealed the deal for Tsunade was the water swirling around his left arm, and the fire swirling around his right arm._ So I was right…he was fending off our assault all on his own!_

"Who the heck are you?" demanded Lee.

The Nukenin calmly muttered, "Himura Seijuro…although you won't be alive long enough to remember it. Now die." He held his arms forward, and dragons made of fire and water rushed toward them.

"LOOK OUT!" roared Kakashi as he and the other ninjas dodged the assault.

As his opponents scattered, Seijuro said, "Bahamut…KILL."

At this command, the mighty black dragon – now named Bahamut – roared as he charged at the Leaf shinobi.

xxxx

/Jiraiya's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

The Legendary Leaf was quiet as he watched Shuu pick himself up after Akira's…erm, 'unwanted' intervention. Before he fought the Toya…he had to know.

He had to know why Shuu had abandoned the Grass.

"What's wrong?" whispered Shuu. "Are you filled with fear? Apprehension? Perhaps I've overestimated the Legendary Leaf…"

"That's not why I've hesitated," replied Jiraiya, his hair fluttering in the wind. "I want to know why you left the Grass…because all I know is that seven months before Kyuubi struck, you went on a mission to the Lightning Country…after you returned, one of our ambassadors to Kusagakure noted how you had changed. So tell me…what happened on that mission of yours?"

Shuu was silent…and then he grinned. "Well…you really want to know?"

"**He is not worthy of hearing our noble goal!"** rumbled Ogi-Daimyou.

"Don't worry Ogi-Daimyou…he'll be dead either way." Shuu flexed his neck as Ogi-Daimyou twitched. "So…you wish to know what happened in the Lightning Country? Very well…I shall tell you why I left the Grass."

Jiraiya asked, "Well?"

"I left because of an incident during a mission to the Lightning Country…I assume you remember how the Hidden Cloud Village nearly broke out into a civil war before Kyuubi struck the Leaf?" asked Shuu.

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. "Yes; prominent members of the Cloud's most powerful clan accompanied the Raikage on a mission throughout the Lightning Country for the purpose of recruiting children for the Cloud Ninja Academy…however, one night, all members of the mission were killed…including the Raikage."

Shuu smiled. "Glad you understand. After that, the Cloud Village's clans underwent a power struggle to choose their new leader…and the following civil war was bloody. It took many years for the Cloud to put such harsh memories behind them…as a matter of fact, Koumorimaru is a product of that civil war."

The silence was deafening. The Toad Sennin growled, "You were the one who assassinated the Raikage and his entourage of Cloud shinobi."

"I was part of the mission, yes…the Grass sent me and three other Jonin-level ninja to assassinate some of the Cloud ninja. It was in retaliation for a Cloud attack on Kusagakure a few months prior to that." Shuu's eyes became downcast as he sighed. "Unfortunately…I was the only one who intended to follow the mission parameters to the letter. Even after we completed our mission objectives, my teammates killed the rest…INCLUDING the Raikage."

Jiraiya muttered, "Revenge…it is a powerful motivator…but it can drive people beyond reason."

"**That is true, human…"** grumbled Ogi-Daimyou. **"I had been summoned by Shuu to help with the mission…and I witnessed the malice in the eyes of his fellow Grass shinobi. Even though Shuu told them to stop…they did not listen. They had fully given in to the darkness of their hearts."**

Shuu sighed as he gazed at the sky above. "I returned…and I was confused. If I had been the only one to listen to reason on my mission…what was to say other members of the Grass wouldn't feel the same? I had to get away…away from the darkness festering in the hearts of my brethren."

"That's an awfully large generalization," commented Jiraiya. "Don't you think it's unfair AND foolish to lump everyone into one group based off of a hunch?"

"Don't lecture me old man!"

Jiraiya seethed. "OLD MAN?"

"Nevertheless…" continued Shuu. "I had to get away…but I had to do so without causing suspicion. After all, that leads to unfortunate incidents like the civil war in the Cloud. Then…Kyuubi struck. I fled when the Nine Tails struck Kusagakure on his way to Konoha…and everyone assumed me to be dead."

Ogi-Daimyou then muttered, **"That was when I merged myself with Shuu; after all, my kin made a pact with the Toya to do what was in their best interests and help them in battle. Cleansing the Toya and the Grass of the dark sinners WAS in their best interests…and thus have I been one with Shuu ever since."**

Shuu smirked; his face seemed quite creepy due to the paint and the shadows provided by Ogi-Daimyou's maw. "A few years after that, I met with the man would become our Leader…he was searching for able renegades to help him track down two more of the Great Tailed Demons. He already possessed three…and then he told us his grand plan. Once five were brought together, he would enact a ritual to unleash them upon this world, cleansing it in blood and fire! Then, once all of the sinners were purged…the righteous would be the only victors!"

"That plan…is ludicrous," muttered Jiraiya.

Shuu and Ogi-Daimyou snorted. The Plant Lord growled, **"You don't need to understand human. You are in our way…and we WILL extract the demons from the Kazekage and the blonde boy!"**

"Now…PREPARE YOURSELF!" Shuu quickly performed a set of katas, yelling, "**_Irakei no jutsu!_**" Suddenly, a thorny green stem erupted from his finger. "Whip of Thorns!"

Jiraiya dodged to the side as the former Grass ninja slashed at him with the thorny whip. He quickly countered by yelling, "**_Aboushita no jutsu!_** Palm of the Frog's Tongue!" The wet appendage erupted from Jiraiya's palm, wrapping around the thorny whip. Shuu grunted as the larger and more powerful man pulled him forward…and he blanched as a familiar orb of energy formed in the Sannin's right hand. "**_RASENGAN!_**"

With a thought, the whip of thorns was detached from Shuu's finger. He quickly slammed his hands into the ground, roaring, "**_Ninpou; Matsurizassuou!_** Art of the Tangled Weeds!"

Jiraiya blinked as weeds erupted from the sand below him, entangling his entire body. His entire concentration was lost, resulting in the loss of all the energy dedicated to his Rasengan. The ninja cursed as he was swallowed by the mass of foliage.

"**Now…constrict him until no air remains in his lungs!"** growled Ogi-Daimyou.

Shuu smirked. "My pleasure…" He clenched his fist, and the weeds tightened around Jiraiya.

Suddenly…

"**_Ninpou; Geirufoosu!_**"

Shuu blinked as a gust of wind blew him away, breaking his concentration. _Impressive; using a jutsu while being entangled by my weeds._ He landed some distance away as Jiraiya broke out of the mass of weeds.

"Now…try and break out of this! **_Ninpou; Gamaguchi Shibari!_**" A tremendous amount of sand suddenly swirled around Shuu, enclosing him. "Toud Mouth Enclosure!"

At that point, the inside of the sand enclosure became the sticky, red inside of a frog's mouth. Shuu said, "Kisame spoke of this technique; he said Itachi had been forced to use **_Amaterasu_** to escape it."

Suddenly…

"_**Doton; Yomi Numa!**_ Earth Element; Swamp of the Underworld!"

Shuu glanced down to see the ground at his feet turn into dark green sludge…sludge he was slowly sinking into. "Hmm…clever. Trap me, and then submerge me…too bad. I'll break out of this…after all, anything will burst if too much is put into it!" He performed several katas, saying, "**_Meiroueki no jutsu_**…Maze of Trees!"

Trees immediately sprouted out of the ground, breaking through the Toad Mouth Enclosure.

Jiraiya paled as Shuu was taken high into the air, balanced atop the branch of a growing oak. He then paled even more as trees grew around HIM. They were so thickly interlocked together that traversing through them normally was impossible.

"Hmm hmm hmm…" Shuu's echoed through the foliage. "Can you escape before I gut you with my Whip of Thorns…?"

The Sennin immediately turned around to see a thorny whip coming straight at him.

xxxx

/Gaara's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

"**_Kage bunshin no jutsu!_**"

Koumarimaru suddenly split off into five different copies. They all then roared, "Now…fear the Voice of the Echoes! **_Naruboisu no jutsu!_**"

The five Koumarimarus shrieked loudly; sound waves reinforced with chakra erupted from the mouths, converging into one gigantic wave. It slammed loudly into Gaara's sphere of sand…and it still held.

"DAMN IT!" roared the bat woman, a large vein pulsing on her forehead. "WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BREAK THIS THING?"

"More." Hiroto suddenly reformed, landing with a thud on the ground. He then delved his hand into the ground…and picked up a massive boulder twice his size. Then, he slammed his fist into it.

Moments later, pieces fell off, revealing a finely chiseled arrowhead. He then thrust his right hand into the rear of the stone arrowhead. "Now…**_Kaijutsuki!_** Art of the Thrusting Rock Formation!" Hiroto leapt into the air, slamming the arrowhead with all of his might into Gaara's shield of sand.

There was one tiny crack…and it began to grow.

Koumorimaru smirked. "Nice one!"

Hiroto frowned as he broke apart once more, floating in the air beside Koumorimaru. "No…that wasn't me. I can tell…the sphere's breaking apart from the inside."

At that moment, the sphere shattered…and a massive creature expanded from it, growing into a massive monstrosity.

It was unmistakable. The milky brown skin, made of slick sand. The dark, angular blue lines on the epidermis. The dark blue ears. The black eyes with yellow irises. The star-shaped pupils. The sharp appearance of the mouth. The one massive tail...and the character for 'Love' written on the left side of the forehead in red.

Shukaku…the One Tail.

Standing atop the demon's forehead was Gaara, his eyes glaring quietly at Koumarimaru and Hiroto. "…are you satisfied now?"

**"Keh heh heh…of course! I can finally fight again…I can finally feel the wind again! The sand beneath my claws…sand that will soon run red with blood."**

"Keep an even head. These aren't mere enemies…even YOU must be careful," warned Gaara.

Shukaku chuckled. **"Ku hu hu…just you watch."**

"**_Kuchiyose no jutsu!_**"

_That was quick_, thought Gaara as he watched a cloud of smoke emanate from Koumorimaru. Still, it was only logical; the only practical way to defeat Shukaku was with another summoned beast.

When the cloud faded, Koumorimaru was standing atop the forehead of a giant brown bat. However, this bat wore a black _gi_…and he also possessed strong arms and muscular legs to complement his massive wings. The beast glared harshly at Shukaku with narrow red eyes; his large ears twitched, and his fang-filed mouth contorted into a scowl. _"…you."_

Shukaku blinked.

**"…keh heh heh. Kee hee hee…KA HA HA HA HA! How ironic that YOU are my first enemy!"**

Gaara raised an eyebrow. "You know this beast?"

**"An old rival from my days before being sealed in your wretched body. He is called Henpuku-Kami…for he is the Bat God. Ke he he…how amusing."**

Henpuku-Kami snorted. _"As cocky as ever…fortuitous that you summoned me, Koumorimaru. I can finally settle an old grudge!"_

Koumorimaru nodded as she clutched onto the Bat God's forehead with her feet. She knew better than to interfere with the battles of summons. "Yes, Henpuku-sama."

"_Now…SOUND EXPLOSION!"_ Henpuku-Kami roared as he expelled a blast of powerful chakra in the form of a sound wave at Shukaku. The One Tail disappeared in a cloud of smoke and chakra.

Henpuku-Kami snarled. _"Come now Shukaku…this can't be the extent of your abilities!"_

When the smoke cleared, it revealed an unharmed Shukaku; he had maneuvered his tail to block the blast. **"Keh heh heh…of course not. I'M JUST GETTING STARTED!"**

Gaara held on tightly as Shukaku leapt into the air at Henpuku-Kami.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

**_Akira, the Deadly User of Steam! Itachi, the Deadly User of Sharingan!_**

xxxx

Author's Notes: Apologies for the late update. Due to network problems. I had to wait a while before updating. Oh well…

Next time, we focus on your two faves: Naruto and Sasuke! Also, the battle for Konoha ends!

See you soon, and please review!


	10. Akira, Deadly User of Steam!

Standard Disclaimer: Blah blah blah blah blah blah.

Author's Notes: Too lazy to say the real disclaimer. And I have no apologies for the late update; family reunions take precedence, don't ya know.

(blinks) Wow…how ironic. Last update landed me at EXACTLY 40,000 words.

Anyhow…THE KONOHA BATTLE FINALLY ENDS!

Well, not really…due to my lateness in updating, I decided to cut the Konoha battle halfway, so I could update that much more quickly. The Konoha battle will end for real next time. Okay? Sorry for the inconvenience.

To the reviews!

Dark Qiviut: Ooh. Welcome!

And FYI…I assume you mean swear words in author's notes. Mind pointing them out? Because I can't find any. As for what Naruto is…THAT is a very long topic that requires info directly from the source.

www(dot)narutochuushin(dot)com

It has online versions of the Naruto manga. Read on. ;) (FYI, this story begins RIGHT after chapter 249 in the manga. Everything else from chapter 250 on is null and void in this story.)

Dragon Man 180: Gaara is standing atop Shukaku this time around.

Cloud-821: And thus you shall have them.

Scarecrowqueen: YAY! I'm a hero:D

crazy-antman: EXCITEMENT!

Audriel: You are correct; in the fight with Naruto, Gaara actually transformed into Shukaku. However, with the passage of time, the finer control over his demonic powers, and the integration between himself and the One Tails sealed inside him…the summoning of Shukaku has changed.

TimeShifter: You shall see…

Begin!

xxxx

_**Akira, the Deadly User of Steam! Itachi, the Deadly User of Sharingan!**_

xxxx

/Banshee's Gorge, Eastern Highlands, Wind Country/

"Hmm?"

Sakura sat up quietly, lazily rubbing her eyes as a confused groan escaped her lips. Her outfit had changed since her days as a Genin; she wore a black sleeveless bodysuit that went down to her thighs. Wrapped around her waist was a red piece of durable fabric that had a pouch on the back. Bandages were wrapped around the top half of her right thigh, and she wore tough boots made of black leather. Her pink hair was cut shorter than it had been during her Genin years; it was now neck-length, and secured with her hitai-ate. Finally, she wore the familiar green Chuunin vest.

She gazed upward with her light-green eyes to see the face of her former mentor: Hatake Kakashi. Well, not really; Kakashi's face, as usual, was covered by his Jonin uniform. The Sharingan user said, "Get up. We're all about to leave."

Sakura sat up and glanced out the cave; there was still no light to be seen, save for a faint tinge of blue near the eastern top of the gorge, standing out against the black of the night sky. She also took note that Shikamaru and Lee were trying to wake up Ino; Akamaru and Hinata were trying to awaken a snoring Kiba; Neji, Gai, and Jiraiya were standing outside on the ledge, staring at the sky, stretching their legs all the while.

Tsunade's apprentice grimaced. "Urg…it's still too early…"

"You want to get back to Konoha as quickly as possible don't you?" countered Kakashi.

Sakura moaned, "Yeah…but I'm still tired…"

"That'll mean seeing Sasuke that much faster."

Sakura was already trying to wake Ino up. "GET UP YOU PORKER! WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER!"

Kakashi sweatdropped as Sakura shook the sleepy Ino; Shikamaru muttered something about 'scary women' before Lee tried to keep Sakura from shaking her friend's head off.

Still…Kakashi couldn't help but sigh as he thought of how well Sakura had used her strength in the battle…and how proud he was of her.

xxxx

/Kakashi's Flashback/

/Four Days Ago/

/Konohagakure, Fire Country/

The mighty black dragon – now known as Bahamut – snarled viciously at the Leaf ninja as it charged at them. They all leapt out of the way as the dragon landed behind them, whirling around to prepare another charge.

Kakashi, Gai, and Tsunade glanced at each other. They knew it immediately; despite the apparent – and obvious – ferocity of the summoned beast, they knew the last Nukenin – Himura Seijuro – was the biggest problem.

He was a high-caliber combatant…one that they had to handle.

So Tsunade immediately yelled, "Everyone! Attack Bahamut! Kakashi, Gai…attack Himura Seijuro!"

Kakashi and Gai nodded as they leapt forward. Tsundae slammed her fist into the ground, creating a tremendous spider-web of cracks that caused the dragon to stumble. Himura impulsively leapt off of his summoned beast, glaring down at Kakashi and Gai.

Gai leapt high into the air, roaring, "**_Konoha Shoufuu!_** Leaf Rising Gust!" Lee's mentor lashed out with his leg, aiming for the chin so that he could send the Nukenin even higher.

However, Himura would have none of that. He lightly grabbed Gai's foot and pushed himself off the Leaf Jonin; he flipped in the air and landed calmly landed on the ground, his cape fluttering in the wind. He looked up to see a watery dragon – **_Suiryuudan no jutsu_**, courtesy of Kakashi – charging straight at him.

Himura quickly knelt down, saying, "**_Doton; Doruki Gaeshi._**" He immediately slammed his palms into the ground, causing a section of the ground to flip up. "Earth Element; Wall Land Flip."

The watery dragon slammed into the panel of upturned earth, exploding into hundreds of water particles. The earthen barrier remained intact.

That is, until Tsunade's fist broke through it. The Hokage launched her other fist at Himura, who casually ducked and flipped backwards, sending her backwards with a kick to the chin. The white-haired renegade sighed as he stared calmly at the Tsunade, Kakashi, and Gai. "Come…provide more of a challenge."

Meanwhile…

TenTen unrolled a scroll, summoning five small green objects lined with explosive tags. The objects were shaped like semi-circles, and they were made of metal. The tags flickered with fire as she threw them at Bahamut. They were thrown expertly, with the curved side aimed at the dragon.

The tags exploded moments later, causing the five semi-circles to shatter. They expelled a shower of metallic fragments at the black beast, intended to cause heavy damage.

However, the metal fragments merely bounced off the hardy scales of the mighty summoned beast. TenTen sweatdropped as Bahamut snarled viciously. "That's not good…"

The dragon lashed at TenTen with its tail; the Leaf ninja would've been sliced in two by the razor-sharp diamond tip had Neji not grabbed her and leapt away.

Suddenly, Shikamaru quickly performed a few katas, saying, "**_Kagemane no jutsu!_** Shadow Copy Technique!' Utilizing the shadows of fallen houses, Shikamaru's shadow extended forward and merged with Bahamut's…and immediately, he felt the strain. _Well…so much for trying to stall it. That beast is too strong…I can only hold it off for twenty more seconds…maybe less!_ Even now, Bahamut was growling, its muscles pulsing as it tried to move.

Still, this didn't stop Rock Lee from getting in as many hits as he could. The dragon flinched as punch after kick after elbow (repeat ad nauseum) slammed into its face. "HYO!"

As this happened, Kankuro cursed. "Crap…there goes any chance of me helping out." After all, his puppets were mainly based around trapping human-sized opponents and utilizing knives. Neither would do very well against an opponent capable of simply stepping on his puppets and crushing them.

Instead, he glanced at Ino and Sakura, who were both standing protectively in front of the wounded ninjas…and he made his decision. "You two. I'll protect the fatso and the other deadbeats. You help out."

Ino twitched at Kankuro's calling of Chouji 'fatso'. "That's a forbidden word!"

"He ain't awake to hear it, is he?" countered Kankuro with a blank face. Ino had no reply.

Sakura, however, stared past Kankuro and at Bahamut. It had been a long time since she had felt such fear; not since her days as a Genin had she felt the apprehension she felt right now. Sure, it didn't compare – nor could it – to when Orochimaru's killing intent had immobilized her in the Forest of Death…but it did outpace the fear she felt from Zabuza by a long shot. _How…how can we win…?_

Bahamut roared as it continued to try and break free. Shino called upon his destruction bugs, sending them to the beast's joints. They became one solid mass upon each joint, further immobilizing the beast and easing the load on Shikamaru…for all the good that did. Bahamut would still break out within the next thirty seconds.

Sakura's will suddenly hardened. Why was she hesitating? She was the apprentice of the Hokage…and even more importantly, she was a ninja of the Hidden Leaf. She had a duty: to fight!

Ino suddenly blinked as her rival said, "Come on Ino; we'll leave the care of Chouji and the others to Kankuro."

"But…" mumbled Ino, obviously not ready to fight Bahamut…or to leave her teammate's side.

Sakura smirked at her rival. "You know…this'll give me a lot of bragging rights."

That was all it took.

"YOU'RE ON!" roared Ino as she glared angrily at Sakura.

Kankuro sweatdropped at the sight. _Women. So fickle_. He coughed to get their attention. "Now that that's out of the way…you two get a move on." He stood quietly atop Sanshouuo, moving into a defensive position in front of the injured shinobi. "I'll take care of fatso and the others."

Sakura and Ino nodded…and neither of them noticed that Chouji had twitched both times Kankuro had uttered the word 'fatso'.

"_**RAAAAAAAAARRRGH!"**_

Everyone froze at the sound of Bahamut's earth-shattering roar. With one quick thrash, it broke free of Shikamaru's shadow and Shino's bugs before charging at the nearest target: Lee.

Rock Lee blanched; the summoned beast was deceptively fast. _I can't get away in time!_

**SLAM!**

Bahamut howled as Sakura's fist slammed into its face; her monstrous strength was displayed quiet clearly as the dragon fell onto its side. Haruno Sakura grinned as she landed on her feet. She was quite thankful…for the mighty strength of Tsunade the Legendary Leaf.

Lee's eyes sparkled as he pumped his fist. "**OOOOH!** WHAT TREMENDOUS POWER! YET SUCH GRACE! YOUR YOUTHFUL FIRE OUTSHINES EVEN MINE! WHAT A GREAT NINJA YOU ARE, SAKURA-CHAN!"

Neji and TenTen sweatdropped. _There he goes again._

Bahamut, however, was not so easily amused. The beast grumbled as it got to its feet and leapt at Sakura.

Meanwhile…

"**_Suiton; Mizuseki no jutsu_**. Water Element; Water Barrier." Himura remained deathly silent as water erupted from his mouth, forming a powerful barrier around him. Four fists slammed into the barrier moments later; the fists belonged to Gai and Tsunade.

The barrier bent inward a little due to the massive strength…but it didn't break. Gai and Tsunade grimaced as Himura Seijuro suddenly dropped the shield and struck with quick punches to the face.

Meanwhile, Kakashi watched on as his Sharingan eye copied the workings of Mizuseki no jutsu. _Hmm…skilled with taijutsu, exceptionally quick, lots of chakra, elemental jutsus, and a summoned beast…Akatsuki sure picked the cream of the crop with this guy._ Still, it mattered not.

No matter what the strength of an enemy was, an enemy was still an enemy. Kakashi quickly pulled out a kunai and threw it at Himura. As the kunai knife flew towards the Nukenin, the Jonin performed a set of hand seals. "**_Kage kunai no jutsu!_** Shadow Kunai!"

The one kunai split apart into two dozen…except the twenty-four kunai knives were no more than an inch apart from each other.

Himura Seijuro ducked underneath the wave of kunai knives, barely managing to see Kakashi in time. The Nukenin only saw Kakashi wielding a kunai knife in one hand.

To the Leaf ninja's surprise, Himura countered…with his right index finger. That finger was glowing with red fire. _Huh…sort of like Blaze's **Faiahasaki**…but with only one finger. Very impressive… _"You're not bad."

"Don't waste time talking. It degrades the experience," retorted Himura Seijuro as he yelled, "**_Hirameshige!_** FLASHKICK!" In the blink of an eye, the last of Akatsuki's Nukenin performed two stationary flips, kicking Kakashi a total of four times. The Sharingan user saw stars – so unexpected was the attack – before Himura sent him flying with a sidekick to the gut.

Suddenly…

"First, Second, Third – **_Initial_**, **_Heal_**, and **_Life Gates_** – OPEN!"

Himura whirled around to see Maito Gai charging at him. His entire body circulated with a green and blue chakra aura, and his skin had turned red. The Nukenin frowned. _He's opened three of the eight Celestial Gates…his chakra, speed, and strength have increased dramatically._

"ORAH!" roared Gai as he launched a flurry of kicks and punches at Himura. The Nukenin quickly brought up a Water Barrier…but all of Gai's hits had come within the span of two seconds.

The barrier dissipated…and the sheer momentum behind Gai's attack sent Himura flying backwards, even though he hadn't actually been hit.

Suddenly, Himura turned around to see Tsunade, this time opting for a kick with her left leg.

The Nukenin was unable to prevent the leg from colliding with his left arm…and to his great displeasure, every single bone in that arm was shattered. Tsunade smirked as she landed several yards away. _Good…he's down by one arm._

Himura Seijuro stared apathetically at his limp left arm…and then he casually ripped it out from the shoulder socket. "A shattered arm is as good as none." Blood leaked slowly from the wound…but that didn't concern the Nukenin. "One is still enough to finish you three off."

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Naruto's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

"AGH!"

Naruto gagged as he stumbled backwards, dropping both of his kunai knives. Blood leaked from the left side of his chest.

As for Akira…he held his steam weapon – a katana – lightly. The blood from Naruto fell off of it completely, as droplets. The former Waterfall ninja grinned as he casually balanced the steam blade on his finger. "You idiot. I'm a master of steam…and in my hands, it's as malleable as air. Did you really think you could parry my blade with your pathetic kunai knives?"

**HE'S WASTING HIS BREATH.**

Naruto blinked; this was the first time all day Kyuubi had said something positive. _Heh…looks like he's irritating you too, eh?_

**NO.**

Naruto blinked. _Huh?_

**HE'S ATTEMPTING AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK: TRYING TO TEACH YOU SOMETHING.**

_HEY!_

**OH, AND LOOK OUT.**

Naruto suddenly snapped back to reality moments before Akira's katana slammed into his gut. Blood rushed forward from the horizontal cut as the Leaf ninja was sent backwards.

Akira sighed whimsically as he tapped the blade against his heel. "Poor poor boy…you're not even trying."

"Rrr…shut up…" growled Naruto.

**HE'S RIGHT OF COURSE. RELEASE ME.**

_HOW'S THAT TRYING MY HARDEST?_

**I DO ALL THE WORK, YOU GET TO REST.**

_Fat chance!_

**I'LL KEEP TRYING. YOU'LL GIVE IN EVENTUALLY.**

Naruto shook his head to clear Kyuubi's banter from his mind. The blonde-haired Genin quickly performed a set of katas, roaring, "**_Kage bunshin no jutsu!_**"

Ten Narutos suddenly bum-rushed Akira. The former Waterfall ninja sighed ruefully. "BOR-RING." He too performed a set of katas as his steam katana dissipated into a puff of vapor. "**_Kitai bunshin no jutsu!_**" More of the water on the sandy ground evaporated, forming large clouds of steam. "Vapor Clone!" They immediately formed into five distinct copies of the Akatsuki steam user.

The Narutos gaped as the five Akiras rushed at them. One of the Narutos chuckled, boasting, "Come on! It's two on one! We can win!" To prove his point, he jumped into air, aiming his heel for the far left Akira's head.

Suddenly, the head split in half, reverting to a mass of steam. The Naruto clone blanched as he sailed clean past the vapor clone, landing awkwardly on the other side. "Urg…"

The head reformed, revealing a smirking clone. "It'll take more than that to bear us…" The five clones chuckled as their hands formed more steam weapons: daggers, sai, swords, chains, and scythes respectively from left-to-right.

The Narutos gulped as the five vapor clones smirked. Akira's copies immediately charged.

Speaking of Akira, he was already back to reading _Icha Icha Paradise_. After all, he wasn't fighting at the moment. So why should he waste any time? His face flushed red as he muttered, "Heh heh…nice boobs…"

Naruto – the real one – seethed as he leapt away from the melee; his clones were being massacred by the vapor clones, and the stupid pervert was looking at pictures of breasts! "Gah…WE! **ARE!** **_FIGHTING!_**" Anger filling his veins, Naruto roared, "**_Kinton; Hagane Ame!_**" A slab of metal erupted from the ground…and the gigantic slab split apart into hundreds of tiny razor-sharp needles. "METAL ELEMENT; STEEL RAIN!"

Naruto dispelled his shadow clones, causing the vapor clones to pause out of confusion. One second later – before they could even split apart to avoid taking damage – they were skewered by hundreds of needles.

Fujiwara Akira frowned as his five clones dispersed into harmless puffs of vapor. "Now that wasn't nice. I was just getting back into this."

Uzumaki Naruto snorted as he replied, "I DON'T CARE! We're supposed to be fighting…and if I have to play dirty to get that point across, I WILL! **_Kage bunshin no jutsu!_**" Naruto split apart into twenty different copies. This caused Akira to sigh. "This lame trick again…?"

However, something was different this time…because then they all immediately yelled, "**_HENGE!_**" They all disappeared in a cloud of smoke – the traditional sign of transformation – before Naruto and his clones were completely revealed.

They had all transformed into buxom naked women.

It was Naruto's infamous '**_Harem no jutsu_**'.

With girlish voices, they all moaned and cried, "Ohhh! Fujiwara-kun!"

Akira's jaw dropped as they started fawning all over him. His rational mind should've told him that they were merely clones disguised as beautiful women…but his body was too busy being surrounded by naked women to register that thought. "Ah…ah…AH…"

Finally, a torrent of blood erupted from his nose. The former Waterfall ninja flew backwards as he landed into the ground, no thanks to his nosebleed. "Urgh…"

The twenty Naruto-Girls giggled as they disappeared in a large cloud of smoke…and when the smoke scattered, it revealed a single chuckling Naruto. "Heh heh…how about that?"

"That was…a cheap shot…" growled Akira. "And I HATE cheap shots that aren't coming from _me!_"

Naruto sweatdropped. "Uh, DUH."

"Which is why…you'll have to take THIS!" A quick set of katas later, and Akira performed the sign of the Boar: **Ousu-buta**. "**_Kaonenmu no jutsu!_**" More of the water that had soaked into the sand suddenly evaporated into a large cloud. "Suffocating Fog of Heat!"

Naruto yelped as the steam cloud surrounded him…and he immediately began gagging and coughing. "Uhu-uhak! What…can't…"

"Breathe?" mocked Akira as he stepped towards the suffocating Naruto. "This technique was made for the purpose of suffocation…but then again, you probably knew that. You'll eventually die…but you'll pass out long before then." The Akatsuki ninja cackled as he calmly pulled out his copy of _Icha Icha Paradise_. "Now, I'll just wait while you pass out…he he…"

Naruto scoffed as he coughed. "Rrr…you…"

**READY FOR MY HELP YET?**

_NO! I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU OUT!_

**IS THAT SO? **

_YEAH!_

**EVEN IF YOU DIE?**

…_GAH! I HATE IT WHEN YOU GIVE ME THESE KIND OF DECISIONS!  
_

**THERE'S A SIMPLER DECISION: LET ME OUT, OR YOU DIE.**

_Here's a better one: gimme your chakra!_

**VERY WELL. YOU'LL CRACK AND LET ME OUT EVENTUALLY.**

_Like HECK I will! This is my fight! _Although it sounded rather serious, Naruto and Kyuubi ALWAYS bickered like that…and Naruto knew that even IF Kyuubi were to be 'let out' (as the accursed fox liked to put it), he wouldn't be able to escape. Not while he was still alive.

Naruto snarled as the red, demonic chakra of the Kyuubi filled his body. His blue eyes turned red. He grew fangs. His nails sharpened into claws. His whisker marks widened. His chakra aura grew larger…and larger…

Akira blinked as he raised his eyes towards Naruto. _Hmm…he's calling upon the Nine Tails chakra now…_

**_CHOOM!_**

The cloud of suffocating fog was suddenly torn apart by Naruto's aura…and he roared as he slashed at Akira's direction. The chakra around his arm grew, becoming an extendable arm that lashed at the former Waterfall ninja.

Fujiwara Akira paled. _Fast…!_

**Rrrrriiiiip!**

Akira had dodged it…but his book had been hit. The Waterfall ninja gaped as his copy of _Icha Icha Paradise_ fell to the desert floor in shreds.

**OOH. HITTING HIM WHERE IT HURTS.**

_Heh heh…what can I say? I have a flair for the dramatic._

"You…jerk…"

Naruto turned his eyes towards Akira, who was growling like a possessed demon. "Do you know how hard it was for me to GET _THAT** COPY?**_ **_Joukibuki no jutsu_**!" The Weapon of Steam that formed this time, however, were multi-barreled steam guns on his shoulders. "Advanced Steam Weapon Technique: GATLING GUN!"

The steamy (literally) gatling guns suddenly opened fire, spewing vaporous bullets at Naruto. The fox boy spun around, whacking at the incoming projectiles with his red chakra tail. "You'll have to do better than that!"

"FINE THEN!" roared Akira. His steamy gatling guns dissolved as he performed several hand seals, yelling, "**_Suiton; Endainami no jutsu!_** Water Element; Grand Wave!" A tremendous surge of water erupted from the ninja's mouth, rushing at Naruto.

"**_RAAAAAAAAAAR!_**" That mighty roar accompanied a massive wave of invisible power rushing at the wave. The wave suddenly stopped; its momentum had been utterly drained away, causing the water to fall in one massive downpour. "Heh heh…too bad…"

"Doesn't matter to me either way," joked Akira as he performed more katas. "The only reason I know water jutsus is to give myself more STEAM!" As the massive amount of water evaporated into a massive puff of steam, he roared, "**_Joukibuki no jutsu!_** Advanced Steam Weapon Technique: Giant Robot!"

To Naruto's utter shock the steam cloud formed into exactly what Akira said; a giant robot. Well, the shape of one, anyway…and it was a shape Naruto recognized.

And it infuriated him. "YOU RIPOFF!" Naruto angrily jabbed a finger at Akira as he hollered, "YOU COPIED THAT FROM _MOBILE SUIT GUN-GUN!_"

**…MOBILE…SUIT…GUN-GUN…? DO I HONESTLY EVEN NEED TO KNOW?**

"So what if I ripped it off?" retorted Akira. "I'll just do as Mobile Suit Gun-Gun…AND CRUSH YOU!"

The GSR (Giant Steam Robot) lifted its foot to crush Naruto.

This only caused Naruto to grin. "Heh…fine then…BRING IT ON!" The fox boy, his chakra flaring blood red, leapt upward at Akira's giant robot.

xxxx

/Sasuke's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

The flash of fire and lightning ceased…and it revealed two Uchiha.

But the winner of that clash…had been Unari.

Uchiha Itachi had been the victor: he was still standing.

Uchiha Sasuke had been the loser: he was on the ground, his burned left fist twitching out of pain.

Itachi calmly muttered, "It appears you have yet to gain the power necessary to kill me." Even so, the Chidori attack had numbed his right hand. The feeling had yet to return to it. That was impressive enough.

"Shut up…" Sasuke growled as he flipped off of his right hand, landing several yards away. He growled angrily as he tried flexing his burned left hand; it hurt…but nothing he couldn't handle.

No. What he couldn't handle was the fact that Itachi still proved himself to be superior. As he was now…he couldn't win.

But then again, he had an ace up his sleeve: Orochimaru's Curse Seal…

_No. Not yet_. He wanted to hold that one off for now…even though the power offered by the Curse Seal was great, the strain on his body was murderous. He had gotten to the point, thankfully, where he could stay at Curse Seal Level 1 for about an hour before the pain came. For Level 2, it was only ten minutes…and as for Level 3…

He didn't want to think that Itachi was THAT far beyond him…

"Are you going to continue this brother?" asked Itachi as he stood stoically on the sandy dune. "It should be clear that you are not yet strong enough to kill me. If you want to end my life…use your curse power."

Sasuke smirked. "You think I'm that desperate? That I'm so weak, that I can't go on my own for even a little while…?" Chuckling occurred…and it was not out of humor, but out of rage. "You think very little of me Itachi…that's the wrong thing to DO!" Sasuke roared as he fired one shuriken before performing a set of katas. "**_Kage shuriken no jutsu!_**" Just like before, the shuriken split into many.

Oddly enough, Itachi didn't move.

The shurikens all sliced at him…but to Sasuke's surprise, Itachi's body split apart into a number of ravens. _Genjutsu…quick of him to bring it out this quickly._

The ravens flew all around him, cawing and crowing.

Disorientation.

Confusion.

Bewilderment.

Those were the goals for those who used genjutsu illusions on the enemy. To make them so disoriented and wary that they can't tell where the opponent will strike from…

Sasuke chuckled; he wasn't so clueless. He was a true successor to the Sharingan…and he already knew where Itachi was. He calmly pulled his red ocarina out of a pouch on his belt and put his lips to it. "**_Otoaori no jutsu!_** Sound Gale!"

He aimed the holes on top of the red ocarina at the ground, letting the music pour out from within…and thus expelling a tremendous burst of air that blew away the sand around him.

Itachi was revealed. He had hidden under the sand, using his genjutsu to distract Sasuke while he hid. Sasuke also wasn't surprised to see him at the last hand seal – **Tora**, the Sign for Tiger – for **_Goukakyuu no jutsu_**. "Heh…you underestimated me again Itachi!" He blew into the ocarina again, creating another powerful Sound Gale that blasted into his older brother.

Itachi's black-and-red cloud cloak fluttered in the face of the wind; frowning, the older Uchiha leapt upward to avoid the rest of the gale, inhaling all the while. "GRAND FIREBALL!"

Sasuke was silent as he watched the giant fireball roar down at him, as if an angry deity from above was about to smite him. Despite the analogy…he grinned. _Heh_, thought Sauske as he pocketed his ocarina. _Now to turn the tables…_

His Sharingan eyes swirled.

Itachi watched as he slowly fell. The fireball exploded…but he knew Sasuke had evaded it. _Now where did he…?_

He was on his knees.

Itachi's eyes slightly narrowed. _He's using genjutsu on me_. He glanced back to Sasuke…except he was on fire.

The fiery Sasuke glared at Itachi, speaking in an otherworldly voice. "**YoU…_dEsTrOyEd…THEM!_** **ThE fAmIlY…yOu…_WiLl…PAY!_**" The fiery Sasuke reared his punch, intending to slam into Itachi's face.

Itachi narrowed his eyes…and then he snapped his right elbow back.

"AGH!"

The illusion disappeared. The fiery Sasuke vanished…and the REAL Sasuke appeared, who had been running up to stab Itachi in the back with a kunai knife.

Sasuke grimaced as he landed twelve yards away, his forehead leaking blood from the wound inflicted by Itachi's elbow. The elder Uchiha sighed. "Pathetic…such a rudimentary illusion. Do you really expect to kill me…with such worthless parlor tricks?"

When the dust cleared from Sasuke's landing…he stood.

Itachi frowned at the sight of his little brother. _Hmm?_

Red marks were swirling around his body from the curse seal on his neck…and when they completely solidified on his skin, they became pitch-black in color. Sasuke's chakra flared around him…but now it was colored purple, due to the curse seal. "Curse Seal...Level 1..."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. _The Heaven curse seal…given to him by Orochimaru. He's using its power…_

"Pathetic am I…?" whispered Sasuke, his frame shivering. Not out of fear…but out of rage. "Worthless am I…?"

Sasuke flashed his red eyes at his older brother. Eyes full of hatred. "Do you really think so little of me? **YOUR EXECUTIONER?**" Sasuke struck the ground with his fist. The force behind it caused a shockwave that forced (pun intended) Itachi to leap into the air. "Well guess what…you may think you're still better than me…BUT YOU'RE NOT SUPERIOR ANYMORE."

As Sasuke performed some more katas, he growled, "I will kill you Itachi…you've known this day will come…you've known it ever since I saw you standing over our parents' corpses…"

Itachi was silent in the face of Sasuke's accusations.

"Now…DIE! **_Katon; Zanbato!_**" A thin pole of fire sprouted out of Sasuke's hands…but a massive ten-foot long blade sprouted out of the top of the pole. The fiery blade was one-foot wide…and Sasuke held it above his head with both hands. "Fire Element…Zanbato."

_Zanbato…the longest type of sword there is,_ thought Itachi with a frown._ This is an ancient technique of the Uchiha clan…back from the days before the countries had fully formed. An Uchiha bloodline limit…hmm_. That was troublesome. Itachi did not know this technique…and since it was a technique unique only to the Uchiha blood, he couldn't copy it like he could with the others. _This might be troublesome…_

"Now…**_DIE!_**" Sasuke roared as he charged with a speed that defied all expectations. Even Itachi was surprised.

Sasuke roared as he raised the flaming Zanbato above his head before swinging downward. Itachi raised his arms as the blade hit.

**_BOOOM!_**

The ground where Itachi had stood exploded in a massive rush of fire.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**End of Konoha's Battle! Four-Part Battle Royal!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: Bleh. Sorry it took so long to update; it took awhile to get back into the sync of things after the family reunion.

But don't worry; the next update shall be quicker!

And in case you didn't guess it, the 'Mobile Suit Gun-Gun' Naruto mentioned is a parody of 'Mobile Suit Gundam'. You know; sort of like the giant robot manga to go to in Naruto's world.

See you soon, and please review!


	11. End of Konoha's Battle!

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto person!

Author's Notes: My, it took a while…but hey, that's what happens when your laptop goes kaput. Ah well.

To the reviews!

Dark Qiviut: …pardon if I sound blunt, but that is just silly. For the record, 'crap' is not a swear word in my household. Secondly, it's not your decision to tell me how to write. It's not like I'm going to be using the 'F' word, the 'S' word, or the 'GD' word in narration…but come on. Lighten up.

Dragon Man 180: True, but then again, fire tends to be a lot lighter than metal. ;)

Audriel: NO APOLOGIES! TAKE BACK YOUR GOMEN! WAH! (panics and throws Goemon) …whoops.

Well, thanks to the people who've read this story since the Hit counter was released for all. Since then, over 1700 people have read it. Neat.

Begin!

xxxx

_**End of Konoha's Battle! Four-Part Battle Royale!**_

xxxx

/Banshee's Gorge, Eastern Highlands, Wind Country/

Haruno Sakura, to be frank, was anxious.

She was also tired, cranky, and…to be honest…just a little afraid.

And why shouldn't she be? She was tired because even though she had partaken in a great battle four days ago, she had been traveling nonstop over a great distance…and now she was about to travel back to Konoha. That would take over two more days of travel.

She was cranky because she hadn't gotten enough sleep.

As for why she was anxious…it was because she was going to see her former teammates again. Naruto was easier, as she had seen him briefly during the time between his return to Konoha with Jiraiya and his departure to face Akatsuki. But Sasuke…she was on the verge of hysteria. She was ecstatic! She was finally going to see Sasuke-kun again!

And that was precisely why she was afraid.

Because Sasuke had been with Orochimaru (that traitorous monster) for three years…and she could still remember the icy tone of the Leaf ninja as he left her and Konoha to join the Sound…

Even though Sasuke had (supposedly; she didn't know for sure) helped Naruto in the battle against Akatsuki…she feared that he was still the same cold ninja that had left her, and not the calm, silent, yet caring teammate from Cell Seven. _Sasuke-kun…_

No. She had to eliminate such thoughts of sorrow. She had been powerful enough to help in Konoha's battle. Her faith in Sasuke had to be just as strong.

Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the barren cliffs of Banshee's Gorge. The wind howled in everyone's ears as Kakashi muttered, "The sun will arrive in one hour. We start our trek now."

Ten Leaf ninjas and one dog – Kakashi, Jiraiya, Gai, Neji, Sakura, Lee, Hinata, Shikamaru, Ino, Kiba, and Akamaru – immediately took off eastward toward the River Country…for immediately beyond sat the Fire Counry.

And Konoha.

All Sakura had to occupy her mind while they moved were memories…

xxxx

/Sakura's Flashback/

/Four Days Ago/

/Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Sakura wasn't quite sure how it had happened.

One moment, Bahamut was leaping at her, jaws wide in an attempt to take revenge on her for her attack.

The next moment, Bahamut was kicked away by a combination attack by Lee, Kiba, and Akamaru…but her eyes were blurry, because they looked strange…

Only when they landed on their feet did Sakura realize why they looked different.

Lee, for one, had red skin and pulsing veins. His chakra aura was a mixture of shimmering blue and fiery green; a sign he had opened four of his Celestial Gates. The **_Initial, Heal, Life, _**and **_Harm Gates._** His strength and speed had been easily multiplied.

As for Kiba and Akamaru…Sakura had initially thought the dog had sat atop Kiba's heard whilst Kiba himself had attacked. In all actuality, Kiba was actually using his special combination jutsu with Akamaru…and it was a step beyond the **_Sou-Tou-Rou_** that transformed them into a double-headed wolf.

It was the **_Waau-Rufu-Kyou_**: Werewolf Power.

Indeed, Kiba's skin had utterly vanished, replaced by the white fur of Akamaru. His face had transformed into that of a wolf, and his snout was crumpled up into a snarl, showing white teeth. However, the defining differences were that his clothes had vanished, his black mane was snow-white, and he now possessed four blood-red eyes. Oh, and his strength was even greater than that of the **_Sou-Tou-Rou_**. But should you be surprised by that?

Thought not.

Sakura blinked as Lee offered her a hand. Despite his blank eyes and red skin, he still cracked a toothy smile. "Now it's my turn to show my youthful fire." After helping Sakura to her feet, Lee roared as he charged at Bahamut. His punch would connect in one second.

Bahamut countered in less than a second.

"_**RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"**_

A black wave of power erupted from Bahamut's mouth, slamming into Lee. The Taijutsu specialist gagged as the blast slammed into him, pushing him into the ground…and sending him backward, skidding across the stony ground. It appeared as if a volcano had erupted, spewing dust and pebbles instead of fire and brimstone.

Rock Lee grimaced as he felt some of his muscles snap; he had somewhat mastered being in this current state, but that combined with a mighty blast and a long slide along the ruined street wasn't exactly beneficial. Not only that…but now he looked bad in front of Sakura-chan! _NO…!_

Meanwhile, the fused form of Kiba and Akamaru – who simply called himself Werewolf – snarled as he lashed out at Bahamut. His black claws glowed red as he roared, "**_Chi Kaeba!_** Blood Blades!" He swung his claws forward, creating two sets of three blood-red razor-sharp lines.

Bahamut turned, letting its side take all the punishment. Its scales negated most of the damage; all that remained were small etches an inch deep. The dragon summon's eyes flared angrily as it stampeded at Werewolf, slamming its head into the Kiba/Akamaru fusion at high speed.

The collision was sudden and absolute. A rib broke as Werewolf was sent back even further than Lee. When the dust faded, Kiba and Akamaru were grimacing out of pain.

The dragon snorted as it turned around, facing its remaining opponents.

Neji. TenTen. Sakura. Ino. Shikamaru. Temari. Hinata. Shino.

Temari quickly bit her thumb and traced her blood along her fan. "_**Kuchiyose **_**_no jutsu! Kirikiri!_**" This was actually a two-part attack; Temari summoned a flying white weasel dressed in a black-and-red gi with a black eye-mask. He held a giant scythe in his paws, and a number of other scythes floated around him. The second attack – **_Kirkiri_** – involved the weasel summon swinging his scythe.

The floating scythes immediately flew at Bahamut. The dragon summon could only blink before the blades were upon it.

Shikamaru momentarily let hope claim him. That attack had leveled an entire forest before. Maybe…

The blades disappeared, and Bahamut was still standing. Tiny grooves were etched into its scales…but they were no deeper than the cut made by Werewolf's **_Chi Kaeba_**.

Temari grimaced. _This is bad…_

"**RAAR!"** Bahamut stomped the ground, creating an earthquake. The last combatants to face the dragon fell to the ground as the black dragon opened its maw to fire another wave of power.

Neji quickly jumped forward, his Byakugan eyes in full power. He had a hunch of how to deter the blast the moment it came; a full burst of chakra from his palms MIGHT divert it…

Bahamut suddenly rushed forward, opening its mouth to swallow Neji. The Jonin's white eyes widened as the saliva-filled mouth of the dragon came upon him. _Agh…!_

**CHOMP!**

Bahamut gulped the human down its throat. A satisfied gasp came from the summoned monster as it glared at its remaining opponents.

"**NEJI!**" screamed TenTen.

"…this is definitely bothersome," mumbled Shikamaru as the black dragon snarled at them.

Meanwhile…

Himura Seijuro's white hair fluttered in the wind as he stared quietly at Hatake Kakashi, Maito Gai, and Tsunade. The Hokage and the two Jonins glared back at the last of the Nukenin.

Gai smirked as he flexed his muscles. His skin was still red, a sign he had yet to close his three Celestial Gates. "Cocky aren't you? Almost as much as my rival Kakashi! But be honest…what can you do with one arm?"

"Simple…the Bloodline Limit of the nomadic Seijuro clan." That knowledge caused a look of shock to cross the faces of the three Leaf shinobi. "Using against only three opponents is akin to hunting rabbits with a cannon…but you've proven to be elusive rabbits. So…" He quickly performed over twenty katas (with one hand!) before saying, "**_Gomuidoutai_**…" He reared a punch.

Kakashi frowned, his Sharingan eye swirling. _What is up to…is he going to launch a kind of power from his fist…?_

In a flash, Himura lashed out with his foot, kicking all three of them in the chin.

Only one thought crossed Tsunade's mind. _Impossible…he was over thirty feet away…_

When the three Leaf shinobi stood up, they saw that Himura's leg was returning to him…because it had stretched out. He stretched his arm out over twenty feet, much to the astonishment of the three Leafs. "…Rubber Body. THIS is the greatest technique I possess." The fingers on his outstretched hand suddenly elongated, as long as whips. "Whiplash."

The long fingers suddenly swirled around, lashing out at high-speed at Gai. The Taijutsu user crossed his arms, blocking the lightning-fast finger whips.

Simultaneously, Kakashi dashed behind the Nukenin and performed katas. "**_Suiton; Suiryuudan no-_**"

"Javelin," muttered Himura as he lashed out with his left leg, slamming it into Kakashi's gut, halting the jutsu before it could even be cast. The Nukenin immediately glanced up, seeing Tsunade preparing to cave his head in with a downward kick.

Himura Seijuro swerved his body to the side, avoiding the downward kick. His neck stretched outward, allowing him to slam his head into Tsunade's head. The Hokage yelped as she was sent flying. Finally, Himura used his outstretched leg – the one he had used to attack Kakashi – to slam the side of Gai's head, who was too preoccupied with the Whiplash technique to do otherwise.

The last Nukenin sighed as he retracted all of his body parts. "My my…don't tell me this is all you're capable of."

Back to the other battle…

The remaining combatants gaped in shock. The dragon had just eaten Neji! Hyuga Neji, one of the strongest ninjas in Konoha!

Sakura growled; this was bad. It seemed the dragon had an appetite for human flesh…which was bad. But you knew that. _Dang it…how are we going to beat this thing…?_

TenTen had no such thoughts. She was only focused on killing the beast. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" She unrolled the largest scroll she possessed, summoning a ball-and-chain…except the ball was a powerful shrapnel-laden explosive. She swung madly, roaring before letting it fly at the dragon.

Bahamut merely spun around, slamming it with its tail. Although it exploded on contact, damage was minimal (after all, the tail's tip was a freakin' diamond!). If anything, it only seemed to annoy the dragon. "Grrr…"

Suddenly, its throat began to bulge outward. A look of great confusion crossed the beast's face before it impulsively gagged and vomited. Out of the mouth came a spinning Neji, who landed nearby. The dragon coughed as black blood leaked from its mouth.

Hinata gasped. "Neji-san!"

Ino gaped. "How'd he…?"

"Ah…I see." Sakura grinned; she was impressed. "He managed to get back into the dragon's throat…and he used **_Kaiten_** to initiate the beast's gag reflex!"

TenTen was silent…a small tear ran down her eye…a smile crossed her face. Finally, she muttered, "Of course…after all, Neji's a genius."

Neji, on the other hand, was not so pleased with himself. After all, his clothes had saliva on them (at least he hadn't gotten to the stomach acid). "Ick...well, at least I'm out of there."

"Question is…what now?" asked Lee as he stepped forward. His face twitched slightly out of pain; some of the muscles near his shoulders had snapped. Oh well; at least he had shut his Celestial Gates; the strain on his body was drastically reduced. "We've thrown all we've got at that thing…and our other allies are busy with that Nukenin."

Himura Seijuro suddenly jumped atop Bahamut's head, much to the surprise of the younger ninjas. The Nukenin didn't care; he was busy staring at Kakashi, Gai, and Tsunade. "I've gotten bored…" He flexed his fingers, revealing that he had dismissed the 'Rubber Body' jutsu. His tone was as cold as ice. "Bahamut, waste them all."

Bahamut nodded as white energy began coagulating around its maw…and everyone suddenly felt a tinge of fear.

"Mrrr…" whimpered Akamaru, who was once more hiding in Kiba's jacket. The doggish boy felt the same way. "Crap…this is it…"

"NO! IT CAN'T BE!" roared Lee. "I WILL NOT DIE HERE!"

_Too bad you will_, cynically thought Kankuro with a frown as he watched from afar, sitting atop Sanshouuo. Chouji still laid beside the puppet. The Sand Jonin spat on the ground as he muttered, "What a fricken' waste. I know I wouldn't help much…but fighting would be better than keeping guard over the fatty here…"

"I've…told everyone before…"

_Huh?_ Kankuro blinked out of surprise as he turned around; Chouji had been the one to speak.

Suddenly, the child of the Akimichi clan opened his eyes, his brow furrowed into a glare. "**_I'M NOT FAT! I'M JUST PLEASANTLY PLUMP!_**" He pulled out a case…and inside were three pills. Blue. Yellow. Red. "AND I'LL PROVE IT!"

He snapped open the case and downed two pills. First, the blue 'Sushi' pill…and next the yellow 'Curry' pill. He had to eat them in order, or else the effects to his body would be disastrous. Chouji grimaced as he stood…and then he performed katas as his chakra aura flared. "**_CHOU BAIKA NO JUTSU!_** SUPER MULTI-SIZE NO JUTSU!"

Kankuro sweatdropped as Chouji grew over three hundred feet high, becoming an absolute giant. _…I still say he's a fatso._

Everyone sweatdropped as Chouji glared downward at Bahamut and Himura Seijuro. The dragon's jaw dropped out of shock. Even Himura managed to admit, "Well…this is inconvenient."

Seconds later, both Bahamut and Himura were squashed by Chouji's foot. The two became nothing more than a pasty black and red stain on the ground.

All of the Leaf ninjas sweatdropped. Shikamaru grumbled as he muttered, "Well THAT was anti-climactic."

"No kidding," concurred Tsunade as her eyebrow twitched. Such a hard battle…and they ended up being squashed by a foot!

"…urgh…" Chouji clenched his stomach; he was still too weak from his injury to fully handle the massive chakra from the blue and yellow pills. "I think…I've got indigestion…" As the fattened ninja began to fall, his body shrank as well. By the time he had fully shrunk, he was unconscious…

_Plump._

He fell with a quiet sound into Ino's arms. The blonde ninja smiled slightly as Chouji's form sagged in her arms. _Heh…way to go Chouji._

"YES!" cheered Gai as he closed his Celestial Gates, returning to normal. "We have triumphed over the last of the Nukenin! We are victorious! Lee, Neji, TenTen, you all performed spectacularly!"

"THANK YOU GAI-SENSEI!" exclaimed Lee. Neji and TenTen merely sweatdropped out of exasperation. They were too tired to cheer.

"Hokage-sama."

Tsunade's veins pulsed as she whirled around, roaring, "**WHAT NOW?**"

A very shocked and surprised Ebisu (Naruto: remember the Closet Pervert? Hee hee!) blinked. "Ur…" He readjusted his sunglasses as he regained his cool. "Well…I've just received reports from all over the village, and I've decided to report to you. All enemy Oto-nin have been eliminated, as have their summoned beasts." At this, Kakashi placed his headband over his Sharingan eye. Ebisu continued, "Including the Nukenin, enemy casualties are 100 percent."

The words alone swept over the ninjas like a wave of relief.

The battle was over.

Konoha was victorious.

And yet Tsunade was still so deathly serious. "Good…" She turned around. "Temari. Kankuro. It falls out of my jurisdiction to give orders to you…but will you please lead Maito Gai, Hyuga Neji, Rock Lee, Haruno Sakura, Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, Inuzuka Kiba, and Hyuga Hinata to Sunagakure? Kakashi has already left." Indeed; the moment Ebisu had said all Oto-nin had been defeated, he had slipped away.

Everyone blinked…save for the two Sand Jonins, who simultaneously said, "Crystal."

"HEY! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" demanded Ino.

"She's talking about…Naruto-kun," muttered Hinata, her voice quiet.

The realization of that knowledge slammed into everyone, wiping away any traces of their relief. They remembered now, exactly WHY the Nukenin had come to fight against Konoha's ninjas.

Akatsuki had kidnapped Gaara, the Kazekage. Uzumaki Naruto had gone to face them at Sunagakure.

At that, the resolve of the selected ninjas' hardened. They would not yet sit down and rest. The Hokage yelled, "You have your orders. MOVE!"

"YES HOKAGE-SAMA!" yelled the eight Leaf shinobi selected for the job. They quickly took off to the west, trailing behind Temari and Kankuro.

Tsunade watched them leave…and she wished she could go with them to help Naruto.

But she couldn't. After all, she had to fulfill her duties as Hokage.

_Man…sometimes I hate this job_. Now she had to deal with clean-up. "Shino, TenTen, Ebisu…notify everyone to begin reparations. Have all injured people relocated to the hospital."

The order had been given…but it still didn't erase how everyone felt slightly at ease.

Nevertheless, Konoha's battle was over.

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Gaara's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

"**FUTON; RENK****Ū****DAN! WIND ELEMENT; DRILLING AIR BULLET!**"

Henpuku-Kami dove to the side as the clear blasts of wind erupted from Shukaku's maw. The Bat God quickly responded in kind. _"ECHO RING!"_ Yellow rings of sound-based energy erupted from the bat summon's mouth. The Tailed Demon didn't even bother dodging.

After all, there was also Gaara. He held his arms upward, muttering, "**_Desert Wall_**." The desert rose up, forming what the Kazekage had said: a wall. The yellow rings slammed into the wall, creating clouds of sand that fluttered to the ground.

Shukaku snickered. **"Keh heh heh…your skills are rusty. TOO rusty! Too busy getting it on with your concubines to actually fight?"**

"…_you…lecherous…IRRESPECTFUL…WRETCH!"_ Henpuku-Kami howled out of anger. _"No one angers me! Especially not you! FEAR THE POWER OF THE BAT'S DEITY!"_ The Bat God flew high into the air, spreading his massive brown wings out as wide as he could. _"WINGED HOWL!"_ His wings glowed with red chakra as he flapped them once, creating a mighty, swirling gust that slammed into Shukaku.

Gaara winced slightly; all of the sound he heard…continuously assaulting his ears…he knew he was going to be disoriented for a good long while yet after the battle ended.

All the more reason for him to finish this battle quickly.

"**_DESERT SPEAR._**" Imbued with the unleashed power of Shukaku, Gaara's abilities had also been magnified. He rose one hand as the sand around the One Tail lifted into the air, coagulating into a spear as big as Shukaku. It floated above, aimed at Henpuku-Kami.

Gaara thrust his arm forward. The spear zoomed at the mighty bat.

Henpuku-Kami snorted. _"ROAR OF THE GODS!"_ The mighty bat roared as loud as he could; this was easily louder than his 'Sound Explosion'. The blast came out as an invisible blast of sound…but the power behind it was easily visible to those who could sense chakra.

The Desert Spear was broken apart into individual grains of sand by the blast. It continued on towards Shukaku.

Shukaku grimaced. **"Ku…hold on tight boy! I wouldn't want you to get messed up now!"**

Gaara saw past Shukaku's sarcasm. If he died, so would Shukaku; after all, despite the fact Gaara had summoned Shukaku, it was only the body. Shukaku's spirit was still sealed inside the Kazekage…so if Gaara died…so did Shukaku.

The Kazekage narrowed his eyes as the sound blast came towards them. He could tell that that much sound would probably shatter his eardrums…unless…

He quickly held his hands up.

_**CHOOM!**_

The blast of sound collided with Shukaku. The One Tail howled as the sound bounced off his eardrums, threatening to rupture them. Thankfully, they didn't. As for Gaara…

He had his hands up against his ears.

Koumorimaru chuckled from atop Henpuku-Kami's head. "Fool…does he really think that would help? I'm going to get him from the back."

The Bat God chuckled. _"Yes…take down that pathetic leader…"_

That statement made Koumorimaru snort as she spread her wings. "He's no leader. No man is…" She took off into the sky, peering down at the One Tail…and specifically, Gaara.

That boy reminded her of why she had joined Akatsuki.

The wars between countries. The endless bloodletting between clans. The fighting between mankind.

It sickened her. Humanity was the same. No one was meant to be superior…not to her anyway.

A satisfied smirk crossed her face as she circled around, staring at the back of Gaara (for all the good it did; in this form, she was blind. Her supra-normal hearing, however, more than made up for it. It was good, it painted a picture in her mind that sight could never provide.) She had joined because of the plan ventured forth by the Leader (also, she was a convicted thief and murderer. It's not like she could help it if there were those who wanted to kill her).

Once the five Great Demons were released – the No Tail, the One Tail, the Three Tails, the Five Tails, and the Nine Tails – the world would be ravaged. The islands would be swept under by the oceans. There would be no barriers to separate man. They would be united out of fear…and desperation.

Even so, it would be a better world than this one.

_Now…DIE!_ Koumorimaru opened her mouth, revealing sharp fangs. "**_Banpaiakajiru_**; VAMPIRE BITE!" The bat woman prepared to bite into Gaara's neck.

The sand in Gaara's gourd erupted, smashing into Koumorimaru. The bat woman gagged as her body slammed onto Shukaku's back. "Agh…I forgot about his…Shield of Sand…"

"When you have a defense that comes out on its own…" uttered Gaara as he turned around, his hands still over his ears. "…I don't need to hear the enemy coming."

Then he pulled out earplugs made of sand.

Koumorimaru's ears heard the sound…and her red eyes widened. Gaara's eardrums weren't ruptured…because he hadn't even heard Henpuku-Kami's 'Roar of the Gods'. _…huh. Clever_. "Not bad…"

"Save your admiration. I don't need it." He calmly summoned sand around his hand before using chakra to harden it into one large spike. "Pray to whomever you want; your life is over."

THIS caused Koumorimaru to chuckle. "Idiot…haven't you forgotten I'm not alone?"

Now it was Gaara's turn to widen his eyes. He immediately whirled around as the many pieces of Yagami Hiroto's rocky body rained down at him.

Gaara's Shield of Sand immediately went to work, blocking Hiroto's body parts as they got closer to him. However, this allowed Koumorimaru to get up, as the special sand from Gaara's gourd lifted from her. "Never let your enemy get up after putting her down! **_Banpaiakajiru!_**"

This time, Gaara's special sand couldn't help him; it was too busy fending off Hiroto's fearsome assault.

_**CHIK.**_

"AGH!" howled Gaara as Koumorimaru's teeth sunk into his left bicep. The former Cloud ninja grinned as she removed her teeth, taking a small chunk of flesh from the left arm of the Kazekage. Blood ran down from the Sand ninja's arm before Koumorimaru kicked him in the back of the head. Gaara sailed off of Shukaku…

"**_Ishikorokaze!_** Art of the Rock Whirlwind!"

…and into the waiting arms of Hiroto, who had became a large, swirling whirlwind of rocks. Gaara's Shield of Sand tried to keep up, but the number of rocks coming was too numerous. The Kazekage could only wince as a rock bounced off his ribs.

Shukaku snorted as he glanced at Gaara. **"Keh heh heh…well…seems that I have a vessel to save. Pardon me if I have to cut this short, Mr. 'Bat God'."**

"_Hmph. I'd like to see you try,"_ responded Henpuku-Kami as he inhaled and roared. _"ROAR OF THE GODS!"_

Shukaku, despite the ringing still in his ears from the LAST 'Roar of the Gods', leapt straight up as his body pulsed with a red, demonic aura. He pointed his claws upward as he roared, **"BERSERKER THRUST!"**

The One Tail bean spinning. He began slashing vertically, creating the impression of a spinning mushroom cloud. Except with claws.

He slammed into the blast of sound.

He broke through.

He slammed into Henpuku-Kami.

His chest and body became a ragged mass of torn flesh.

"…_hurgh…not bad…you wretched badger…"_ Henpuku-Kami coughed up blood. _"I await our next…fight…"_ The Bat God disappeared in a puff of smoke, returning to his own world.

Shukaku grinned as he landed with a loud thud on the desert ground. **"Ku hu hu hu…count on it. Next time, get my species right."** It wasn't like a badger could match a tanuki in testicular fortitude.

xxxx

/Naruto's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

**HEY. IDIOT.**

_What now? I'm busy!_

**SUMMON ME.**

_No!  
_

**YOU'LL BE SORRY.**

_Like heck I will!_

**FINE. OH, AND BY THE WAY-**

The GSR's fist suddenly slammed into Naruto's side.

…**NEVER MIND.**

_RRR!_

"Come on, fox boy! I need to be entertained!" yelled Akira as his titan of steam 'cracked' its knuckles. "After all, YOU TORE UP MY AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF _ICHA ICHA PARADISE!_"

"Like I care, you pervert!" retorted Naruto as his chakra flared with a red aura. The GSR swung its fist at Naruto once more…but this time, the Leaf ninja was prepared this time. "**RAAAAAAAAAAA!**"

Naruto broke the fist apart. The GSR's right hand broke apart into its individual molecules…but it immediately reformed, much to Naruto's displeasure (and Akira's satisfaction).

"See child? You can't win…not against me, at any rate." Suddenly, he began clapping slowly. "Still, I've gotta give you your dues; even though you had help with the last two, you've killed three members of Akatsuki. Considering that you're still standing, one would think that you're inhuman…and in a way, you are."

"STUFF IT." ordered Naruto, his voice as cold as ice.

**OOH. CUT TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT? WEAKLING.**

Naruto didn't even bother to respond…to either Akira or Kyuubi. He merely charged again. "HA!"

Akira sighed as Naruto charged again. "BOR-RING. Let's end this." He snapped his fingers, and the Giant Steam Robot charged at Naruto. "Hope you enjoy being unconscious!"

"…unconscious?" Naruto smirked. "You think a shoddy rip-off's gonna be the end of ME? NOT IN THIS LIFE!" Naruto howled as he charged, his right palm outstretched. In a flash, a massive orb of blue chakra two feet in diameter sprouted into existence. "**_RASENGAN!_**"

Naruto plunged his right hand into the chest of the GSR.

Akira sweatdropped. "This…might be a problem."

_**CHOOOOOM!**_

The GSR exploded in a massive outpouring of chakra and vapor, creating a wind that forced Akira to his knees. Naruto, due to the fact he was airborne, was sent flying backwards.

The demon vessel was sent skidding along the desert floor. He came to a stop fifty yards away from where he had destroyed the GSR. "Agh…man…this is tough…"

**YOU WERE EXPECTING AKATSUKI TO BE PUSHOVERS?**

"Well…sort of," replied Naruto, out loud.

…**FOOL. I REMEMBER HOW YOU COWERED BEFORE OROCHIMARU IN THE FOREST OF DEATH.**

_HEY!_ Naruto once more slipped back into thought. _THAT'S NOT TRUE! I WAS THE ONLY ONE TO STAND UP TO THAT FREAK!_

**DON'T TRY AND DENY IT. ON THE OUTSIDE, YOU SEEMED BRAVE…BUT YOUR HEART BETRAYED ALL. YOU WERE TERRIFIED OF HIM.**

Naruto growled, baring his fangs. _S-S-So? You got a point with this?_

**NIMWIT. OROCHIMARU WAS ONCE A MEMBER OF AKATSUKI. THE THREE YOU KILLED BEFOREHAND WERE AMONG THE WEAKEST OF THE GROUP.**

_H-H-How can you tell?_

**EVEN IN THIS WRETCHED PRISON, I HAVE SENSES NO HUMAN POSSESSES. I CAN TELL THAT THE STRONGEST OF AKATSUKI…ARE OROCHIMARU, ITACHI, AND THE IDIOT YOU'RE FACING RIGHT NOW.**

Naruto snorted. _What's your point? You want me to step lightly so I don't die? YOU COWARD!_

**MORON. IF YOU WISH TO KILL THIS IDIOT…THEN YOU'D BETTER STEP HARD.**

"HEY!"

Naruto looked over at Akira, who was staring at Naruto with a smirk on his face. "Let's see if you can deal with this. **_Kuyugeryu no jutsu_**; Nine-Headed Steam Dragon!"

Fujiwara Akira groaned as his muscles bulged, forcefully expelling more sweat from his body. The sweat immediately evaporated into steam, becoming a mighty nine-headed dragon. Although the dragon's gargantuan body was see-through, the glare in the dragon's eighteen translucent eyes was obvious.

Akira smirked. "Try and escape this. CHARGE!"

The nine-headed dragon charged without hesitation. The necks of the dragon stretched out as it neared, aiming at Naruto from all sides. The nine heads zoomed down at Naruto as the dragon swiped with its claws.

Oddly enough, Naruto was completely calm. _Hey._

**WHAT?**

_Don't think of this as begging…but would you mind letting me go full-out?_

**HMPH. I TOLD YOU BEFORE; THIS IS JUST ANOTHER STEP. NEXT THING YOU'LL KNOW, YOU'LL BE SUMMONING ME.**

_You already know the answer to that._

**HU HU HU…INDEED.**

The nine heads and the two front hands of the dragon lunged at Naruto.

And in the next instant, the entire dragon was vaporized, nine heads and all. Akira blinked out of astonishment. "Woah."

"Nine heads eh?"

Naruto's voice now sounded downright demonic; it had become a coarse and rough version of his original tone. His eyes were redder than ever, and his red aura was as bright as a sun. And now…instead of one tail sprouting out the end of his chakra aura…it was nine.

Naruto smirked, revealing a full set of sharpened fangs. "Well…I've got nine tails."

Akira wasn't scared. In fact, he didn't seem worried. He sighed as he closed his eyes before speaking. "My my…how strong you are. And you power is nowhere close to the full power of the Kyuubi…I can truly see now why the demon inside you is so valuable to Mantarou."

Naruto blinked. "Mantarou? Who is he? YOUR LEADER?"

"Yes."

"WHERE IS HE?" Naruto snarled as he flexed his claws. "I'll rip him to shreds!"

Akira chuckled slightly. "Boy…even as you are now, you wouldn't be able to touch him."

_Something's wrong_, thought Naruto with a frown. _He's acting so serious…_

**DID IT EVER OCCUR TO YOU THAT HIS PERVERTED NATURE IS JUST A FRONT?**

…_uh…_

**I'LL TAKE THAT AS A NO. DUMBASS.**

_HEY!_

**I HAVE MORE INSULTS. CARE TO HEAR THEM?**

_RRRR!_

"The moment I looked into your eyes after you saw my copy of Icha Icha Paradise, I knew what you thought of me: as nothing more than pervert who has no idea how to be serious." He briefly flushed in the face. "Well, the first part is true…but I DEFINITELY know how to be serious.."

He finally reopened his eyes.

Naruto nearly froze…out of terror.

The killing intent in Akira's eyes…the harshness of the glare…it outdid Orochimaru's killing stare…

No. They were about equal. It was just that Naruto had never expected him to look so…menacing.

"And now…you'll understand if I decide to end this NOW." He performed a familiar set of katas as steam swirled around him. "**_Joukibuki no jutsu_**…FINAL STEAM WEAPON TECHNIQUE: ENDLESS BARRAGE!"

Hundreds of weapons suddenly formed in the air above Akira, solidifying into various weapons.

Kunai knives. Daggers. Katanas. Kodachis. Wakizashis. Scythes. Gatling guns. Spears. Sabers. Lances. Shuriken.

So many weapons.

Naruto blanched. "Woah."

Akira smiled once more. "SEE IF YOU CAN DODGE THIS!" All of the steam weapons were launched at Naruto.

**BELIEVE ME NOW?**

_About what?_

**ABOUT THIS MAN BEING ONE OF THE STRONGEST OF AKATSUKI.**

…_heh. Nice to see you care so much about me._

…**INGRATE.**

_As for your question…I DON''T CARE!_ Naruto roared as he ran towards the steam weapons, his nine tails twirling and his red aura flaring.

xxxx

/Sasuke's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

If you had asked Sasuke what drove him to become stronger, he would always answer the same thing.

Itachi.

Well, he would word it differently sometimes…but the person in question was always the same.

Itachi.

His older brother. The bane to his existence…and the murderer of the entire Uchiha clan.

That's what continued to drive Sasuke on. It's what drove him to become stronger…because he knew Itachi was one of the strongest of all.

So when he saw Itachi explode after he hit him with his fiery Zanbato, he knew that Itachi was hiding. He had used **_Kage bunshin no jutsu_**…which explained why he had exploded. It was a special talent of Itachi's: he could make his Shadow Clones explode.

_Where did he go…?_ Sasuke whirled around, staring at Itachi.

"Well well…you've come quite far," muttered Itachi.

Sasuke snorted as he pulled up the flaming Zanbato with one hand, resting the handle on his shoulder (since he cast the jutsu, the flames of the blade could not hurt him). "What of it?"

_A Zanbato of flame is lighter than a Zanbato of metal…but its destructive power is greater. With the strength of the Curse Seal, he can wield that blade as if it were no lighter than a katana._ Itachi frowned. "I'm afraid I cannot dally around with you. The demon vessel is of more importance to me."

"Dally…?" Sasuke's scowl deepened. "DALLY?" He held the Zanbato above his head before he charged. **"YOU THINK YOU'RE SIMPLY DALLYING AROUND WITH ME?"** Sasuke roared as he raised his blade.

"Yes." Itachi quickly performed katas. "**_Shinsoku_**; God Speed!" A flash of red emanated from Itachi's Sharingan eyes.

Sasuke swung.

Itachi zipped out of the way, much to Sasuke's displeasure. _What?_

**POW!**

"AGH!" yelped Sasuke as Itachi's hand slammed into his back. The younger Uchiha paled. _So fast…how?_

Sasuke immediately swung around, creating an arc of fire that swept towards Itachi.

**SLAM!**

That is, until Itachi sped beneath the arc and slammed his foot into Sasuke's gut.

_Impossible…he can't be this fast!_ My Sharingan should be able to track him! "STOP RUNNING AROUND LIKE A RABBIT!" Sasuke swung again.

**BAM!**

Palm to the back. Sasuke swung vertically.

**SMACK!**

Elbow to the side. Sasuke thrust the blade at Itachi.

**SLAM!**

Kick to the chest.

**POW!**

Fist to the face.

**BAM!**

Heel to the spine.

**SMACK!**

Palm to the sternum.

Sasuke stumbled backwards as he clutched his chest; blood trickled out of his mouth. "Agh…" He looked up, seeing Itachi run around him, making him slightly dizzy. "Stop…this is a fight…not a race!"

_**SLAM!**_

Sasuke gagged as Itachi made a flying kick to the back of his head. The younger brother went flying forwards, Zanbato dissipating as he lost his concentration.

Sasuke's mind swirled. _How…? Even Itachi can't run this fast for this long without risking serious side effects…_As he flew backwards, he glanced upward.

Then it clicked.

He knew how Itachi appeared to be so fast. _…I have to break it_. He began reaching into himself for more power, even as he crashed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Itachi paused as he stared the dust cloud, waiting for Sasuke to emerge. "…"

When the cloud cleared, the elder Uchiha's eyes narrowed. "So…you've been forced to upgrade."

Sasuke's skin was now a muddy brown color.. A mark that looked like an upside-down cross sat on the ridge of his nose, and it was colored black. The whites of his eyes were now black, but he still had the red Sharingan. His black hair had grown and become gray in color, and his nails had become claws. Finally, fleshy wings sprouted from his back. "Curse Seal…Level 2."

A flash of powered erupted from Sasuke's eyes. "That was quite clever brother…Shinsoku is actually a Genjutsu technique designed to make the target move and react slower than usual. The name makes it appear that the user moves faster…but it just makes the target slower. I figured it out after two things. One: even YOU have your limits, and I doubt you'd keep running so quickly without pausing for breath. Two: as I was flying backwards, I looked up and saw the clouds. They were moving more quickly than usual. All I had to do know…was break the jutsu."

"So you upgraded to the second level of the Curse Seal. With enough power, you were able to break through the illusion," replied Itachi."

Sasuke smirked as he performed katas. "Shall we try this again? **_CHIDORI!_**" His right hand crackled with blue electricity…and it eventually covered his entire arm.

Itachi sighed. "I don't see why not…and this time, I shall not hold back." Several hand seals later… "**_Katon; Unari!_**" Itachi's entire left arm crackled with red flames.

Sasuke snarled as he flapped his wings, hovering in the air.

Seconds later, they both charged.

xxxx

/Jiraiya's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

Jiraiya grimaced as he clutched a wound on his side. _Accursed thorns…_

"Heh heh heh…" echoed Shuu's voice from above. "You can't run forever…"

_Indeed I can't_, thought Jiraiya bitterly. He was currently trapped inside Shuu's 'Maze of Trees' jutsu…and there he had been stuck, forced to do nothing but dodge or parry the former Grass ninja's Whip of Thorns.

Forget this. He had to get out in the open again. "You leave me no choice…**_Katon; Karyuudan no jutsu!_** Fire Dragon Blast!" Jiraiya expelled a dragon of fire from his mouth…and sure enough, the trees set ablaze. _Good. Now to get out of here_. He charged for the edge between two trees and charged his signature technique (well, it was actually that of the Yondaime, but hey). "**_RASENGAN!_**"

**CHOOK!**

Wood shattered and splintered as Jiraiya broke out of the Maze of Trees. Once more, he was in the open air of the desert. He landed on his feet…and stared forward, finding that Shuu had been waiting for him.

The Toya sighed. "Poor fool…you should've just let death except you."

"I'm quite stubborn," retorted Jiraiya. No humor was evident in his voice.

Ogi-Daimyou rumbled, **"You will see that there are worse ways to die than by our hands…"**

With a snap of his fingers, Shuu dismissed the Maze of Trees. Without fuel, Jiraiya's flames were quickly blown away by the wind. As he performed several hand seals, Shuu muttered, "I shall warn you…in the jungle, EVERYTHING IS YOUR ENEMY. **_Kagejanguru no jutsu!_** Shadow Jungle!"

This time, an entire jungle erupted from the ground, surrounding Jiraiya. The Sannin blinked as the sun was suddenly blocked out…and he was in a shadowy jungle, where it was hard to see.

"Hmm…at least there's room to move," muttered Jiraiya.

_Ssss…_

Jiraiya blanched before he quickly jumped up onto a tree branch. Less than a second later, a giant carnivorous plant snapped at the spot where he had been standing.

The Pervert-Sennin frowned. Shuu wasn't kidding…this place will be the death of me if I stay here much longer. Jiraiya grinned as he dabbed his finger on a wound, getting blood on it. Luckily, I have an easier way out of here. "_**KUCHIYOSE **_**_NO JUTSU!_**"

From outside the Shadow Jungle, Shuu frowned. "You feel that?"

"**Yes. He has summoned a beast to aide him."**

"Well then…I suppose we should oblige."

"**Very well."** Ogi-Daimyou growled as he glowed red…and began to grow.

Suddenly, a light-brown toad leapt out of the Shadow Jungle. This giant toad wore a dark blue gi, with white bandages circling his gut. Red markings covered his body, and his eyes were yellow with narrow pupils. A smoking pipe hung out the side of his mouth, and a dagger was sheathed on his side.

It was Gama-Bunta: the Boss Toad.

He snorted as he glanced at Jiraiya, who was standing on his snout. **_"So…has the day finally come?"_**

"I'm afraid so," muttered Jiraiya. "The battle with Akatsuki."

"**_Hmph. A swell time too…you just woke me up from my first bit of shut-eye all day,"_** grumbled Gama-Bunta.

"Complain later…" Jiraiya stared ahead at Ogi-Daimyou's true form. "We have business to settle."

"**Indeed,"** rumbled Ogi-Daimyou. His true form was just as big as Gama-Bunta's. His head was like a large, plant-like green beak, surrounded by four red petals that were over ninety feet long. A mass of quivering thorn-covered tentacles sprouted from the bottom petal, acting as the feet, the boy, and the hands. On the top petal was a small yellow flower…and standing on it was Shuu. **"Die."** Ogi-Daimyou inhaled. **"Venom Breath!"** He expelled a stream of green liquid at Gama-Bunta.

The Boss Toad expertly leapt up, using his powerful hind legs to avoid the stream. The moment it crashed into the ground, it immediately vaporized the sand it touched. Gama-Bunta landed three hundred yards away, brandishing his dagger. **_"Is that all?"_**

"**No. Thorn Whiplash!"** Ogi-Daimyou roared as dozens of thorny tentacles lashed out at the Boss Toad.

The toad smirked as he slashed at the incoming tentacles, tearing them apart. **_"You should try harder!"_** Gama-Bunta inhaled before spitting out several giant orbs of water. **_"WATER SPHERE!"_**

Ogi-Daimyou chuckled as he broke all of the orbs with his tentacles. **"Child's play. Root Quake!"** The Plant Lord stuck almost all of his tentacles into the ground…and a massive earthquake gripped the area the two were fighting in.

Suddenly, Gama-Bunta dashed to the side.

The ground where he had been moments before suddenly fell downward into a deep chasm. The desert sand quickly fell in to fill this gap. The Boss Toad snarled. **_"Rass'n frass'n nimrod…"_**

"We can rectify that. I need some oil!" yelled Jiraiya as he performed some katas.

Gama-Bunta grinned as he leapt backwards; the Shadow Jungle was now between them and Ogi-Daimyou. **_"Of course!"_**

They roared simultaneously.

"**_Gamayo Emudan!_** FIRE BLOWING!"

Jiraiya used his 'Fire Dragon Blast' jutsu, blowing at the area right in front of Gama-Bunta's mouth.

Gama-Bunta expelled a stream of oil from his gullet, creating a massive blaze that soared over the Shadow Jungle – incinerating it – and towards Ogi-Daimyou.

The Plant Lord merely smirked. He raised his tentacles and roared, **"Harden!"** The flames slammed into the tentacles…and when the fires dissipated, there was nary a burn. **"Heh heh heh…your fire's not hot enough to burn me."**

Gama-Bunta growled angrily. **_"Lousy li'l…that's not good."_**

"Don't worry…I have something that WILL burn him." Jiraiya was referring to a scroll that he had used to capture the black flames of Itachi's Divine Illumination jutsu 'Amaterasu' over three years ago. "I just have to get the scroll…" He reached inside his vest…

…and paused. "…it's not there."

Gama-Bunta snorted. **_"Figures."_**

"Seriously, I know I had it…" Jiraiya grimaced as he hurryingly searched his robes. "It's in here somewhere…"

A slight rumbling in his heart.

Jiraiya felt a sudden foreboding feeling come over him…and he only felt like this in the presence of… "No, it can't be…"

But it was…as Jiraiya clearly found out when the blade known as Kusanagi pierced his left shoulder.

So quick, and so unexpected was the blow…that the Sannin had no choice but to scream.

"_**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHH!"**_

Everyone suddenly paused at the sound of that ear-splitting scream.

Shuu and Ogi-Daimyou frowned as they stared beyond Gama-Bunta.

Gaara fell to the ground as Hiroto stopped his assault, staring at the newcomer along with Koumorimaru. Shukaku just stared on.

Naruto froze at the sound of his mentor's scream. Of course, he got cut by several steam weapons, but he didn't care. Neither did Akira who turned around to stare at whomever had struck Jiraiya.

Both of the Uchiha stopped mere inches away from each other, their fists almost touching. They stood and turned around to face the owner of the familiar chakra aura.

The holder of Kusanagi's hilt was a brown snake. It retracted the sword from the wound and zoomed back to its place of origin: a mouth.

The mouth of a man who stood beside a silver-haired man atop the head of a giant purple anaconda, complete with pale green underbelly. The man calmly grabbed his face and ripped it off, revealing his original and 'classic' face: pale white skin, yellow snake-like eyes, and long black hair. "Ku ku ku ku…what a lovely little reunion. Wouldn't you all agree?"

Jiraiya glared as he clutched his shoulder. Naruto scowled as his red aura flared. Sasuke stared silently as his right arm crackled with electricity.

Then, they spoke at once.

"_**Orochimaru."**_

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**The Snake Arrives! Naruto's Desperation!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: Apologies for the seventeen-day wait. I have a good excuse though.

1: My laptop went kaput (I'm using the laptop I used before the new one) recently. As a result, all my story info has proven to be inaccessible.

2: The Internet's been iffy recently, and without my info database on the (now-broken) laptop, I rely on the Internet for my info. And for the record, when the Internet goes out. It sucks.

3: Dude, this is the biggest chapter yet: so many battles…

Oh well. Hope it's worth the wait! See you soon, and please review!


	12. The Snake Arrives! Naruto's Desperation!

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own the ninja known as Naruto. But YOU owe ME, suckas!

Author's Notes: BLEH. As if I don't have enough technical problems…now I've gotten a boatload of spyware on my comp that's raisin' heck with my processor power. It's things like these that have made writing at a fast pace pretty much impossible recently.

To quote the infamous Dark Helmet: "Even in the future nothing works!"

Amen to that.

To the reviews!

Dragon Man 180: Not that the Nukenin will GET a funeral… :P

Audriel: One tends to disagree less in a battle to the death.

aznpuffyhair: You have puffy hair. o.o

Dark Qiviut: Tilt your head to the left and look at it. It's a smiley face with a 'wink'. ;)

: I'm doing so!

Cloud-821: No finales just yet!

Mistress DragonFlame: Eh, I know; late updates stink. But when you suddenly get bombarded with failing hardware and spyware, your progress tends to drop. Oh well.

Begin!

xxxx

_**The Snake Arrives! Naruto's Desperation!**_

xxxx

/Present Day/

/Hospital, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Naruto silently stared to his right, gazing out the window at the small skyline of Konoha. Already, tinges of blue and orange were reaching the eastern horizon. "It's almost morning."

"Your point?" curtly retorted Sasuke.

Naruto chuckled as he grinned widely in his usual fashion. "No point needed. Actually, this means the old hag will be here soon to check up on us."

"You mean Tsunade."

Another chuckle escaped Naruto's mouth. "Heh. I'm surprised you still remember her name."

Sasuke scowled; he knew that it was nothing more than a well-disguised insult. "Feh, whatever…" His mind wandered…to Orochimaru. In a way, part of him still couldn't believe that the wretched snake was finally gone.

But then again, part of him would always stay. Sasuke frowned as he fingered the Heaven curse seal on his neck. Despite the death of Orochimaru, the curse seal had remained. Either way, he didn't care; being cursed for the rest of his life sounded like a good enough punishment for betraying the Leaf anyway.

"**PARDON ME, BUT WEREN'T YOU TWO REMEMBERING THE BATTLE?"**

Sasuke glanced at Naruto, frowning at the sound of that demonic voice. Sure enough, a red aura fashioned into the shape of a nine-tailed fox sat atop Naruto's head, barely bigger than a puppy. The glare and the scowl were apparent, nevertheless…but suddenly, the corners of the phantasm's mouth contorted into a smirk. **"AFTER ALL, REMEMBERING YOUR SUFFERING IS MUSIC TO THE SOUL."**

The Uchiha glared at Naruto. "Mind telling me why you let him out just now?"

"Don't sweat it pretty boy, it's only the fox's spirit," retorted Naruto. "Besides, as drained as I am, I can't really stop him from getting his face out."

Kyuubi chuckled as he stared at Sasuke's red eyes. **"YOU FEAR ME, EVEN THOUGH I AM NEARLY DEPLETED OF CHAKRA. GLAD TO SEE THAT I CAN STILL INTIMIDATE…EITHER THAT, OR YOU'RE SIMPLY A WIMP WHO'S SCARED BY ANYTHING BIGGER THAN A CHIHUAHUA."**

That was the last straw for Sasuke. The Uchiha snarled as he roared, "COME OVER HERE AND SAY THAT!"

"**WHY DON'T YOU COME TO ME? OH WAIT…YOU CAN'T. INJURIES SUCK, DON'T THEY?"**

"Rrr…"

Naruto grimaced at the sound of Sasuke's grumbling and Kyuubi's chortling. "NOW do you see what I have to put up with every single day?"

"**CONTINUE ON WITH YOUR TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE. THE PART WHERE THAT OLD MOONBAT GOT STABBED IN THE SHOULDER WAS QUITE GOOD."**

"Eh, shut up you friggin' fox," muttered Naruto as he impulsively remembered the fight. So did Sasuke.

xxxx

/Sasuke's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

Sasuke had known it wouldn't last long.

He knew that eventually, his 'mentor' would come to reclaim him. In a way, Sasuke had subconsciously resigned himself to that fate; he knew that if Orochimaru came and claimed his body, there would be nothing he could do to stop it (after all, even with the Level 3 Curse Seal, his battle with Itachi would leave him drained…too drained to face a fresh Orochimaru).

And yet despite all that, moments after Sasuke muttered Orochimaru's name, he burst away from his old brother, his right arm crackling with electricity. He was going to give Orochimaru a taste of a full-blown **_Chidori_**. "HOOOOOOHHHHH…!"

Orochimaru seemed to sigh, as if he was bored. "Poor little Sasuke-kun…you should know better." Suddenly, Kabuto rushed in front of Orochimaru and bit into his thumb. He jumped off Manda's head – running blood onto his arm simultaneously – before performing a katas and slamming his hands onto the ground. "**_Rashoumon!_**"

Suddenly, a massive barrier was summoned out of the ground. The barrier looked like the door to a massive temple; the door was the face of a purple demon, complete with large fangs and eyes of obsidian. The rim of the door was lined with spikes of stone, tinted the color of blood.

Sasuke scowled as his right hand slammed into the summoned door. He had seen Orochimaru teach this jutsu to high-level ninjas before; the door was strong enough to block anything.

_We'll see about that_, thought Sasuke with a snarl as the power of the **_Chidori_** shimmered and danced over the barrier…and moments later, a wave of power shot out of the **_Rashoumon_** door, sending Sasuke to the ground with a thud. The electricity on his right arm fizzled and died out moments later. "Rrrrg…"

"Ku ku ku ku…" Orochimaru chuckled as his black hair fluttered in the wind. "Foolish Sasuke-kun…you've tested your **_Chidori_** on the **_Rashoumon_** before…and you failed just the same." The Sannin smiled as he stared at what would soon be his body. "But your fiery will…exquisite. Your body…is a marvel of human strength." _And soon, it will be mine._

Sasuke glared at his former master.

And to his surprise, Itachi spoke up. "It's been a while Orochimaru."

"Indeed it has Itachi." Orochimaru's eyes narrowed as he stared at the elder Uchiha. In reality, Orochimaru's most recent departure from Akatsuki had once been intended for two: himself and Itachi. Itachi had declined. _It was a shame…his body was quite the specimen. Could've been mine…but oh well. Sasuke-kun's is younger and stronger_. "Now if you'll move aside, I have a body to claim."

"No."

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow out of surprise. Sasuke did one better; his eyes completely widened. _Huh? What's this?_ For once, Sasuke was completely bewildered as to his brother's intentions.

Itachi's red Sharingan eyes were as cold as ice, staring into Orochimaru's poisonous yellow orbs. "My brother and I have a score to settle. Whatever you have in mind for my brother's body, it'll have to wait until I kill him."

_Ah. That explains it_. Sasuke frowned as his fleshy wings twitched. The rivalry came first, after all.

Orochimaru's yellow eyes narrowed as he glared at Itachi. "I'd advise that you not overstep your boundaries…you know what'll happen should you do so." Orochimaru's glare was intense in its intent to kill. Even Sasuke himself shivered; never had the snake's glare been so powerful…

And yet Itachi was not fazed in the slightest. "Of course I know. But then again, as Akatsuki, we were equals…but now that you have left, we are no longer equal."

The Sannin smirked. "Glad to see you know your place."

"And by that…I mean that you are below me."

Orochimaru's mouth slightly twisted into one of annoyance. "Fool. My spirit is anchored to this world. I am immortal. Even if my body dies, I will remain. You cannot destroy me."

"But your immortality lasts only as long as you have a body. If you cannot fully claim a body, your spirit will wander the earth forever, bodiless." Itachi's tone never changed in its coldness.

Orochimaru chuckled quietly as he mocked, "Maybe so…but it doesn't matter. I will never run out of bodies to possess. Eventually, a body will come along even better than Sasuke-kun's, and so on and so on! I will never die…I will learn all jutsus…and thus will I achieve godhood."

Sasuke snorted, finally joining in on the conversation. "Godhood you say? You'll never get the chance." He flapped his wings, preparing to charge at the snake once more.

"_**HOOOOOH!"**_

He never got the chance though. Orochimaru whirled around to see Jiraiya charged at him, wrapped up in the tongue of Gama-Bunta…and in his outstretched right hand was a supercharged **_Rasengan_**.

The Sannin smirked. "Foolish frog." Manda the Anaconda suddenly whirled his head around, glaring at the tiny Jiraiya. _"Time to feed!"_ His mouth widened by about three hundred feet.

Jiraiya sweatdropped at the sight of the anaconda's fangs. "Uh…Gama-Bunta? PULL BACK!"

"Gotcha!" Gama-Bunta's tongue suddenly snapped back, pulling Jiraiya with him. Manda's mouth shut down on nothing. _"Rrr…cowards."_

"You can deal with them Manda," hissed Orochimaru with a smile. "Kabuto…well, I know what you want to do. Leave me to claim Sasuke-kun."

The silver-haired Yakushi Kabuto smiled maliciously as he readjusted his glasses. "Thank you Orochimaru-sama." _At last…my blood was beginning to boil. Now let us see if you have what it takes to defeat me Naruto-kun…_

Kabuto and Orochimaru both jumped off of Manda. The giant anaconda slithered to engage Jiraiya and Gama-Bunta in battle. Kabuto dashed off to engage in the battle between Naruto and Akira.

Orochimaru just stared calmly at Itachi and Sasuke. "Ku ku ku ku…first things first." He bit into his thumb and placed some blood on both of his palms. "**_YAMAKAGASHI!_** Poison Snake!"

He slammed both palms into the ground. Moments later, a giant green snake with poison-laced fangs erupted from the sand, yellow eyes glaring at Itachi. The elder Uchiha was silent as the snake charged at him, his left arm still crackling with the fires of **_Unari_**.

Suddenly, the snake's head fell off. Sasuke slowly hovered above Itachi, his right hand holding a fiery **_Zanbato_**. "I'm not going to let you die brother…you'll die by my hand, and my hand alone."

Itachi sighed. "Fool. Who said I needed your help?"

A second snake suddenly erupted from behind the two (Orochimaru's technique had summoned two snakes, one from each hand), mouth preparing to shut down on the younger of the Uchiha.

The snake suddenly combusted, shriveling into nothing but flaming ash. Itachi's **_Unari_** had completely incinerated it.

The older Uchiha stared coldly at his younger brother. "I need no protection from you."

"Ku ku ku ku! How amusing…" Orochimaru chuckled as he flexed his neck. "I might as well get some sport out of this…" He pulled his sword – Kusanagi – out of his mouth. "Now…last of the Uchiha clan…TRY TO SURVIVE."

He swung his blade…and hundreds of snakes suddenly appeared from the sword, hissing and charging at the two brothers.

xxxx

/Gaara's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

Shukaku had been prepared to attack Koumorimaru and Hiroto so that he could free his vessel.

What he had not expected was a giant toad to suddenly slam into his side. **"OOF!"**

As the One Tail fell on his side, Gama-Bunta righted himself as he glared at Manda the Anaconda. **_"Blasted snake…"_**

Manda hissed at the giant toad as his tongue quivered with anticipation. _"Come. This time, I WILL taste your flesh."_

Gama-Bunta snorted as he unsheathed his dagger. **_"Jiraiya…"_** He licked his dagger, coating it with oil from his belly. **_"Fire her up."_**

"Got it." Jiraiya performed some katas before using his 'Fire Dragon Blast' jutsu. The dagger suddenly lit up with fire, becoming a flaming blade. Gama-Bunta twirled it once before growling**_, "Come if you dare!"_**

POW!

Manda sweatdropped as Gama-Bunta and Jiraiya were sent flying by a fearsome punch from Shukaku. _"…"_

The One Tail snarled as he shook his fist angrily at the Boss Toad and the Pervert-Sennin. **"THAT'LL TEACH YOU!"** Seconds later, the two crashed into the sand over two miles away. The demonic sand spirit then turned his attention to Manda. **"Ooh. You may be a snake…but I see a future shish kabob."**

The giant snake snorted before licking his lips (wait. Snakes don't have lips. Oh well.). _"I always wondered how tanuki tasted…"_

Shukaku's eyes narrowed. He glanced over at Gaara, who was still trapped inside Hiroto's **_Ishikorokaze_**. **"…keh. Fine then; I'll play along…but I've got more pressing business at the moment, so I can't waste time on a weakling like you."**

_"LET US SEE IF YOU'RE STILL BOASTING AFTER THIS! I'LL DEVOUR YOU!"_ Manda snarled as he dove into the ground, his body tunneling easily through the loose sand. Shukaku stumbled a bit as the snake's movements made quakes in the immediate area.

"…**keh heh heh,"** chuckled Shukaku as his tail quivered. **"If you're going to get a bite out of me…you'll have to do better than this!"**

Manda erupted from the ground behind Shukaku. The One Tail immediately struck with his namesake without even looking back. The anaconda grimaced as the tail slammed him into the ground. **"Ka ha ha! At LEAST give me more of a challenge than Henpuku-Kami!"**

"_AS YOU WISH!"_ roared Manda as he righted himself and wrapped his body around Shukaku like a coil. The badger blanched as the mighty anaconda began constricting his body. _"Try and slip out of this…"_

"**Keh heh…gladly. BERSERKER SPIN!"**

What followed wasn't very pretty.

Meanwhile…

Gaara grimaced as Hiroto's body parts swirled around him, pelting him at random intervals. His Shield of Sand struggled to keep up, but they were coming too quickly…and the force was enough to break through the shield at some times. _This isn't good…_

He had to get out.

Gaara clenched his hands as he muttered, "**_Desert Geyser…_**"

From below, a fountain of sand erupted, pushing Hiroto away. The ex-Stone ninja grimaced as he floated away to regain his concentration. "Koumorimaru. Distract him."

"Yeah yeah, no need to tell me twice." The bat woman flew high up and folded her wings quickly, digging the nails on the tip of her wings into her shoulders. Then, she opened them, causing the nails to tear open the skin. "**_Kusachi!_** BLADES OF BLOOD!"

Her blood became razor-sharp lines of red that bore down on Gaara. He quickly created a platform of sand and moved away from the red lines. They crashed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of sand.

Suddenly, Gaara's eyes widened.

"**_Gansekikuwai…_**"

His Shield of Sand went into action…

"ROCK ARROWHEAD!"

Gaara turned around just in time to see a large arrowhead made of stone slam into his shield. The blank eyes of Hiroto stared quietly at Gaara from above. "Impressive. You are not the Kazekage for nothing I see."

Gaara's eyes narrowed as he stared into the milky orbs that were Yagami Hiroto's eyes. "You don't sound like a typical criminal…what is your reason for joining?"

"Hah…fine. You shall perish eventually…I might as well speak." Hiroto floated away as the Rock Arrowhead broke down. "I joined Akatsuki to get rid of the elite…in other words, people like you."

Gaara raised an eyebrow. Hiroto continued. "In the village I grew up in, the clan that held the most power…was the Yagami clan. They ruled the village with an iron fist, thanks to the might of their bloodline limit; the power of Iwakasu no jutsu. Even though I was one of them…I detested such fragrant abuses of power. So I left and became a ninja for Iwagakure, the Hidden Stone Village."

The Kazekage was silent…but this brief interlude was being used to his advantage. He was gathering his chakra.

"It wasn't long before I was asked by the Leader to join Akatsuki…and although he was one of great power, he sought to change things. He offered me a way to bring the elites down…and that was the five Tailed Demons. He possessed three at the time…but now the last two are in our grasp." Hiroto smiled as his body parts quivered with excitement. "The five Tailed Demons will assure that those in power will no longer abuse the weak…humanity will be equal once more. In a way, my wish is sort of like Koumorimaru's…different wish, same outcome. And soon, you will die as well! **_IWANEAMETSU!_** ROCK RAIN!"

Gaara blinked as he impulsively brought up a wall of sand to protect him from Hiroto's incoming body parts. He had enough chakra…enough to keep the battle confined and away from Sunagakure.

It would tire him…but he had no choice. He couldn't risk an errant jutsu striking at Sunagakure…even IF there was a barrier.

"_**DESERT COLISEUM!"**_

Suddenly, the area rumbled and quaked. Everyone slightly stumbled, in the midst of their own battles. Gaara paid no attention to Shukaku, who was now eviscerating Manda with his spinning attack.

All Gaara knew was that he had just raised a massive wall that circled them all, easily possessing a diameter of two miles. Then, he used his chakra to push the sandy walls in on each other, sticking the grains together so that they wouldn't fall without his constant concentration.

The Kazekage glared quietly at Koumorimaru and Hiroto as a floating platform of sand dumped him onto Shukaku's forehead. "Now it's truly like a life-or-death battle. Come."

xxxx

/Jiraiya's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

Jiraiya frowned as he stared at the tall wall of the coliseum. "Well…this isn't any good. How am I supposed to get up there in my condition?" Well, there WAS Gama-Bunta…

**_"Sorry Jiraiya…I have to return to my home now."_**

The Sennin turned around to face the Boss Toad. "Why?"

The giant amphibian chuckled. **_"I can't move…landed on my back. Can't move my legs…gotta go home to recover, ya see?"_**

"…" Jiraiya grimaced. Now there was no way for him to continue fighting.

Gama-Bunta smirked. **_"Don't look so upset…after all, you've got one heck of a student fighting."_**

Then, the giant disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Jiraiya sighed as he slumped to the ground, staring at the sun. It was already well into the afternoon. "I know…that's why I'm worried."

xxxx

/Naruto's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

Naruto thought he had been angry before.

Akatsuki was one of the biggest threats to his life. Scratch that; it was THE biggest threat. That's why he had been so enraged to finally learn of their plan…because it only regarded him and Gaara as nothing more than pawns.

Sasuke was the biggest jerk in the world. At first, he had been in the way of his affections for Sakura-chan! But after leaving Konoha to join Orochimaru…just for power…the look in Sakura's sorrowful eyes had enraged Naruto. And at that point – at the sight of those tears Sakura was shedding for Sasuke – he knew that he would never hold the place that Sasuke had in her heart. That had been pouring salt on the wound.

But then again…Yakushi Kabuto was a close competitor. Naruto had felt so betrayed to see someone whom he had thought to be a loyal Leaf ninja and a good friend turn out to be an Oto-nin spy…

And now, Kabuto was here.

Naruto scowled, ignoring the wall that had just been raised around the entire battlefield, with the epicenter being the Obsidian Seal. He glared at Kabuto, his attention on Akira no longer existing.

"Well Naruto-kun…we meet again," said Kabuto with a sickeningly smug grin. Just staring at him made Naruto's anger flare; his fangs grew a tad, and his nine-tailed aura flared even more brightly.

**OOH. ANGER. MAKES YOU DRAW ON MORE OF MY POWER. CONTINUE ON.**

Naruto snarled as he pointed at Akira, "Kabuto…I'll tear you apart after I finish with this joker."

"HEY!"

"I don't care. I've wanted to settle the score since our fight three years ago…" Kabuto grinned as his hands glowed blue; the Chakra Absorption technique. "I'd like…to see what the chakra of a demon feels like…"

Kabuto immediately charged…and dodged to the side. Less than a second later, a steam axe slashed into the ground where the silver-haired Oto-nin had been.

Fujiwara Akira glared quietly at Kabuto. "Sorry muchacho. Got orders from the Leader to subdue him. We have something big planned."

"Sorry. My fight with him is none of your BUSINESS!" Kabuto quickly pulled out a harmonica and roared, "**_Otoaori no jutsu!_** SOUND GALE!"

Akira yelped as an overwhelming amount of force erupted from the harmonica, blasting him backwards by over a few dozen yards. Kabuto smiled as he turned to Naruto. "Try not to make it too boring."

"I'LL SHOW YOU BORING!" roared Naruto as he charged at the silver-haired Oto-nin. He shoved his fist forward, causing his aura to extend as a massive fist.

Kabuto leapt away only to find himself under attack by Naruto's nine tails. With all the grace of a Jounin, Kabuto dodged and weaved through the swirling tails…and came up right next to Naruto's face.

Naruto blanched.

Kabuto smirked. "Smile."

The fox boy gagged as a palm latched onto his head, glowing blue. He remembered this move…from the Chuunin preliminaries…Yoroi had used it on Sasuke…

"YOU'RE NOT GETTING MY CHAKRA!" roared Naruto as he kneed Kabuto in the before sending him flying with a punch to the sternum.

Even as Kabuto crashed into the ground, he was smiling. _Not bad kid…you've certainly gotten better…_

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRR!" roared Naruto as he charged at Kabuto.

**SLAM!**

Naruto gagged as a thorny tentacle slammed into his body, sending him skidding across the desert. The tentacle slithered back to its owner: Ogi-Daimyou. In the grasp of one of his thorn-less vines was Akira. **"Now that the other Legendary Leaf is out of the picture, we can focus our attentions on the demon vessel."**

"Go ahead. I need a drink," replied Akira as reached inside his pocket, pulling out a large water bottle. "Gotta stay hydrated." He quickly chugged down the entire liter of water in less than ten seconds.

Shuu sighed. "Ogi-Daimyou, we have no time to waste; it's already past noon, and we have to be ready by sundown. Forget about the silver-haired man…all he'll do is weaken the Nine Tails even further, which is good for us."

"…**very well,"** rumbled Ogi-Daimyou as his petals quivered. **"However, once this battle's over, we feast on his flesh."**

Shuu stared eagerly at Kabuto. "Indeed…"

Naruto grimaced as he got to his feet. _Crap…now I've got a fricken' oversized weed to deal with!_

**YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.**

_This is my fight._

**FOOL. MY FATE IS ON THE LINE AS WELL.**

…_who cares._

**I CARE!**

_Nyeh!_

**IDIOT.**

_Flea monger._

**YOU'LL BE SUMMONING ME IN THE NEXT FIVE MINUTES.**

_Yeah right!_

"**Thorn Whiplash!"**

Naruto paled at the sight of over a dozen thorny tentacles lashing at him. "Uh oh." He quickly leapt away from the onslaught-

_**POW!  
**_

"AGH!" yelped Naruto as Kabuto suddenly slammed his heel into his back. The Oto-nin smirked as he unleashed a flurry of punches to the spine before sending Naruto upward with a flying kick.

Naruto grimaced as he tried to open his eyes…and he saw Akira floating. _WHAT?_

To be more precise, Akira was floating on a cloud of steam. The former Waterfall ninja smirked as he formed a long whip made of steam, wrapping it around Naruto. "Have a nice fall!"

Then he slung Naruto towards Ogi-Daimyou.

The Plant Lord chuckled as he roared, **"Thorn Whiplash!"**

Moments later, Naruto was sent flying by a final hit from the massive tentacles, slamming into the wall of the coliseum. The Leaf ninja gagged as he slid down from the wall, leaving a trail of blood on the hardened sand.

He was an absolute mess. His clothes were torn, and blood was leaking from numerous cuts (no thanks to the thorns). His red aura was gone, his fangs were gone, and his eyes were now blue again. "Agh…agh…"

Some of his wounds began to close, due to the Nine Tails chakra.

"NO."

**HMM?**

Naruto grimaced as he stood, unzipping his orange jacket. "Don't waste your chakra on healing me…you have more important matters…"

…**HA. I TOLD YOU. I TOLD YOU THAT YOU'D SUMMON ME. IT WAS ALL INEVITABLE.**

"Shut up…" growled Naruto as he pierced the skin around the seal on his belly, using both thumbs to cover himself with blood. And it had to be from the seal, or else the connection wouldn't hold. "Just don't go crazy and kill everything…"

**NOW WHY WOULD I DO THAT?**

"Cut the sarcasm, you smartass," snarled Naruto as he ran trails of blood along all of his fingers, clenching his hands together. His pinkies joined together, whilst the other fingers interlocked, giving off the impression of only nine fingers…for nine tails…

**HO HO HO. TESTY…BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER. THIS'LL BE MY FIRST FIGHT IN OVER A DECADE. I'M FEELING TESTY MYSELF…**

"I'm counting on it," muttered Naruto as red chakra swirled around him.

Over one year ago…when Jiraiya had instructed Naruto to go get some mushrooms (Naruto hadn't understood at the time why they couldn't have just gone to the nearest town for some ramen…) from a nearby forest, the Nine Tails had told him of a unique jutsu.

It was one Naruto had used before…however, there would be one difference.

The contract would be to something entirely different.

No longer was Naruto bound to the frogs…

"RAAAAA! _**KUCHIYOSE **_**_NO JUTSU!_**"

...for his contact was now to the Fox Demon Tribe to which the Nine Tails belonged.

Naruto slammed his hands into the ground…and he disappeared in a flash of red chakra that grew…and grew…and grew…

Kabtuo paled. _He's not serious…_

Ogi-Daimyou grumbled, **"The boy's become desperate…"** Shuu nodded out of concurrence.

Akira blinked. "Ooh. Biggie."

On a different part of the battlefield, Shukaku and Gaara stared at the growing mass of red energy. "…you feel that?" asked Gaara, his skin becoming gooseflesh. The chill he felt was indescribable.

"**Of course. The fox boy's calling on the Nine Tails."**

Koumorimaru blanched. _That boy…he isn't…_

Hiroto frowned. _We've waited too long. Now the demon vessel has become desperate…_

In a different part of the coliseum…

Orochimaru stared in awe at the growing mass of red chakra. _The fox boy…he's actually summoning the beast from within._ It was odd…for him to suddenly feel fear. The mere name of the Nine Tails was enough to chill even his evil heart. _Heh…I feel afraid…interesting._

Itachi stared quietly, his face betraying no emotion. But deep down, he felt just as fearful as Orochimaru, if not more so…because unlike the Sannin, he had witnessed the power of the Tailed Demon before.

As for Sasuke…his eyes were wide out of disbelif. "What the…what's that idiot doing?" Unlike everyone else on the battlefield, he did not know of the demon sealed inside Naruto…which was why he felt as confused as he was afraid.

Suddenly, the red chakra stopped growing. It was easily as large as Shukaku.

Then, the redness disappeared, revealing a mighty beast that chilled Itachi, Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Sasuke to their cores. Even Jiraiya, who couldn't even see the battle, felt a strange chill grip his soul.

The face of Konoha's greatest threat was glaring at everyone.

The orange fur, tinted with the color of blood, was unmistakable. The black fur that covered the inside of his ears, running across his eyes. His blood-red pupils. His white claws…and finally, his nine tails.

Sasuke's skin turned white. _No…it's…it can't be!_ He had heard tales of the nine tailed monster that had nearly destroyed Konoha…all this time, he had been told that the Yondaime had destroyed him at the cost of his life. But instead, he had actually been sealed…inside Naruto.

It explained everything…his power…his strength…his ability to come from behind…everything! _Naruto…you had it inside you…all this time…?_

Kyuubi.

He was in the world of the living once more.

The Nine Tails roared as he grinned, showing his white fangs. **"FREEDOM!"**

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**Kyuubi's Rampage! Another Foe Bites the Dust!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: Bleh. I hate spyware. It's all gone now…but darn it if it didn't cramp up my writing.

Six days to write the chapter. So so.

See you soon, and please review!


	13. Kyuubi's Rampage!

Standard Disclaimer: I HAVE FURY! Oh, and I don't own Naruto.

Author's Notes: School's started up again. Couple that with work…and what do you get? Not a lot of time to write. -.-

To the reviews!

Miyata: (growls) Kyuubi. (growls)

Mistress DragonFlame: I used Spybot; this spyware was so devious that it disguised itself as 'explorer.exe', tricking even Spybot and Adaware. Seriously; this stuff was DEVIOUS.

Lyfe.exe: Nine Tails fan much?

Dragon Man 180: Better yet, Kyuubi the Nine Tails versus Ninetails the Pokemon. :P

DragoonVBK: Uh…where'd you get that? Kyuubi is NOT the King of all Demons.

Cloud-821: As soon as the Akatsuki battle ends, with one or two more sprinkled on here and there.

Audriel: (blink) O.o;

Dark Qiviut: CLIFF!

omnikaze: Orochimaru fan? (boot you off a cliff)

the essence of popsicles: (hands you a Kyuubi plushie)

Night-Owl123: I'll update as soon as possible…

Firedude328: 'o'? That's it?

Begin!

xxxx

_**Kyuubi's Rampage! Another Foe Bites the Dust!**_

xxxx

/Gaara's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

The Kazekage was silent as he watched the Kyuubi howl. _So…he has unleashed the Tailed Demon within…_

Shukaku's vocalized his acknowledgment. **"Ku hu hu hu…how interesting. The Nine Tails…out of the ten Great Demons, he is one of the strongest."**

"And I suppose you're going to insist that you're the strongest?" pointedly replied Gaara.

Shukaku smirked. **"Keh heh. Unlike a few demons I happen to know, I'm quite honest about my strength. I do not compare to the Kyuubi at full power…but then again, I'm not fighting him, am I?"**

"True," muttered Gaara as he stared at Koumorimaru and Yagami Hiroto. "Now we just have these two to worry about."

Indeed they did. Koumorimaru and Yagami Hiroto were still fighting him.

Koumorimaru snorted as her bat ears twitched. "This isn't good…not only has the One Tail surfaced, but so has the Nine Tails…"

"It matters not to us. Itachi and his brother can keep Orochimaru busy, while the Nine Tails must face Shuu and Ogi-Daimyou, as well as Akira and Orochimaru's assistant. The two of us can deal with the One Tail…after all, we only have to knock out the demon's vessel in order to subdue the demon himself." Hiroto's body parts quivered before coming back together. "I'll distract Shukaku. You attack from behind."

Koumorimaru nodded as she took off into the sky. Meanwhile, Hiroto performed a few katas before roaring, "**_Ninpou; Yobimeteo!_**" A vortex of red suddenly swirled into existence, high above in the sky. "Art of the Summoned Meteor!"

Out of that one vortex came a gigantic meteor of fire, roaring down towards Shukaku the One Tail. The demon badger blinked as the massive projectile came toward him…but then he smirked. **"Kah hah! I never knew there were humans who could summon meteors from the Infernal Sky…how interesting."**

"You can stop reminiscing and instead focus on dealing with that meteor," dryly muttered Gaara.

"**Feh. You're no fun,"** grumbled Shukaku as he flexed his claws. The meteor came closer.

**_KOOOOOM!_**

The sound of flaming rock colliding with super-sharp claws was heard. Shukaku grimaced as the force behind the meteor's fall slowly pushed him backward. Gaara was silent as he looked at the burning hunk of rock.

He suddenly turned around to see Koumorimaru leap at him, fangs bared, "HAAA!"

Gaara's eyes narrowed as a column of sand, moving according to his will, erupted from the ground below and slammed into Koumorimaru's side, sending her off-course.

He immediately turned around to see Hiroto rush at him. Gaara quickly moved his arms forward, directing the sand at the former Stone ninja.

The man of rock grimaced as a wave of sand slammed into him, momentarily disorienting him. The Akatsuki member finally wiggled his way out of the sand, floating in the air…but he didn't realize that his Stone hitai-ate had been removed by the sand.

Gaara's eyes widened at the sight of a strange mark on Hiroto's forehead. It was a seal of some kind; two lines sloping up and to the right, crossing over a square. Two curvy dots were visible in the upper left corner of the seal. The Kazekage frowned at the sight. _What is that…?_

Even as Shukaku grunted to stop the meteor, he spoke to Gaara via thoughts. **Keh heh…I thought I had seen this guy before.**

_You have?_

**Not him…but his ancestor at least. A former host of mine fought a ninja of the Yagami clan. That seal is the only way they can keep their chakra from escaping. Without it, they die within the hour…that is, if they don't even move.**

Gaara's eyes narrowed. _Is that so…very well then_. He would need to use a jutsu that Shukaku had taught him. A jutsu that had been created by a former host of Shukaku with the demon's help.

It was a jutsu that the Third Kazekage had copied for a technique of his own…but the original was far more deadly.

Suddenly, as Hiroto charged, preparing another 'Rock Whirlwind', Gaara said, "**_Sutankou_**; Steel Sand!" A massive slab of iron ore erupted from the ground; moments later, it entered the mouth of Shukaku.

The One Tail began chewing as he slowly began to push the meteor back; its force was finally beginning to decrease. Moments after swatting it away with his tail, he spat out the metal; it had been refined into steel by his demonic chakra.

Gaara, using his own chakra, turned the steel orb into tiny grains, which floated around like an angry cloud of bees. Finally, Gaara focused one part of the cloud into a trident…and he hit Hiroto straight in the forehead.

Yagami Hiroto blanched as he pulled himself back together, abandoning his attack. _No…how did he…?_ Then he finally realized it; his Stone hitai-ate was gone, revealing his seal. And he had already used up so much chakra…

There was no way he could survive for more than ten minutes.

So be it. He would go downfighting.

Hiroto frowned as he performed katas, growling, "**_Doton Kinton; Tetsugooremu!_**" Huge slabs of iron ore erupted from the desert, formulating around Hiroto. "Earth and Metal Element; Iron Golem!" He embedded one body part into each iron ore fragment; this allowed him to shift the iron ore around, forming the general shape of a powerful golem. Hiroto slammed his fists together.

Koumorimaru, having finally gotten back into the battle, looked at Hiroto with worry. "Hiroto…transform back to normal."

"I cannot," replied Hiroto, his blank eyes of white rock glaring at Shukaku and Gaara. "I do not have enough chakra left to do anything in my normal form. Using this, I have only five minutes left. I will finish this…and if I can't, you have to." Hiroto roared as he charged at Shukaku the One Tail.

Koumorimaru was silent as Hiroto charged at Shukaku. The one-tailed demon snarled as he raised his claws to catch the incoming fists of the Iron Golem. The demon smirked at Hiroto. **"Ka ha ha! Is this all you've got left?"**

Hiroto's midsection split off from the rest of him, slamming into Shukaku's belly. The demon grunted as the air escaped his lungs. **"Ku hu hu…never mind…"**

Gaara frowned as Hiroto charged once more, forcing Shukaku on the defensive with an offensive barrage that was furious and frantic. Then again, it was understandable; the man's life was now forfeit.

But he was going to make the wait even shorter. He quickly focused the rest of the cloud, into tiny needles…and with devastating accuracy he sent them all out towards Hiroto.

Most of them missed…but those that hit managed to puncture holes into Hiroto's body.

The former Stone ninja gaped as the steely needles punctured his rocky body parts; blue chakra began to leak from the holes, his life force rapidly fading. "No…it…can't…" He never got to finish. He no longer had the strength to keep himself attached to the large hunks of iron ore.

Gaara remained silent as the slabs of raw metal fell to the desert floor, Hiroto reforming some distance away. He managed to look down at himself one last time – seeing the holes in his neck, chest, ankles, wrists, and thighs – before falling onto his back.

His rocky eyes went dull.

His life was over.

Gaara finally said, "Now for the other-"

**_SLAM!_**

Gaara howled as a supersonic blur slammed into his side, knocking him clear off of Shukaku. The demon blinked of shock. **"Eh?"** Less than a second later, the wall of sound caught up, creating a massive onrush of noise: a sonic boom.

**_SLAM!_**

Gaara gagged again as his body was hit. He winced as his second line of defense – the Armor of Sand, which formed a protective layer of hardened, camouflaged sand over his skin – began to crack. He barely managed to get a glimpse of a blue figure…with bat wings before-

SLAM!

SLAM!

Gaara howled as he was slammed multiple times; each time the blur hit, a sonic boom accompanied it. His consciousness began to waver from all of the impacts. At the same time, Shukaku's outline began to waver.

**"WHAT?"** yelled the One Tail out of surprise. It couldn't be…had he become so intertwined with Gaara's life force that the boy needed to be conscious to keep his summoned body intact? **Then that means…if the boy's knocked out…no! "RAAAAR!"** Shukaku roared as he charged at the supersonic blur, trying to get between it and Gaara.

The blue blur turned upward and away from Shukaku. The One Tail could only gaze helplessly as the blur made a vertical U-turn, roaring straight towards Gaara's falling body and…

_**SLAM!**_

Gaara gasped soundlessly as his Armor of Sand exploded into a million tiny fragments. There was no fire or smoke; it was just as if the entire carapace had cracked…and then the following sonic boom blew all of the fragments away.

**POW!**

The Kazekage landed with a thud on the ground, his mind shutting down from the sheer force and pain of the blow. The concussion didn't help either. Moments later, an echoing howl from Shukaku sounded as he disappeared.

The blur came to a stop in midair, revealing itself to be Koumorimaru. "**_Onsokuhiyou no jutsu;_** Sonic Flight…a success." She had defeated the Kazekage, hopefully for good. "Now…onto other matters."

She looked north. The two Uchiha were in the midst of fighting Orcohimaru.

She looked east. The Nine Tails was fighting Ogi-Daimyou, Shuu, Akira, and that silver-haired assistant of Orochimaru's (his name was Yasushi Kaputo…wasn't it? She couldn't quite remember).

She quickly flew north, her red hair fluttering in the wind.

xxxx

/Sasuke's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

The sight was so odd, he couldn't believe it.

Sasuke had been planning to kill Itachi for most of his life. Many nights had been spent delighting in how he would kill him…and many dreams had consisted of nothing but his brother's blood leaking from his corpse.

So the thought of him fighting ALONGSIDE his brother for survival…was odd indeed. Odder still was the fact he was facing his former mentor Orochimaru.

Then again, he had known he would eventually be fighting Orochimaru anyway. Part of him had always known, somehow.

But even as he continued to dodge and slash at the endless amount of snakes coming from the blade Kusanagi, the younger Uchiha couldn't help but think of Naruto.

The Nine Tails. The demon fox. The Kyuubi. The nightmare of Konoha. He had heard many names over the years, all of them describing the ferocious demon that had nearly destroyed Konoha sixteen years ago. Although he never gave much thought to it, he knew that he had lost over a dozen clan members to the beast. It was ingrained into him, really; the hatred and fear of the Nine Tails (of course, _he_ would never admit it) that his parents (likewise did everyone else's parents) had taught him.

Then again, his parents also seemed to exhibit hatred towards a certain Uzumaki Naruto, as did practically everyone else in the village. Although the boy was an ardent troublemaker (and a very good one at that), he certainly hadn't ever seen why all of the older people had exhibited such unspoken anger against him.

But now…he understood.

Naruto had been forced to endure a burden that no one should've ever been forced to experience. He had once thought that Naruto's lack of parents made him unsusceptible to the pain of being scorned by them. After all, he had lost his parents and the entire Uchiha clan to his brother…Naruto would never understand that kind of pain.

That much was true…but he could NEVER have understood the sheer agony Naruto was forced to endure…HAD been forced to endure every day for his entire life. To be the vessel of the demon fox…

Sasuke quickly flapped his fleshy wings, flying over another torrent of snakes. The younger Uchiha, his thoughts abandoning Naruto for the moment. He quickly slashed downwards, beheading the brown snakes. He landed quietly moments later, glaring at Orochimaru. Itachi also paused – the **_Unari_** still covering his left arm – his flaming hand holding the charred remains of a snake.

The Sannin smirked as his yellow eyes leered at Sasuke. "Ah…Sasuke-kun…you might as well give this up right now…" He licked the blade with his tongue, slightly cutting it…but that was intentional. He quickly threw Kusanagi up into the air before performing several jutsus. "**_Chihakuu no jutsu!_**" He grinned, revealing bloody fangs. His neck stretched upward as he roared, "BLOOD SHOWER!"

Then he spat forth a shower of acidic blood from his mouth. Sasuke and Itachi quickly dodged from side-to-side to avoid the burning red liquid. Moments later, Orochimaru leapt upward, grabbing Kusanagi with his hands. "Now…**_OROCHI SLASH!_**" He swung downward, and a wave of gray energy erupted from the blade, soaring downward.

Itachi skipped backward, avoiding the slash as it carved into the desert. Sasuke took to the sky, his Zanbato still in hand…and Sharingan eyes still swirling. He calmly bit down on his thumb, sucking blood into his mouth. He lightly tossed the Zanbato upward as he performed the same katas Orochimaru had just performed; he had copied the Blood Shower technique. "**_Chihakku no jutsu!_**"

He grabbed his Zanbato…before spitting the bloody shower on it. Seconds later, he swung.

Orochimaru blinked as fiery, acidic blood came pouring down towards him. The Sennin somersaulted backward as the blood left sizzling marks on the ground. The black-haired Legendary Leaf smirked as he held Kusanagi lightly in one hand. "Getting feisty…very well! **_OROCHI FANG!_**" He swung horizontally.

A gray aura in the shape of an eight-headed snake erupted from the blade, roaring towards Sasuke.

Sasuke brought up his Zanbato.

Itachi got in front of Sasuke, his Sharingan eyes suddenly shifting…into the highest form: the three-sided shuriken of the Mangekyou Sharingan. He quietly muttered, "**_Harasugan_**; Eye of Dispel."

An invisible chakra ray erupted from Itachi's eyes, slamming into the Orochi aura. In turn, the eight-headed snake vanished.

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. "Ku ku ku ku…how amusing…dispelling the power of Kusanagi with a blast of chakra from the Mangekyou Sharingan. But it won't last you forever…I WILL claim Sasuke-kun…"

_**POW!**_

Orochimaru gagged as he was slammed into from behind, causing him to go flying. Sasuke and Itachi whirled around to see the Sennin land some distance away…and then they saw that Koumorimaru was hovering in the air. "I'll deal with Orochimaru. Itachi, deal with your brother and move on to the Nine Tails." She flapped her wings and bolted off for the Sannin.

Sasuke remained silent as he turned to face his older brother-

**CHOOM!**

He barely managed to raise his Zanbato in time before his brother's flaming left arm crashed into it. The elder Uchiha calmly said, "Keep your wits about you. This battle has only just begun."

xxxx

/Naruto's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

Akira, Kabuto, Shuu, and Ogi-Daimyou did not move at all.

They were too busy watching the Kyuubi glance around everywhere, taking in the surroundings.

The Nine Tails howled dramatically before he took in a big whiff. **"AH…THE AIR…THE GROUND…I COULD RUN FOR MILES…AND MANY MORE…"** The feeling…heck, the fact that he could feel at all was exhilarating! After being cramped inside the body of a young brat for fifteen years, the wind in his fur was absolutely wondrous to the senses.

Kyuubi chuckled as he glared at his opponents. **"PERHAPS I'll DEAL WITH YOU FLIES LATER…I HAVE SPRINTING TO CATCH UP ON."**

"_**LIKE CRAP YOU WILL!"**_

Kyuubi suddenly winced, much to the surprise of the onlooking ninjas. The Nine Tails looked upward…more specifically he tried; it was hard to see Uzumaki Naruto, who was standing on his forehead. **"QUIET DOWN, YOU MISERABLE SACK OF FLESH. I'M GOING TO HAVE SOME FREE TIME."**

Naruto, who was standing atop Kyuubi's furry head, roared, "I DON'T THINK SO! You've got fighting to do. _GOT IT?_" To emphasize the point, Naruto clenched his left fist…but although it was invisible to others, it was visible to Naruto and the Nine Tails.

It was a chakra line that led from Naruto's belly button to the fox demon's head. It was the link between Kyuubi's sealed spirit and his summoned body. As Naruto clenched it with his fist, the Nine Tails growled out of pain.

"**RRR…YOU'LL REGRET INSULTING ME BOY…"**

Naruto mockingly faked tears. "Oh boo-de-frickin-hoo. Less talking, more thrashing!" At this, the Nine Tails scowled. **"INGRATE…"**

Kabuto sweatdropped. _…how embarrassing._

Shuu sweatdropped as Ogi-Daimyou muttered. **"Their teamwork leaves a lot to be desired."**

Akira sweatdropped before bursting out into laughter. "HAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh boy, I'm certainly scared now!" The mocking sarcasm was so thick, you could cut a knife with it.

Kyuubi and Naruto both glared at the former Waterfall ninja. **"ON SECOND THOUGHT, I WOULDN'T MIND KILLING HIM."**

"Agreed," replied Naruto as Kyuubi casually struck the ground with his tail.

_**BOOOOM!**_

A massive earthquake gripped the area, causing everyone to stumble to their feet (save of Ogi-Daimyou). The chakra in one of his nine tails was forced into the ground, causing the aforementioned quake. Then again, that was one of his fabled abilities; be glad he wasn't near an ocean.

An underground river suddenly rushed up through a small fissure formed by the quake. Akira took particular delight at the sight of the geyser. "Alright!" He focused his chakra as a grin appeared on his face. "Free steam!" He maneuvered his chakra into the geyser…

_PHYOOM!_

It immediately ignited into steam. The steam user casually maneuvered it around, forming two giant fists made of steam. "Take this demon boy!"

The Nine Tails stared quietly at the giant, incoming fists. They were both as large as his head.

He inhaled…and BLEW.

A gust with the roughly equivalent force of a hurricane gale blew from Kyuubi's mouth, causing the steam fists to separate into individual particles. Akira yelped as he was sent tumbling backwards across the desert floor and into the coliseum's wall. The Tailed Demon snorted. **"HMPH. NOT EVEN WORTH THE BREATH I JUST EXHALED."**

"Gee," sarcastically said Naruto from atop Kyuubi. "God complex much?"

Kyuubi snarled. **"SARCASTIC LITTLE WHELP."**

"Bite me!" retorted Naruto.

Kyuubi immediately snapped, **"DON'T MAKE ME RAINBOW YOUR ASS!"**

Naruto confusedly retorted, "THAT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE!"

"**NOW YOU KNOW WHAT LISTENING TO YOU EVERYDAY FEELS LIKE."**

"HEY!"

"**Thorn Whip!"**

_SLAP!_

Kyuubi grimaced as a thorny tentacle slashed into his face, creating a small gash. He glared at Ogi-Daimyou, who grumbled, **"Although listening to your bickering is quite interesting, I'd rather get this over with."**

"Indeed…" whispered Shuu as he performed some jutsus. "Now let me show you one of the Plant Lord's favorite jutsus…**_Ninpou; Taiyoukouhatsuden!_** SOLAR POWER!"

The sun seemed to glow even brighter (in reality, it was simply Shuu using his chakra to momentarily decrease the amount of atmosphere sitting between them and the sun's rays). Leaves suddenly sprouted from Ogi-Daimyou's many thorny tentacles, catching the light of the sun. He felt invigorated…and it showed as he roared, "**Now…weather a storm unlike you've ever been through before! Thorn Buzz-saw!**" Ogi-Daimyou's tentacles all spread out, giving off the impression of an octopus with over several dozen legs instead of only eight.

Seconds later, the Plant Lord's tentacles spun around in a circle, giving off the impression of a buzz-saw. Sand was kicked up by the spinning motion of Ogi-Daimyou's technique as he moved towards Kyuubi.

Such an attack would cut anything to shreds, especially considering how fast the tentacles were moving.

The Nine Tails snorted; he was not impressed. **"FOOL. I'LL SHOW HIM A STORM."** His nine tails suddenly became straight and stiff; they all glowed, shining with the colors of red, blue, brown, gray, green, yellow, and white. The colors of **_Katon_**, **_Suiton_**, **_Doton_**, **_Kinton_**, **_Mokuton_**, **_Raiton_**, and **_Fuuton_**.

Naruto paled at the sight. "…oh boy." He smartly ducked into the protection of the meter-tall fur on Kyuubi's head.

"**TENSHIARASHI!"** Kyuubi opened his maw up wide as his tails glowed brightly. **"ELEMENT STORM!"** A stream of all seven elements erupted from his maw in one powerful package.

Red Fire. Blue Water. Brown Earth. Gray Metal. Green Wood. Yellow Lightning. White Wind.

Indeed, it was a bizarre mixture of red flames, blue liquid, brown soil, gray iron, green wooden fragments, yellow electricity, and white gales. It slammed into Ogi-Daimyou…and the mighty Plant Lord was sent backwards by over one hundred yards.

"**Rrrgh…miserable demon…"** growled Ogi-Daimyou. Shuu frowned. _Perhaps we underestimated the demon's true strength…_

Kyuubi smirked. **"IT'LL TAKE MORE THAN A LITTLE WEED TO GET RID OF ME."** Ogi-Daimyou tried his hardest not to curse like a drunkard; that insult was going to cost the Nine Tails dearly.

Naruto poked his head out from inside Kyuubi's fur. _Geez…talk about overkill! That technique was crazy!_

**INDEED. WANT TO SEE HOW YOU'D FARE? ONE SECOND SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO ERASE YOU.**

Naruto impulsively roared, _"QUIT BICKERING WITH ME!"_ The demon fox had a hearty chortle at the blonde-haired boy's expense. **"VERY WELL…NOW TO BURN THIS LITTLE WEED. FOGOUKA; FOX HELLFIRE!"** Kyuubi's tails quivered as he expelled a stream of blue foxfire at the plant beast.

"**Harden!"** Ogi-Daimyou raised his tentacles, forming the familiar protective barrier. The foxfire slammed into him…and when it faded, there was only a faint black mark. **"Ha ha ha ha! Even the Kyuubi's mighty flames cannot scorch my body!"**

Kyuubi snorted. **"WE'LL SEE.**" He inhaled-

"Wait."

The Nine Tails glared upward at Naruto. "**WHAT NOW? I'M BUSY SAVING YOUR SORRY HIDE."**

Uzumaki Natuo only grinned as he pulled out a scroll with black markings on it. "Your flames aren't up to snuff…but these are." Naruto explained his plan mentally.

The Nine Tails snorted. **"WHATEVER. I WANT TO START MY EVENING RUN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE."**

Naruto frowned at the thought of Kyuubi acting so casual. _How dare he? This isn't gonna be a regular event!_

**WE'LL SEE.**

_HEY! OUT OF MY HEAD!_

**KIND OF HARD WHEN I'M INSIDE YOUR STOMACH.**

_Rrr…just get ready! _

The scroll Naruto had was the one Jiraiya had been searching for earlier; the Divine Illumination scroll. The fox boy's thumb sprouted a small flame as he set the tip of the scroll on fire. "**_Ninpou; Amaterasu!_**" He placed the unlit end of the scroll into his mouth, making it into a cigar of sorts. "DIVINE ILLUMINATION!"

He blew.

A torrent of black flames erupted from the end of the scroll, down into the air in front of Kyuubi. At the same time…

"**FOGOUKA; FOX HELLFIRE!"**

…Kyuubi blew out a stream of blue foxfire. The black flames and the foxfire mixed, becoming a horrendous blazing stream that roared towards Ogi-Daimyou. Naruto roared, "**_Combo Fire Technique: Black Foxfire!_**"

The Plant Lord and Shuu both blanched. "**Maximum Harden!**" Ogi-Daimyou's tentacles all came upward, blocking the area in front of him. Shuu used his chakra to aid in the protection of Ogi-Daimyou's tentacles.

The Black Foxfire slammed into the tentacles…and tore through them.

"**Rrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaagggggghhhhh!**" roared Ogi-Daimyou as his entire body was lit by the flames. Shuu screamed as the flames engulfed him as well. As the Plant Lord writhed in place, the Nine Tails charged, front paws aimed for the giant weed.

_SLASH!_

Naruto watched in awe as Kyuubi tore at Ogi-Daimyou with his claws. _Whoa…he's good…and out of practice at that!_ In a way, Naruto suddenly became scared; he couldn't risk becoming buddy-buddy with such a deceitful and tricky demon; who knows what he might try to break free in this state?

Either way, Naruto just watched as Kyuubi continued his rampage.

_BAM!_

The Leaf ninja had turned around just in time to block a side kick from the silver-haired Kabuto. The demon vessel roared as he pushed the Sound ninja back. _Crap…must've snuck up onto Kyuubi during the fight…_

Yakushi Kabuto remained silent as he stared at Uzumaki Naruto.

Finally, he smirked. "What a wonderful place to begin our last battle…wouldn't you say, Naruto-kun?"

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**Shuu's Downfall! Orochimaru's Bag of Tricks!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: Bleh. Sorry for the late update. Have no earthly idea why Gaara's segment too so long to write. I wrote the rest in less than five hours. x.x

Anyhow, here ya go!

See you soon (ha ha yeah right), and please review!

(Author's Note: Changed Gogyouarashi to Tenshiarashi. Since we're dealing with seven natural elements in this story - Fire, Water, Earth, Wood, Metal, Wind, and Lightning - I figured Tenshi - Natural Elements - would fit better than Gogyou - the five Chinese mythological elements - so yeah. When I originally wrote this, I had been going off the original Chinese elements, forgoing lightning and wind entirely.)


	14. Shuu's Downfall!

Standard Disclaimer: Enter the disclaimer! I don't own Naruto!

Author's Notes: Well, Naruto has finally reached American shores in anime form on Toonami.

My opinion?

I really think it was done well. Seriously; there was no scene removal, very minor editing (Iruka and Ebisu's nosebleeds), the VAs were spot-on, and they kept the original Japanese music! The only exception to the last one is that they removed the original Japanese beginning and ending theme, but I don't mind. The new intro and ending music actually fits the show quite well, unlike some other dub music (glares at the One Piece dub).

All in all, it gets an 'A'. What do you guys think?

I'll tell you what OTHER people think though: they hate it. They've been weaned on fansubs, and to them, the dubbed version was absolute crap.

But here's the thing; I bet that even if the dub was as perfect as it could've been, with no edits, no cutting, NOTHING except translation to English (and the VAs would be perfect too)…they still wouldn't like it. Because they have become so ingrained in their liking of the original Naruto that they can't STAND the thought of it being 'defiled'. Well guess what?

**_NARUTO HAS BEEN DUBBED._** IT WAS BROUGHT OVER TO AMERICA TO MAKE A PROFIT AND SPREAD ITS POPULARITY. TO ENSURE ITS TRANSITION, IT HAD TO BE DUBBED. YOU DON'T LIKE IT? **GET OVER IT. _SHUT UP._**

God…these people and all of their fanatical yelling make me sick. Sure, some of the dubs are sucky…but you know what? Without dubbed anime, they would never have been able to get to the original stuff in the first place. That's the purpose of dubbed anime: to break the waters.

To the reviews!

Audriel: Basically, Naruto summoned the body itself using his chakra, and is channeling the spirit of the fox into it through that invisible string. The fox can move on his own, but the Kyuubi's spirit is still sealed inside Naruto. So if, say, the string were somehow cut (it would take something very strong), then the Kyuubi is toast…but doing so would cause the summoned body to break down, and the backlash of power would kill anyone nearby, Naruto included. So it's a two-way street…

DragoonVBK: Probably another story. I haven't seen any mention of something like that. Closest thing to it is that I've heard it said that the Kyuubi is the strongest demon in Naruto.

Lyfe.exe: A fox cheerleader? O.o

Dragon Man 180: If you remember from the Prologue, you'll see how the Akatsuki's leader comments on how the knife connected to Akira's chakra was the last one to go out.

vearix: 'Soon'…is a bit of a problem. :P

Dark Qiviut: Sorry pal. NDE was deleted a long time ago. Say it with me; BALEETED!

Arsenel: Continued it shall be!

Mistress DragonFlame: Because there are utter donkeys out there in the world (replace donkey with a different synonym, and you'll get my meaning).

crakbaby23: I am writing right now! (b.)b

thestoneox: Thank'ee! Some time after posting this story, I read somewhere that the official way the **_Hiraishin no jutsu_** works is that you place a paper seal on someone (or something in any case), after which you can teleport right towards it. Not to sound biased or anything, but I like my explanation better. (mauled)

aznpuffyhair: Heh. No matter the story, everyone likes the 'lovable idiot' character (if deadly, in Akira's case).

xXxReixXx: Calm yourself. o.o;

crazy-antman: Thank'ee!

raging hobo: Well, Orochimaru IS fresh…and let's face it. Any fear he has of Itachi is due to the Sharingan. He feels no fear of Itachi now for two reasons. One, because once he has Sasuke's body, he no longer needs to fear Itachi. And two, Kyuubi gives him plenty to be fearful about already. :P

the essence of popsicles: Everyone who reads my stories thinks they should be on TV. Except FFX-3; they think it should be a game. o.o

wolfwhispers: Welcome to Legacy! And no, I wouldn't forget about this fic…it's just I have three going right now, and I also have school.

Konoha Ninja Sasuke's Lover: ….no comment.

Begin!

xxxx

_**Shuu's Downfall! Orochimaru's Bag of Tricks!**_

xxxx

/Present Day/

/Hospital, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

The sun was barely halfway up the horizon; nothing more than a dull orange disc in the pale morning sky. Naruto grimaced as he moaned, "Where's the old hag? I'm getting hungry…"

"Too weak to get your own food, dunce?" muttered Sasuke with a satisfied smirk. This entailed a complimentary glare from Naruto.

At this, the Kyuubi chuckled. **"HU HU HU…NO SURPRISE WHY THIS IDIOT STILL FINDS YOU MORE ANNOYING THAN I. NOT FOR LACK OF TRYING, OF COURSE."**

The fox boy turned his glare toward the red, fox-shaped aura sitting on his shoulder. "Butt out!"

"**YOU DON'T COMMAND ME."**

"I might as well be!"

"**YOUR THREATS NEED WORK."**

"RRR!"

Sasuke couldn't help but sweatdrop at the sight of Naruto bickering with the nine-tailed demon. Or a representation of him, anyway. "Fool…"

Naruto's glare once again reached Sasuke. "SAYS YOU!" roared the irritable ninja as he got to his feet on impulse.

Bad move.

Sasuke and Kyuubi's eyebrows twitched as they watched Naruto's body (which is still injured, by the way) writhe on the bed. The Uchiha grumbled, "Idiot."

"**AGREED,"** concurred Kyuubi as he momentarily remembered putting down the Plant Lord once and for all…oh, how wondrous it had felt…

xxxx

/Kyuubi's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

The feeling of his claws rending an enemy apart was exhilarating.

Ogi-Daimyou's screams of pain and agony were utter music to his ears. The feeling of the giant plant's tentacles being torn apart, with chunks and bits getting caught in his paws. Feeling the Plant Lord's juices splatter onto his fur…the raw, aggressive rush that came from taking an enemy's life…

Oh, how he had missed it.

The Kyuubi smiled devilishly as he bit down into one of the Plant Lord's large red petals. Clear fluid burst forth as the Nine Tails _ripped_ it off of Shuu's summoned beast with a quick jerk of his head. The adrenaline pumping through his veins made him feel so…alive…

"**AH…"** The demon fox chuckled as he let the petal drop to the ground. **"EXQUISITE…I SHALL ENJOY TAKING WHAT'S LEFT OF YOUR LIFE."**

Ogi-Daimyou gurgled as he haphazardly swung his tentacles at Kyuubi, missing each time. Kyuubi merely responded by tearing through the Plant Lord with one slash of his claws.

As the burning mass of fauna fell to the ground, he gurgled, **"How Shuu…we were supposed…to cleanse the world…"**

As Ogi-Daimyou burned into cinders, Shuu could only stare up at the Kyuubi as the demon raised his right paw; his arms were torched and useless now. He could no longer cast any jutsus. Finally, the former Grass ninja muttered, "Perhaps…it was us who needed cleansing…"

Odd how the human mind becomes so accepting when death approaches.

Kyuubi lowered his paw.

_**SPLURK.**_

Shuu gagged once as his torso was crushed by the Nine Tails' massive paw. His life ended right there.

Toya Shuu and Ogi-Daimyou were dead.

Kyuubi smirked. **"TO FIGHT…TO SLAUGHTER…TO KILL…OH, HOW I'VE MISSED IT ALL…"**

All of a sudden, steam began to surround the Tailed Demon. The orange-furred fox chuckled as he stared at the source of the steam: Fujiwara Akira, who had finally returned to the battlefield.

The fox demon smiled. **"AND I SHALL CONTINUE TO ENJOY IT…"**

At that moment, a hundred fists made of steam converged on the Nine Tails…and the demon just smiled.

xxxx

/Gaara's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

He could hardly move.

"Hrrg…"

Gaara felt pain convulse through his entire body as he struggled to move. That last attack…so disorienting…could barely move…

"Agh…"

The Kazekage fell limply back onto the ground, his teal eyes staring quietly along the enclosed desert within the coliseum.

The nine-tailed demon fox was contending with the steam user…and atop him, Gaara could see Naruto facing Orochimaru's assistant.

He shifted his body a little bit to the left. More pain.

He saw the two Uchiha fighting.

Gaara grimaced as he ripped off his sleeves, glancing at the bloody wound on his left arm. Trying his best to concentrate, the Sand ninja removed some errant sand from the wound before wrapping a layer of hardened grains around it. It would stop the blood flow…for now. Moments later, he fell down again; it was hard to even access his chakra…

That's when he saw two other figures: the ones known as Koumorimaru and Orochimaru.

Gaara watched silently as he tried to pick himself back up.

xxxx

Koumorimaru's red hair fluttered in the wind, as did Orochimaru's black hair.

The snake-like Sannin hissed, "Hmm. You are…Koumorimaru, correct? I was before your time."

"You shouldn't have come Orochimaru," retorted the bat woman, her voice tired and irritable. "We know you have spies within the lower echelons of Akatsuki; spies amongst the foot soldiers we have spread throughout the land. The soldiers that we have used to search for the Tailed Demons so crucial to our goal."

"Your point?"

Koumorimaru's visible red eye narrowed. "You knew that Mantarou's plan was taking place today. The plan that we of Akatsuki have spent the better part of the last decade preparing."

Orochimaru chuckled. "Ku ku ku ku…I had a little runaway to catch. Besides, I thought I'd drop in and say hi."

"Your sarcasm doesn't amuse me, snake." The venom was practically dripping off of her voice. "You came to Akatsuki for the sole purpose of trying to acquire resources to create the Sound Country…and then you left fifteen years ago. Five years ago, you returned under the guise of allowing ninjas you trained yourself into the ranks of our many spies throughout the world…but it was only a ploy to acquire more resources for your eventual takeover bid against Konoha…and to acquire Itachi, who had just joined us at the age of thirteen. You had no interest in the Tailed Demons."

"Nor did I have any interest in being treated as a pawn, like the rest of you," replied Orochimaru, his yellow eyes glinting with arrogance. "Your 'Leader', Mantarou…using all of you like pawns in his little demon hunt…"

Koumorimaru snorted. "You seem to have no problem playing the role of 'Leader' with your own ninja village."

The Sennin grinned as he lightly replied, "Well…I can't deny that."

"Nevertheless, we all united because we each had our own individual plan…but they all required the Tailed Demons." The bat woman jumped high into the air, her wings catching an updraft and providing her with lift. "Your own plans have interfered with that of Akatsuki's…and for that, you shall die."

At the sound of those words, Orochimaru said nothing.

That is, until he chuckled again.

"Ku ku ku ku ku…" The leader of Otogakure smiled as he sheathed the Kusanagi blade, performing various hand seals as he did. "Fool…you do not stand a chance against my jutsus." The last hand seal – **Hebi**, for Serpent – was performed. "**_Ninpou; Doseiuwabami!_**" The ground in front of Orochimaru flashed as a giant serpent made of rock erupted from the sand, roaring towards Koumorimaru. "Art of the Earthen Anaconda!"

Koumorimaru quickly took off into the sky before the giant snake could get its rocky jaws on her. The bat woman snorted as her wings twitched. "**_Hikerudouto no jutsu! Shattering Sound!_**" A high-pitched squeal erupted from the Akatsuki member's mouth, tinged blue with her chakra. It slammed into the earthen anaconda moments later, shattering it into a thousand tiny pieces.

The red-haired woman immediately whirled around in time to hear Orochimaru's head roaring towards her, his neck stretching to impossibly long lengths. His tongue was wrapped around the hilt of Kusanagi.

Koumorimaru blanched as she immediately dove downward, avoiding Orochimaru's attack. As she did, however, she took note that the body of the Sannin was still on the ground…and his hands were performing katas.

All of a sudden, an invisible bubble encompassed Koumorimaru…and to her horror, all of the air inside of it was pumped out in an instant. "!"

Orochimaru chuckled as his head receded, his neck reverting to normal. "**_Henjikuuhaku no jutsu_**…" He held Kusanagi lightly as he said, "Instant Vacuum."

Koumorimaru wasted no time. "**_Kusachi!_**" Her Blades of Blood tore through the invisible bubble, allowing her to take deep breaths of the air she so desperately needed. "Rrr…" She charged downward, bearing down upon the former Akatsuki ninja.

Orochimaru smiled as he performed several more katas. "**_Doton, Suiton, Kinton; Sanwaoneneru!_**" He slammed his hands into the ground as a quake rumbled through the area. "Earth, Water, and Metal Element; Triad Surge!" Three different geysers erupted around Orochimaru; one made of raw iron ore, one made of rushing water, and one made of hardened earth. The geysers were fashioned in the shape of triangles; they all conjoined, forming a triad figure (you know, like the Triforce symbol of Legend of Zelda?).

Koumorimaru paled as the elemental triad zoomed towards her. _Impossible! A triple elemental jutsu?_ It was too fast for her to contemplate dodging; all she could do was shield herself with her wings.

A thunderous sound erupted as the bat woman was hit by a trio of elements. As the elemental triad slammed into the ground, Orochimaru smiled as he began performing some more katas.

Ten seconds later, after the dust settled, the former Cloud ninja pulled herself out of the dirty mixture of sand, mud, and metal, her Akatsuki robe muddy and filthy. "Rrr…where did he go…?"

She got her answer moments later.

Staring at her was Orochimaru. 30 of him, to be exact.

Koumorimaru's eyes narrowed at the sound of all the shuffling feet and the billowing black hair of the clones. _A clone jutsu…_ Without hesitation, she roared, "**_KUSACHI!_**" The bloody blades lanced through five of the clones.

All of a sudden, the clones broke apart into large green snakes, much to Koumorimaru's shock. "WHAT?"

"Ku ku ku ku ku…" chuckled one of the Orochimaru clone. "**_Daija bunshin no jutsu_**…Snake Clone. Like it?"

The aforementioned green snakes lashed out at Koumorimaru, maws wide, and fangs bared. She impulsively took to the air. Two of the Orochimarus jumped up after her. In response, Koumorimaru quickly used her toes – which now sported long claws – and kicked straight upward through their chests. To her surprise, the snakes that the two clones were made of launched out of the gashes, landing on her body.

"**AGH!** GET OFF YOU DAMN SERPENTS!" hastily shouted the bat woman as he hurryingly flew upwards, letting the snakes drop off of her. The red eyes of the green snakes glared upward at her as they fell back to the ground. Meanwhile, the other Snake Clones were performing hand seals…for the Triad Surge.

_No!_ Koumorimaru paled; so many Triad Surges would kill her! She had to destroy them all, **_NOW!_** The former Cloud ninja immediately began coagulating chakra in her mouth, causing her cheeks to swell. As the ground began to quake, she roared, "**_Zaazaabuumu!_**"

She spat out the orb of glowing white chakra.

"SONIC BOOM!"

The moment the ball hit the ground, it exploded. For a moment, there was no other sound…except the sound of static. It was eerie, in a way…as if all other sounds in reality were replaced by white noise.

Finally, the shockwave hit.

_**BOOM!**_

Everything in a 50-yard radius was flattened, Snake Clones included.

Just like that.

Koumorimaru sighed as she quietly descended, setting foot on the ground. "Hmm…did that do it?"

A green snake wrapped around her neck, forcing her to freeze. _What? HOW!_

The snake kept its body wrapped around her neck while its upper half transformed into…Orochimaru. His body from the waist up was now visible. "Ku ku ku ku…surprised?"

Koumorimaru said nothing. The snake…it must have gotten on her when she kicked those two clones…and she hadn't noticed…

"It was simple. While you were busy with my first Triad Surge…I made many copies of myself before using **_Henge_** to transform into a snake. I hid inside a clone…and you fell for it." Orochimaru chuckled again. "I told you that you were a fool…"

Koumorimaru said nothing.

At this moment, Orochimaru pulled out a small flute. "In any case…I remember that you threatened to kill me." He put the flute to his lips. "**_Himeifuu no jutsu_**; Shrieking Flute." Orochimaru put the tip of the flute into Koumorimaru's bat-like left ear and played the highest note. His chakra enhanced the sound tenfold.

It felt like a knife had just been jabbed into her brain.

"**_AIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAA!"_** howled the bat woman as she stumbled, her ears bleeding from the sheer decibel level of the sound. Her balance was lost; without her keen sense of hearing, she couldn't sense anything anymore.

So it was no surprise that Orochimaru unfurled his lower half from around Koumorimaru's neck, reverting to normal. A cruel smile coated his face as he put his flute away…and unsheathed Kusanagi. "Allow me to return the favor."

He sliced upward through Koumorimaru's sternum.

The bat woman could only gape as she felt her rib cage fly open, revealing her delicate inner organs. Blood began to leak as her heart pulsed and her lungs quivered.

Without hesitation, Orochimaru pushed his former comrade onto the ground and stepped on her heart and lungs, crushing them both. A soundless gasp emerged from the bat woman's mouth, along with blood and spittle. Her red eyes faded and went dull.

Koumorimaru was dead.

Orochimaru chuckled as he flexed his neck. He looked around; Itachi was fighting Sasuke, Kabuto was fighting the fox boy, and Akira was dealing with the fox. "And then there were two…"

All but two of the eight Akatsuki at Sunagakure were dead.

Hoshigaki Kisame.

Akasun Sasori.

Deidara.

Yagami Hiroto.

Toya Shuu.

Koumorimaru.

The only ones left were Fujiwara Akira and Uchiha Itachi. Along with Orochimaru, they were the strongest of Akatsuki. That is, of course, if you didn't count the Leader…

Orochimaru's yellow eyes glinted as he watched Sasuke struggle against the ever impassive Itachi. _Now Sasuke-kun…time to claim your body!_

He burst off into a run.

xxxx

/Sasuke's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

As Orochimaru had been fighting Koumorimaru, Sasuke had been dealing with his older brother.

Currently, he wasn't doing so well.

**_POW!_**

Sasuke groaned as a punch from Itachi connected to his abdomen, sending him backwards. The younger boy scowled as he stood up once more. _His arm stretched again…I need to break his genjutsu!_

The genjutsu technique in question was one Itachi had cast minutes ago; it had been called **_Ninpou; Harigenshi_**: Stretching Phantom Arm. To be blunt, it gave off the appearance that Itachi's arms stretched whenever he punched.

But the reality was that the REAL Itachi was invisible; whenever the 'phantom' Itachi punched, the real one would strike at the same time the phantom's outstretched arm would hit Sasuke. This gave off the illusion that the stretching arm was real.

Sasuke knew this. Unfortunately, Itachi's rhythm of attacking changed constantly, throwing off the younger Uchiha. It never gave him time to concentrate on breaking the illusion with his Sharingan.

Growling, the younger boy swung with the Zanbato.

Itachi leapt into the air, his Mangekyou Sharingan eyes swirling like windmills. He quickly performed various hand seals as he muttered, "The third jutsu of the Mangekyou Sharingan…"

Sasuke paled. _What?!_ He impulsively threw his Zanbato at Itachi.

Itachi calmly pulled out a small mirror from a pocket in the folds of his cloak. He held in front of him, not worrying about the flaming blade nearing him. "**_Mangekyou: SUSANOO!_**"

Itachi's red eyes flashed white and black. He saw his own reflection…

The Zanbato was upon him.

Itachi calmly punched the fiery blade with his fist.

It shattered into a thousand flaming pieces, much to Sasuke's horror. "…what…?"

As Itachi landed on the sandy ground, he explained, "Users of the Mangekyou Sharingan are capable of three specials jutsus; one for each type. **_Tsukuyomi_** for genjutsu…**_Amaterasu_** for ninjutsu…and finally, **_Susanoo_** for taijutsu." As he spoke, Sasuke suddenly noticed that Itachi's musculature had become a lot more hardy and buffed. If it weren't for the cloak, one would've seen Itachi's bulging muscles. "Using the hypnotic powers of the Mangekyou Sharingan, **_Susanoo _**hypnotizes the body into believe that it is stronger and faster than it really is. As you can imagine, such a technique can be quite deadly to the body…but I will not be long."

Sasuke angrily growled, "Why tell it to me?"

"Because if you cannot defeat me even after I reveal its secret to you, than you are not worthy of being called an 'avenger'." Itachi punched, his arms stretching.

Sasuke immediately roared, "**_KAI!_**" During Itachi's little 'speech', the younger Uchiha had been using the time to gather up enough concentration to disrupt his chakra flow long enough to break the genjutsu. As the Harigenshi was broken, Sasuke blanched as he saw Itachi right in front of him.

**BAM!**

Sasuke gagged as a tremendous force pressed against him, sending him flying backwards. His fleshy wings twitched as he got to his feet, gagging on his own blood. "Agh…" _That technique…it's murderous…!_

_DONDONDONDONDONDONDONDONDONDON!_

Itachi's footsteps were like thunderclaps, and each one kicked up a geyser of sand. So great was his strength and speed, it looked like that a moving column of erupting sand was roaring towards Sasuke. The younger Uchiha quickly flew into the air, avoiding Itachi's first strike.

**BAM!**

That is, for about three seconds.

Sasuke gasped soundlessly as he plummeted toward the ground; faster than he could even fathom, his older brother had leapt upward into the air and elbowed him in the back. Spasms of shock ran through his body.

_KACHOOM!_

A thunderous sound ripped through the air as Sasuke collided with the ground, creating a gigantic cloud of dust and grains. The fifteen-year old teenager grimaced as he gingerly got to his feet, his body quivering from the impact. "Urgh…"

A double-fisted punch rammed into his abdomen.

Sasuke grimaced as he was sent sailing backwards, skidding along the desert ground after landing. The sandy cloud inhibited sight…but that wouldn't last for long. The younger Uchiha's eyes narrowed as he stood up, stoic and calm.

Itachi charged once more.

He threw another punch, intending to follow it up with a swift kick to the head.

He never got the chance to, as a black hand clenched his fist…stopping him in his tracks.

Itachi's eyes widened out of slight surprise.

**POW!**

Another black fist slammed into his face, sending him backwards along the ground. The elder Uchiha calmly spat out some blood as he turned to face his attacker.

It was Uchiha Sasuke…except he had changed.

His skin was blacker than coal…the darkest kind of black imaginable. His claws had become sharper, and they had grown by an inch. His white hair was shorter now, as if his normal hairstyle was transformed from black to white. Small, flesh-covered spikes protruded from his shins and forearms. His fleshy wings had become true angelic wings, complete with snowy white feathers. His eyes were once more white in color, complete with the red-and-black Sharingan as always. "Curse Seal…Level 3." Purple chakra radiated from his body in droves; the sign of the massive power being utilized by the curse seal.

Uchiha Itachi calmly stood up; Sasuke immediately realized that the **_Susanoo_** jutsu was no longer in effect. The eldest brother said, "Forced to draw upon the curse seal's true power…pity. You're such a weakling."

"No…YOU ARE," growled Sasuke, his eyes filled with a feral ferocity rivaled by only the most hardened of killers. "I have the power now…the power to utterly crush you…" As he spoke, he took note of the twinge of pain emanating from the Heaven seal on his neck. _Can't stay in this form for long…my body won't be able to handle the strain of the seal's feeding on my energy…_

But he had no choice.

To defeat Itachi, he had to resort to extreme measures.

Uchiha Itachi calmly stared at Uchiha Sasuke.

"**_OROCHI FANG!_**"

Itachi turned around just in time to see an eight-headed snake aura slam into him, pressing him backwards into the wall of the coliseum.

Sasuke growled as he glared at the source of the attack-

Paralysis.

Sasuke suddenly found that he was frozen in place. The look in Orochimaru's yellow eyes was all it took.

It was the beginning of **_Fushi Tensei_**: Living Corpse Reincarnation.

The jutsu that would put Orochimaru's spirit into Sasuke's body.

Sasuke couldn't move as he looked ahead; all around him, all he saw was the image of a snake, with jaws wide open.

At that moment, he chuckled. His chuckle came out as Orochimaru's; a habit he had picked up over his three years' time with the former Sannin. "Ku ku ku ku…so…this is how it's going to end…"

"Only for you, Sasuke-kun," corrected Orochimaru as he performed the katas necessary. "Once the jutsu is complete, I will kill Itachi for you. Be honored."

Sasuke said nothing as an ironic grin came to his face. _Heh…I suppose I'll be killing my brother with my own hands…but it'll be Orochimaru who wields them. Oh well…perhaps Naruto can kill me and Orochimaru at once once the battle's over…wouldn't put it past him. Ah never mind…that idiot couldn't do anything right anyway…_

Orochimaru smiled devilishly as he performed one last hand-seal. "Now Sasuke-kun…you are mine. Now, and forever."

xxxx

/Naruto's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

As Kyuubi dealt with Akira, Orochimaru dealt with Koumorimaru, and the Uchiha fought…an old score was about to be settled atop the Nine Tails' back.

Kabuto smiled devilishly as he readjusted his glasses, staring at Naruto with dark eyes. The desire to fight was clearly evident. For Naruto, the desire to fight was just as strong.

Orochimaru's assistant lightly said, "Well Naruto-kun…do you want to take the first shot?"

_**POW!**_

Kabuto yelped as a punch was delivered to his face, sending him careening backwards along Kyuubi's back. Uzumaki Naruto flexed his fist, growling, "Satisfied?"

"…heh heh heh heh…_ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha…**HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!**_" Kabuto's laughter ran through the air as his left hand glowed green. As he placed his hand on his face, he thought, _Such power…he's progressed so far…this will be a wondrous battle_! "Heh heh heh heh…well Naruto-kun…you've definitely impressed me." He removed his hand, revealing an untarnished face. "Now…" His hands and feet both glowed blue: a sign of the Chakra Absorption technique. "Let's see if you can keep up."

Naruto didn't flinch as Kabuto charged at him. "Bring it on, you worthless traitor!"

As Kabuto punched and kicked at a furious speed, Naruto adeptly jumped, ducked, sidestepped, or dodged. He couldn't risk countering…so all he could do was dodge. For the moment.

Kabuto chuckled as he performed a sidekick. Naruto blanched; the kick was faster than before!

_BAM!_

Naruto gagged as the kick sent him backwards, skidding to a halt atop the Kyuubi's thick hair. Kabuto smiled as he mockingly said, "What's wrong Naruto-kun? Still sore over my 'betrayal' of Konoha?"

Naruto's eyes widened.

"I was an Otogakure spy before joining the Leaf…my loyalty was to Orochimaru-sama…not your pathetic excuse of a village. After all…" The silver-haired man sneered. "…even after failing the Chunin exams seven times, they STILL let me enroll in the academy. When a village lets supposed 'failures' like me have more than one chance, it deserves to fall. Such weakness won't be tolerated."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Shut up…" He stood up, glaring daggers at the ninja he had once looked upon as a fellow ally…and a fellow Leaf. "You don't know what you're talking about!" The blonde ninja performed several familiar katas. "**_Kage bunshin no jutsu!_**"

Ten Narutos roared as they stampeded towards Kabuto.

The Sound Jonin smirked as he reached into the pockets of his uniform…and pulled out ten barbed shuriken attached to strings. With one quick movement, he slipped his fingers through pre-made loopholes and threw all ten shuriken.

All ten Narutos gagged as the shuriken were embedded into their abdomens. Nine disappeared, leaving behind the original. The Genin (yes, he's still a Genin, in case you're still wondering) grimaced as he noticed the blue aura on the string. "Uh…?"

"I'm the one who taught Akado Yoroi the Chakra Absorption technique. As you can guess, the power of the master is greater than that of the apprentice." Kabuto licked his lips as Naruto's chakra was transferred to him. "Your chakra…feels quite nice. Invigorating…no wonder my blood always boiled when you got near."

Nartuo snarled as he forcibly ripped the shuriken out; the barbs took some flesh with it. He ignored it; the pain was nothing. "It doesn't matter…I'll kill you no matter what." But now he was at a disadvantage; Kabuto had been holding back at the beginning. Plus, he had now absorbed some of his chakra…not good.

Oh well. _Who cares? I'm going to win anyway!_ Naruto quickly performed some katas, roaring, "**_Konohaito no-_**"

Kyuubi suddenly jumped backwards, avoiding Akira's multi-fist attack. This sudden jolt in movement – contrasting to the smooth, flowing motions that he had been using against Ogi-Daimyou – caused both ninjas to lose their footing.

Naruto yelped as he fell on his back, using his hand to clasp onto the fur fibers. Kabuto, his hands and feet still glowing, fell towards the side. Like Naruto, he too grabbed onto the fox demon's fur, pulling himself back up.

It was at this moment that Naruto realized why Kabuto had been getting stronger. _I get it now…that sly little traitor._ The fox boy grinned as the Oto-nin pulled himself up.

Kabuto asked, "My my, Naruto-kun…what seems to have cheered you up so?"

"I figured out how you were getting so much stronger during the battle…you were using your feet to siphon out the fox's chakra while I was dodging."

_Not only stronger, but more intelligent too_, thought Kabuto with a smirk as his feet continued to glow. "Yes…I have been siphoning the Nine Tails' chakra. But since it is of a demonic nature, I can only draw on a little bit at a time…but during our fight, all of it added together gave me enough strength to finally gain an edge."

Uzumaki Naruto laughed loudly at Kabuto. The Otonin felt a slight twinge of annoyance. "Mind enlightening me as to why you're laughing, Naruto-kun?"

"Because of how stupid you are," muttered Naruto as his chakra aura flared a fearsome red; he was drawing upon the Kyuubi's chakra through the invisible thread that connected the demon's body to the spirit sealed in his belly. "Throughout this whole battle today…even though I've used a bunch of this smelly fox's chakra…he's only used about one-third of his chakra."

Yakushi Kabuto's dark eyes widened out of shock. Even HE hadn't suspected that the Kyuubi held that much chakra. _Heh…my my. What a fearsome beast._ In hindsight, Kabuto wondered how in the world the Fourth Hokage had ever been able to seal away the fox demon, even with the powerful **_Fuuinjutsu Shiki Fujin_**. Then again, that jutsu DID call upon the God of Death, and even demons died…

"**_Konohaito no jutsu!_** Leaf Cords!"

Kabuto blanched as thin, leafy cords erupted from Naruto's sleeves, tying around his body. _Curses! I shouldn't have let my mind wander!_

Naruto chuckled. "Stupid idiot! Shouldn't have let your guard down!" With one quick heave, the fox boy threw the bounded Oto-nin into the air. "NOW EAT THIS!" He jumped into the air, rearing a fist for one heck of a punch to the nose.

Suddenly, Kabuto ripped through the cords with a shuriken he had managed to pull from his pocket…and as he descended toward the ascending Naruto, his arm suddenly wrapped around the Genin's arm, as if it were made of rubber.

"WHAT?" yelped Naruto, his eyes boggling out of shock. _What the heck is this crap?_

Before he realized it, Kabuto's entire body was wrapped around him, as if he were a snake. The Oto-nin sadistically hissed, "Orochimaru taught me this jutsu: **_Nan no Kaizo_**; Body Softening Modification. I in turn taught it to Tsurugi Misumi…remember the Chuunin exams?"

Naruto remembered. Misumi had shown his ability to dislocated every joint in his body, manipulating them with his chakra alone. Kankuro had defeated Misumi through a bit of trickery…but that was then. This was now.

They landed softly on Kyuubi's back.

Kabuto smirked as he tightened his hold. "I'm afraid I have to help Orochimaru-sama now…but I must say, it was fun testing your limits. Farewell."

"…heh heh…who said I was at my limit?"

All of a sudden, a clone leapt out of the Kyuubi's fur, kunai knife aimed for Kabuto's temple.

On impulse, the Jonin released Naruto and leapt away before the clone could lobotomize him. The silver-haired ninja frowned as Naruto stood up, who was smirking. "Heh heh…remember when I used **_Kage Bunshin?_**"

Twenty more clones suddenly popped their heads out of the Nine Tails' thick, bushy fur, wide grins plastered onto their faces. The original boasted, "I made more than nine clones."

Kabuto couldn't help but smile as he stared at the twenty-two Narutos. _…he's improved far beyond anything I could ever imagine._ In a way, Kabuto was not surprised he had been inwardly consumed by the desire to fight Naruto; although he was a medical ninja, his berserk inner killer thirsted for the blood of a worthy enemy. Naruto was that enemy. "Heh heh…very good Naruto-kun…"

"Glad you approve. Because now you die." The twenty clones stood up…and each of them held one swirling blue orb. **_Rasengan_**. Twenty of them. "This is going to hurt a lot more than the **_Rasengan_** I hit you with three years ago."

Yakushi Kabuto blinked; even he couldn't help but feel a bit fearful in the sight of such overwhelming power.

"**_HIRAISHIN NO JUTSU!_**"

The clone that had used the kunai suddenly appeared behind Kabuto, a yellow flash marking his arrival. The Oto-nin could only blink as he was kicked in the back…and sent flying towards Naruto.

Naruto held both hands forward, creating a large, translucent sphere out of his chakra aura. Kabuto merged with it in a single tiny _pop_; he was trapped inside.

Moments later, the twenty clones placed each individual orb onto the sphere. Now it looked like there twenty blue bumps on the surface of the transparent prison. Kabuto boggled at the sight. _What is he up to?_

The original reared his right hand. "If you though one was bad…wait till you see this! **_TATOU RASENGAN!_**"

Naruto punched the lone clear spot on the sphere. The collision caused the sphere to constrict upon Kabuto…and as a result, so did the twenty **_Rasengan_** orbs.

As Kabuto was sent flying, the concentrated force of twenty whirlwinds pounded into his body. A horrific sound erupted from his throat as he was sent flying two hundred yards away, his mangled body landing with a thud on the ground.

To be blunt, it was as if twenty blenders had dug into his body and been turned on. The fact that he was still alive was impressive.

Yakushi Kabuto gagged as he tried to access his chakra to heal himself. He knew that to try and heal himself completely would only deplete his own chakra…but with the energy he had siphoned from the Kyuubi and Naruto…maybe.

He had no choice. If he did nothing, he would die within the next minute.

Kabuto's entire body glowed with a green aura. Bones began to reform. Inner organs were slowly patched up. Blood vessels reconnected to each other. Skin was seamlessly grafted back together.

By the time the inner organs and the bones were fixed, all of his chakra was gone. All that was left was the chakra he had absorbed from both Naruto and the Kyuubi.

Kabuto went further.

All of a sudden, painful spasm gripped his body. "**_AGH!_**" He coughed out a large globule of blood from his mouth as his insides quivered and convulsed. _What is…happening…?_

The answer dawned on him; the demonic chakra of the Nine Tails…his body wasn't capable of handling it. It was detrimental to him. And the tiny amount of chakra gathered by Naruto wasn't sufficient to sustain him.

As a result, his inner coils system constricted upon his delicate inner organs. The demonic chakra of the Kyuubi was killing him.

"No…" Kabuto's coughing grew in its intensity. "Can't…die……here…"

But as it turned out, he did die.

Yakushi Kabuto was now nothing more than a lifeless corpse on the desert floor.

Uzumaki Naruto sighed as his clones disappeared. _Finally…_ He casually looked around the entire battlefield, taking in the sights of the dead corpses.

He saw Akira get swatted into the wall by a sweeping collision from one of Kyuubi's tails.

He saw-

Naruto's blood froze. _NO._

Orochimaru was standing in front of Sasuke – what the heck was up with Sasuke? He looked stranger than before! – hands performing katas. The Uchiha wasn't moving.

_That damned snake…he's going for Sasuke's body…_

Naruto's mind went into overdrive. There was no WAY he was going to let this happen!

He leapt off of the Nine Tails back, forcefully drawing in the Kyuubi's spirit back into his body. As he did so, the Kyuubi's body flickered.

"**WHAT? WHAT IS HAPPENING?"** The Nine Tails howled as his outline shimmered. Moments later, his body became hazy. **"NOOOOO….I'M NOT DONE PLAYING YET! YOU ACCURSED PEA-BRAIN, I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS!"**

_Maybe later_, irritably thought Naruto as he reached for the few smoke bombs he had brought along. Without hesitation, he threw all of them in the general direction of Sasuke and Orochimaru. As he did so, he performed one hand seal.

By the time the smoke bombs exploded, the fox demon's body was gone, and the demon's spirit was once more completely sealed within Naruto's belly.

Sasuke blinked as gray smoke clouded his vision. _What…?_

Orochimaru chuckled as his arms began glowing purple. "Fool! It is too late…**_SASUKE'S BODY IS NOW MINE!_**"

Without hesitation, he clutched onto the boy's shoulders, his nails digging into the skin as his spirit was slowly transferred over.

As the smoke cleared…Uchiha Sasuke was seen, his shoulders held by the glowing hands of Orochimaru.

The pale Sannin hissed happily as his spirit was transferred over into Sasuke's body. "Yes…at last…the power of the Sharingan is mine!"

At this, Sasuke chuckled.

Orochimaru raised a curious eyebrow. As he began experiencing strange flashes in his vision – the result of his spirit now seeing through two bodies as it was transferred – he asked, "What makes you laugh Sasuke-kun?"

"Heh," scoffed Sasuke. "You dumbass snake."

Orochimaru, in his initial elation, hadn't bothered to look over Sasuke's head…but now he did. And to his surprise, he saw…Uchiha Sasuke. "What?"

The winged Uchiha he held suddenly disappeared in a puff of white smoke. When it cleared, Orochimaru's eyes widened out of absolute shock and anger. **_"NO…"_**

Uzumaki Naruto grinned cockily as the Sannin's fingers delved into his shoulders. "You've got the wrong guy."

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**Naruto's Downfall? The Battle Finally Ends!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: That's right folks. The next chapter is the final one in the Akatsuki battle! After this, the flashbacks shall end. :P

Allow me to just point out something for people who read the newer manga chapters that come out. Seeing as how things have progressed in the manga since the beginning of this story, here's the main differences.

Deidara is a female in this story, instead of male like the manga (Deidara's gender was unknown at the time this story was made).

Toya Shuu is known as Zetsu in the manga (once again, his name was unknown at the time).

And just to clarify for all of you readers, Itachi was 13 at the time he joined Akatsuki (roughly two years before the events of the Naruto chapter 1 began). That's less than one year after he had slaughtered the Uchiha clan. Consequently, this means that Sasuke was 10 when his clan was massacred. He continued his training at the Ninja Academy, graduating into Team Seven at the age of 12 along with Naruto and Sakura. Three years passed, and now Sasuke and Naruto are 15 (with Sasuke being a little bit older than Naruto. And no, I don't care what their birthdays are. I say that Sasuke is several months older. So says me!). Itachi is now 18.

Anyhow, buckle up everyone…the last chapter in the Akatsuki battle is coming!

See you soon, and please review!


	15. Naruto's Downfall?

Standard Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. Na. Ru. To. DISCLAIMER RENDAN!

Author's Notes: Yargh. The Akatsuki battle ends! (does a happy happy dance) That means no more flashbacks for a while. :P

To the reviews!

Dragon Man 180: Humiliating indeed. But the traitor had it coming.

Yamimaru: I know. But One Piece was the first dub I took a major look at in terms of comparison between it and the original version.

Bryr: The nosebleeds that Iruka and Ebisu endured are the kind that American culture isn't aware of.

Mistress DragonFlame: Yeah. I kind figured that after remembering Sasuke was at the Academy before the Uchiha clan was murdered. My bad.

However, Sasuke is still 15, and Itachi is still 18.

aznpuffyhair: Watch and learn.

Cloud-821: Same here. Kabuto was due for being bumped off.

Dark Qiviut: Probably because you can actually understand what the characters are saying without the need for subtitles. :P

And FYI, I must reject becoming a staff member on your Anigame Carousel. I'm busy enough as it is.

AzNpRiDe4eVeR718: Your name's hard to spell. Thank goodness for copy.

Lyfe.exe: I wasn't aware Orochimaru had a donkey. (shot)

Miyata: Read on and find out.

raging hobo: You say 'Peace', followed by your nametag. How is a 'raging hobo' peaceful? o.o (mauled)

Cytrus: Potatoes are mashed to death. Kabuto basically did himself in. Potatoes can't do that.

Sano-Sama: Spaces are your friend. o.-

ariel stormcloud: …weren't you in the Little Mermaid? (shot)

Audriel: Explanations shall abound!

Konoha Ninja Sasuke's Lover: Shouldn't you be called "Konoha Ninja Kabuto's Lover" then?

Crimson G: Welcome, fellow fan of my other stories!

Angel of Fire: The reason behind Itachi's joining of Akatsuki occurs in this chapter!

Speaking of which…

Begin!

xxxx

_**Naruto's Downfall? The Battle Finally Ends!**_

xxxx

/Sasuke's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

For a moment, Uchiha Sasuke thought that it was over.

Orochimaru had won, and he would be his body…at least, until the Sannin found a better vessel for his spirit. He had resigned himself to defeat after the Sannin's paralysis had taken hold; in a way, it only proved to him that Itachi was still stronger. After all, Orochimaru had once wanted Itachi's body…but the Sannin couldn't. So he went for him, the weaker one.

Then, the smoke had come.

_What? What's going on?_ Uchiha Sasuke blinked as a figure suddenly appeared in front of him…and the figure had wings. _What?_

Moments later, the smoke cleared. The winged figure transformed back into his original form.

Orochimaru paled. **_"NO…"_**

"You've got the wrong guy," replied a chuckling Uzumaki Naruto.

Sasuke was in absolute shock; Naruto had taken the blow meant for him. "…Naruto?"

Orochimaru began seething out of absolute fury. "No…NO…" He had already begun the process of transferring his spirit into the boy's body. He couldn't stop now, lest his spirit be split in two, and thus die out; if his spirit was not whole, then the immortality of his soul would be null and void. He would die. "NO! **HOW DARE YOU?!"**

"Hee hee hee!" chuckled Naruto, who was absolutely digging the look on Orochimaru's face. "Looks like you won't get Sasuke's body after all!"

Sasuke grimaced as he tried to will himself to move. _That idiot…he's signed his own death warrant!_

Orochimaru was silent.

Finally…he chuckled.

"Ku ku ku ku…" The pale yellow eyes of the Sannin gleamed as he stared into Naruto's blue eyes. "Silly boy…all you've done is delay me even more. I can still wait for three years. Then I can claim Sasuke-kun…the only thing you've done is foolishly throw your life away."

Naruto snorted. "That's what you think! I had to do SOMETHING to keep your slimy claws off of him!"

…_why?_ Sasuke was absolutely bewildered. Why was Naruto doing this? Why had Naruto saved him? Sure, there was the obvious answer of keeping his Sharingan power from coming under Orochimaru's control…but why this way? _Why?_

Didn't Naruto hate him? _I thought Naruto would jump at the chance to kill me…so why?_

Orochimaru chuckled as his eyes suddenly went dull, his voice becoming low and lifeless. "The transfer…is complete." Suddenly, the body that Orochimaru had once inhabited fell down onto the ground, dead as a doorknob.

Naruto sighed as his body began to sag. "Heh…can't move." His body felt paralyzed.

Sasuke remained still; Orochimaru had explained to him a year ago how the **_Fushi Tensei_** worked. First, Orochimaru paralyzed the enemy by looking into his eyes, using an invisible chakra blast from his eyes to completely halt the target's chakra flow (thus preventing body movement; all movements utilized chakra, even moving one's hand…although normal body movement utilized so little chakra that it's barely noticeable). Second, Orochimaru would grab the target's body, thus providing a bridge between vessels for his spirit. Third, his spirit would begin transferring into the enemy's body. During this stage, both Orochimaru and the target were practically paralyzed; the shifting of souls caused an imbalance with mental energies. Using chakra in that state would be akin to slitting your throat. Finally, Orochimaru would overwhelm the original soul – affectively killing it – and assume total control of the host body.

Naruto was experiencing the final step.

Sasuke's teeth clenched as Naruto stopped moving. "…idiot."

xxxx

/Naruto's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Naruto's Soul Room/

Orochimaru was silent as he materialized inside the darkness of Naruto's soul room. "Ah…now to find that miserable's boy's soul and kill him. Then his body will be mine."

"As if!"

Orochimaru turned around to see Naruto standing outside a set of steel bars A sly grin was on the ninja's face. "Yo."

The Sannin scoffed at Uzumaki Naruto. "Fool…I am an immortal. My soul cannot die…and you do not have the power to kill me. You do not possess the ice-cold blood of a killer who's slaughtered and murdered countless people…" In essence, that had been one of the reasons why Orochimaru did not think he could've taken Itachi; unlike Sasuke, Itachi was cold and cunning. A fight with his soul would have proven a daunting task. After all, the mindset of the **_Fushi Tensei's_** target was important in the final step (it determined how powerful the original soul was); that's why Orochimaru always went to great lengths to break the target's spirit.

"Maybe not," muttered Naruto as his blue eyes gleamed in the darkness. "But the guy behind you does."

Orochimaru blinked at the statement. "Hm?" He turned around.

_**AND CAME FACE TO FACE WITH THE NINE-TAILED DEMON FOX.**_

Orochimaru paled. "…wha…what?"

Kyuubi was SEETHING. **"YOU ARROGANT LITTLE PEST…CUTTING MY FUN SHORT SO I COULD DEVOUR THIS PATHETIC MAN'S SOUL? I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS…BUT FOR NOW, I'D LIKE TO SEE IF THIS SPIRIT WILL PROVIDE MORE SUSTENANCE THAN THAT OTHER ONE."**

Orochimaru's yellow eyes widened out of utter horror. _No…this can't be…_

The Nine Tails snorted as he glared straight into Orochimaru's stunned irises. **"YOU CLAIM YOURSELF TO BE IMMORTAL. I'D LIKE TO TEST THAT THEORY."**

The Sannin wasted no time. **_"OROCHI FANG!"_** He aimed his palm upward at the Kyuubi, allowing an eight-headed snake roar at the demon. In the spiritual realm, souls were not bound by normal rules of reality; they could manipulate their energy in many ways.

But against the Kyuubi, it didn't really matter. He merely slashed through the aura with his paw, snarling at the Sannin.

Scowling out of true frustration, the dark-haired Oto-nin rushed for the bars separating Naruto's soul from the Nine Tails' soul.

_**SLAM!**_

Orochimaru gagged as a paw crashed into his back, pinning him to the floor. It was in that moment that he realized what was happening; even though his soul was immortal…that only meant it could not die. That didn't mean it couldn't be KILLED.

All of a sudden, the Sannin felt all of the plans he had been setting up go down in smoke. His plan to learn all jutsus…to become a god amongst mortals…the death of Konoha…gone. Gone gone gone…

Naruto smirked as he watched Kyuubi bare his fangs at the murderer. "Heh. A monster like you deserves to be eaten by a monster." With that said, Naruto turned around, walking away from the Nine Tails' prison.

Orochimaru snarled out of true rage. "This is **_NOT_** the end." Then the Nine Tailed Demon Fox devoured him.

And thus were the plans of Orochimaru, Leader of Otogakure, derailed…permanently.

xxxx

/Sasuke's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

Uchiha Sasuke blinked as Naruto suddenly moved his arms. _That was fast…Orochimaru killed him quickly…_

At that moment, the demon vessel laughed loudly, catching the Uchiha boy off-guard. "Ha ha ha! I can't believe it worked!" He quickly turned around, grinning widely at Sasuke. "I have to admit, I didn't really think I'd be able to pull it off…but I DID! So HA!"

Uchiha Sasuke's red Sharingan eyes widened. _He…he's not Orochimaru?_ It was unfathomable. Perhaps one could say the Uchiha's time being with the Sannin had led him to believe in his infallibility. After all, Orochimaru had gone head-to-head with the Third, as well as Jiraiya and Tsunade. He had survived both encounters. But now…

Naruto grinned as he turned back around and knelt down beside Orochimaru's dead corpse, slicing off his head with one quick swipe of a kunai. "Hee hee hee hee…I bet that Old Hag will flip if I put THIS under her pillow."

"…why?"

Naruto didn't say anything. His back was still turned to the ninja that he considered his enemy…and a friend…and a rival.

Sasuke stood up defiantly, his white angel's wings twitching involuntarily. "Why did you save me? I know you hate me. I know you and the rest of the Leaf despise me…I don't regret what I did. I abandoned Konoha…to gain the power I needed. But yet…you took the blow for me. Why?"

Naruto was silent for a moment as the wind blew. The sun was very close to the horizon now; the battle with Akatsuki, as shocking as it was, had lasted most of the day. A strange glow was cast upon the vessel of the Nine Tails as Sasuke glared at his back.

Finally, without turning around…

"Because I made the Promise of a Lifetime…to Sakura-chan."

Uchiha Sasuke froze. He hadn't expected this.

"You remember Sakura-chan, right?" A bitter tone came to the blonde ninja's voice. "The one who cried her heart out…to try and keep you from leaving Konoha three years ago."

Sasuke frowned. He remembered that moment…he had shrugged it off. So why was Naruto making him feel so guilty?

"I promised her that I'd bring you back…and that's only one reason…"

Sasuke grimaced. There were OTHER reasons?

"There are still people who want to have you return. Sure, some only want you to return because of your Bloodline Limit…some want you to come back to get your punishment…but there are others…like Sakura-chan and Kakashi-sensei, who still think you can turn it all around." Naruto's fists started to slowly clench and unclench as he spoke. "But the last reason is the most important one…"

Saskue remained silent.

All of a sudden, Naruto whirled around, fist coming toward his face. **_"I STILL HAVE TO KICK YOUR ASS!"_**

_POW!_

Uchiha Sasuke grimaced as the punch sent him flying back by several feet. Definitely not Naruto's strongest punch…but it had been unexpected. The Sharingan-user coughed as he slowly got to his feet, his red eyes glaring straight into Naruto's narrow blue irises. The demon vessel still had more words. "Remember our last fight? Well guess what…_WE STILL HAVE A SCORE TO SETTLE._ And we can't battle properly until we both acknowledge each other as fellow Leafs…so get your act into gear…or are you so helpless that you need ME to save your hide…you big chicken?"

Uchiha Sasuke felt enflamed. "You…" It would've been so easy. With the Level 3 Curse Seal, he could've wiped out Naruto right then and there.

Finally, Naruto turned around, eyes focusing on the distant figure of Fujiwara Akira…one of only two Akatsuki members left alive. "…I have one last enemy to deal with." The boy started to walk away from Sasuke. "Go settle with your brother." As he walked further along, his chakra aura began to flare red.

That's when Sasuke knew.

…_I can't beat him…_

It was the Kyuubi's fault. The demon fox had nearly limitless chakra supplies…and Naruto was little more than a kid at a candy store (or ramen shop, in his case). _So much power…all at his fingertips…what right does Naruto have to lecture ME?_

Every right.

Sasuke forced himself to admit it as he stood up, staring at Naruto's steadily diminishing figure. Being the vessel of the Nine Tailed Demon Fox, being seen as an abomination by all those in the village…without any love…or happiness…forced to carve his own destiny. In hindsight, the loss of the Uchiha clan didn't even begin to compare to the lifetime of suffering Naruto had endured.

And yet, Naruto had not stopped. He had continued to fight for a village that hated him. Despite the few who knew otherwise – including the Hokage, both the Third and the Fifth – the populace as a whole still hated him for merely existing. To be the brunt of such tremendous hatred…and still able to keep fighting for the people who hated him so?

_To keep on…and not just explode with rage…he's…stronger than I am…_

Sasuke had to admit the irony of the whole situation to himself; he had been adored by the Leaf, and given a lot of adulation for being 'the #1 rookie' and 'a genius'. He had left the Leaf to pursue the power offered to him by the twisted Orochimaru. Naruto, on the other hand, was outright despised…and yet he continued to fight for them, willing to give everything for them. Willing to use the power of a demon – which, now that Sasuke thought about it, was quite a risky proposition – in combat for the sake of Konohagakure.

Two different souls. Same birthplace. Different paths. Different outcomes.

And the outcome Naruto had arrived at…had made him stronger than the outcome that Sasuke had arrived at.

Uchiha Sasuke remained absolutely silent as a tumultuous maelstrom of emotions surged through his being. Emotions that he hadn't felt in years…emotions that clouded his senses. He barely managed to hear Uchiha Itachi walk up behind him, his Mangekyou Sharingan eyes staring straight at him.

After several moments of silence, the younger of the brothers muttered, "I remember you telling me…that you had to sacrifice your best friend to obtain the greatest of the Uchiha clan's dojutsu…the Mangekyou Sharingan."

"That would be correct," muttered Itachi as his hair fluttered in the wind. There was a small twinge of pain near his hip; there was a small crack in the bone, due to an awkward landing after being hit by the **_Orochi Fang_**.

More silence.

Finally…

"Well…Naruto was ready to sacrifice himself for me…for someone he hated…he has continued to lay his life on the line…for a village that hates him…for a village that once adored both you and I."

Itachi was silent.

"…so I figure…if I can't kill you now…after all that's happened…" Sasuke turned around, revealing an astonishing sight; a pair of red eyes, with the pupils having morphed into a curved, three-pointed shuriken shape. "…then how am I supposed to face Naruto in battle again?"

Uchiha Itachi, for the first time in a long time, was caught flat-footed. He had not expected this…not ever. _Impossible._ This changed things; he had to wrap this up NOW. He could not afford to get into a fight with another Mangekyou Sharingan user.

Itachi's eyes began to spin. So did Sasuke's.

Then, simultaneously, the both roared.

"**_TSUKIYOMI!_** Underworld Moon Illusion!"

Neither of them focused on protecting themselves, instead focusing entirely on utilizing the power of the jutsu.

For both of them, the world seemingly vanished in a flash of white.

xxxx

Uchiha Sasuke immediately recognized the dark surrounding around him. He also immediately recognized the corpses lying on the floor in front of him.

Uchiha Mikoto. Uchiha Fugaku.

His mother and father, and one of the many victims of Uchiha Itachi's killing spree.

And there was a different aspect to this illusion; hundreds of snakes crawled on him, slithering and hissing at him with unmistakable fury. They represented Orochimaru's grip on him.

It was two of his greatest nightmares; the death of his clan…and Orochimaru. It was a mix that Itachi knew would force Sasuke to his knees; after all, the vision of the dead Uchiha clan on its own had been enough.

But things had changed over three years.

Sasuke didn't flinch as he stared quietly at the two corpses, the snakes slowly slithering up and down his body. Even though it felt so agonizingly real, forcing his body's impulses to scream…he willed the fear away. He knew it wasn't real.

In fact…

The winged boy calmly walked over to the bodies of Mikoto and Fugaku, staring at them quietly with his swirling Mangekyou Sharingan eyes. "…mother…father…" They weren't real. He knew that. But speaking to them anyway would help him sort things out…maybe. "It's been about five years now…five years since my brother killed you and the rest of our clan…a lot's happened, you know?"

Some of the snakes started biting him; a figurative representation of how Orochimaru's curse seal had poisoned him. The pain merely caused minor flinching on Sasuke's part. "I've changed…in a lot of ways, I've become like Itachi." A bitter chuckle passed his lips. "Funny…I wonder if you still think being like my brother would be so great…?"

More silence, save for the hissing of serpents. Sasuke's pitch-black skin was unnatural in this dark room.

"I made some…bad decisions…" Sasuke flinched as he thought of Itachi standing over his parents' corpses…except it wasn't Itachi. It was himself. A flash of pain ran across his face. "I don't expect forgiveness…only a second chance. I don't care if I'm hated for the rest of my days…as long as I can restore the clan to its original glory, I'll be happy."

Despite the fact that the bites were slowly starting to take their toll, Sasuke continued to converse with his lifeless parents, moving to such topics as how he would restore the clan…what Orochimaru had done to increase his strength…and what Naruto had done to get him out of the pit he had been in.

In a way, it was Sasuke's own method of self-therapy.

However, part of his mind wondered how Itachi was dealing with HIS illusion…

xxxx

The illusion that Sasuke had subjected Itachi to was of a far more different nature.

Itachi's body floated through an endless void of white. He had no control over his destination. A silent curse escaped his lips; if he had concentrated even a bit on defending himself from his little brother's **_Tsukiyomi_**, he might have been able to control his movement within the illusion. Normally, he would have been able to manipulate everything as normal…but he was too busy focusing on keeping the illusion on Sasuke intact.

That was something that bothered him. His little brother…had somehow been able to transcend to the highest level of the Uchiha Sharingan dojutsu (ocular technique): the Mangekyou. This had opened access to three special techniques: **_Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi_**, and **_Susanoo_**. Not only that, but the Mangekyou Sharingan allowed for greater speed at jutsu copying…and it allowed one to predict an opponent's moves further ahead of time.

Not good at all.

All of a sudden, Itachi saw an image of a woman…in labor.

It was the woman who had given birth to him: Uchiha Mikoto. _Hmm?_

The image widened a bit, revealing a man cradling her hand as a doctor helped Mikoto to deliver the baby. The man was Fugaku. His father.

Itachi's eyes narrowed. What was his little brother up to?

_After several more seconds, the baby was born. It was a boy…and he was crying as he came out into the world._

"_A boy," muttered the doctor._

_Fugaku smiled as he placed a hand upon the tender's boy head; as his wife cradled their son. "We agreed to name him Itachi if he was a boy…our firstborn." The expression of happiness on their faces was unmistakable._

Itachi blinked as the image disappeared. It was immediately replaced by another one.

This time, it showed Itachi as a young boy, no older than two. The boy was calmly walking beside his mother and father through Konohagakure. Fugaku was wearing the customary black jumpsuit and gray vest of the Konoha Military Police Force, which the Uchiha clan had founded.

_Fugaku was speaking. "One day son…you will grow up…and defend our home as I have, so many times before. Many of our fellow clansmen have defended this village with their lives, using the power at their disposal…and I expect for you to do the same."_

_The young Itachi stared at his father with awe before a boyish smile crept onto his face. He was still rooted in innocence; a thing that most children shared. Mikoto's face brightened, she loved that smile of his. On a whim, she picked Itachi up and held him over her head, causing him to giggle uncontrollably._

_Fugkau could only smile._

The image disappeared. Another one took its place.

Itachi was three. He was watching Mikoto and Fugaku walk towards him, smiles adorning their faces. In his mother's arms was a small bundle.

_The firstborn quietly asked, "What's that mother?"_

_Mikoto smiled as she knelt down, revealing a crying baby boy. "Your little brother." This statement caused young Itachi's eyes to widen out of tremendous surprise…and glee. "Really? I have a little brother?"_

_Fugaku nodded. "Yes…and until he grows into a strong man, it's your job to help us protect him…and to guide him."_

_Itachi happily nodded. "Yes sir! What's his name?"_

"_Sasuke," replied Mikoto with a smile._

The image disappeared.

Itachi frowned. What was the meaning to these images?

All of a sudden, the images returned, and in great numbers.

_Itachi at the age of 5, enrolling in the Ninja Academy. Within three weeks, he mastered Goukakyu no jutsu; Grand Fireball. The elation his father had felt was indescribable…and it had made him happy._

_Itachi meeting Uchiha Shisui, the one he would look up to as a friend and an older brother. It was also the same one who he would kill years later…to acquire the Mangekyou Sharingan._

_Itachi, at the age of 6, watching his younger brother fumble around with a shuriken and cutting himself. The eldest sibling calmly took the shuriken and threw it straight at the target, hitting it dead center. He then advised Sasuke not to play with shuriken without someone else watching…and out of respect for him, his little brother immediately nodded with glee._

_Itachi, at the age of 7, graduating from the Ninja Academy. The adulation from his family had made him feel…special…_

Images from the past continued to haunt Itachi as he tried to block out the scenes being shown to him.

_Defeating Shisui in a practice fight, only to smile as he gave him a helping hand up…_

_A cake sent to him by Uchiha Uruchi for his 8th birthday…_

_Sasuke following him everywhere, idolizing his abilities…_

_The love and affection of his parents…_

It dawned upon Uchiha Itachi what his brother was trying to do. He was trying to get at his emotions…to make him feel regret over the destruction of his entire clan…to make him feel guilty for what he had done…by showing him images of the Uchiha being more to Itachi than just 'tests for his power'…

And, to the Akatsuki member's utter bewilderment…it was working.

xxxx

For the two Uchiha, the genjutsu went on for at least an hour.

In reality, only five seconds had passed.

Uchiha Sasuke remained silent as he stared straight at Itachi.

Suddenly…a tear came from the eldest brother's eye. Sasuke had not even imagined such a result. _Did it work?_

Itachi sighed as he glared quietly at his brother, tears leaking from his eyes all the while. "Quite clever brother…even though the spirit feels nothing, the flesh cries all the same." Up above in the sky, dark clouds were gathering, spouting off lightning. "Ah…Akira is preparing to use his most deadly jutsu…perhaps we should end our fight now." Itachi performed a familiar set of katas…except twice over. "**_Katon; Unari!_**"

Both arms were engulfed with fire.

Sasuke chuckled. "Ah…double or nothing…fine then…" Lightning crackled behind the youngest Uchiha as he performed the hand seals for **_Chidori_**…except twice over.

Itachi suddenly blinked; he saw the image of a lightning bolt about to strike Sasuke.

Sure enough, less than a second later, the lightning bolt came down.

But Sasuke had also been prepared…as he rose both hands up towards the bolt, just as his arms began to crackle with electricity.

_**CHIIIIRRRROOOOMM!**_

The sound was one that couldn't be heard anyone else: the sound of a bolt of lightning being severed.

The lightning bolt actually split into two before disappearing, leaving a thunderclap in its wake. Sasuke lowered his arms, which were still crackling as brightly as ever, if not more so; all of his hairs were standing on edge after the rough equivalent of 10,000,000 volts had coursed through him (had he not utilized the Chidori, he would've been considerably less well off). An ironic chuckle escaped him. "Heh…the power of **_Chidori_** in this form…is too great for even lightning." He glared at his brother with a frightening intensity. "It is now **_Raikiri_**."

Itachi said nothing as he shifted his feet in preparation for a charge. Sasuke did the same as his wings twitched.

An old grudge that ran deeper than their very blood…a hatred that had festered for years…a conflict that should've been absolved long ago…was about to be settled.

Now.

They both charged. Itachi clenched his hands into fists. Sasuke flapped his wings once for an extra speed boost before running as fast as he could.

They got closer to each other.

60 feet.

30 feet.

10 feet.

5 feet.

They struck.

Lightning struck near the battle between Naruto and Akira.

Several moments passed; neither of them dared to move.

Itachi's flaming arms were in the air, propped up by Sasuke's crackling left arm. His right hand…was right beside his older brother's neck.

Several more moments passed, with the only sounds coming from either of them being that of crackling flames or fizzling electricity.

Finally, Itachi sighed. "It seems you are victorious…I would commend you, if not for the fact you will be dead soon anyway."

Sasuke said nothing.

Itachi remained silent as his cold, collected mind thought back. He had joined Akatsuki at the age of 13…less than one year after destroying the Uchiha clan. The Leader, Mantarou…he had recognized his obvious skill…enlisted him in the hunt for the Tailed Demons and any vessels they might be hiding in. As a matter of fact…Itachi was the only one beside Orochimaru who knew of Mantarou's true plan for the demons…and Itachi had been told personally, while Orochimaru had discovered the truth via eavesdropping.

And to be frank, the true plan had presented a test that Itachi knew would try him to the utmost depths of his power…far more so than that of his slaughtering of the Uchiha clan.

"Before I join our ancestors in the pit of death…let me warn you that Akatsuki's Leader will come…and you will not survive."

Sasuke snorted. "Whatever you say."

One clean swipe laterally with the right hand. Itachi's head fell off, his open wound cauterized by the extreme heat of Sasuke's **_Raikiri_**.

The body fell backwards.

Sasuke sighed as his arms went limp, the electrical charge dissipating from them. _…it's over…finally over…_

All Sasuke could do to celebrate was stare at his brother's head in silence. His primary reason for living…was now gone.

Sasuke suddenly gagged as he fell to his knees, clutching at the origin of the Heaven curse seal on his neck. An unbearable spasm ran through his body as blood leaking from his mouth. The curse seal was finally taking its toll upon him.

After a few minutes passed, Sasuke finally got to his feet, a cold sweat covering his face. He picked up Itachi's head and walked toward the broken Obsidian Seal, his wings drooping along the battlefield.

xxxx

/Gaara's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

As Sasuke and Naruto began their final battles, Gaara was slowly getting to his knees.

His left arm was utterly useless. His chakra supply was dangerously low…and he didn't want to chance upon Shukaku's chakra, considering how he had been forcefully returned to his 'prison' in such a way.

Yet he still desired to help.

Gaara's mind quickly came up with a solution.

Without saying a word, he disappeared into the sand below.

xxxx

/Naruto's Flashback/

/Yesterday/

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

As Naruto calmly strode over towards Akira, Kyuubi was producing an awfully horrific sound. It sounded like the demon fox was retching.

**NEVER HAVE I EATEN SOMETHING SO FOUL. EVEN THE SOUR, FEATHERY CORPSE OF A TENGU TASTES BETTER.**

_Glad you liked it._

**I WILL KILL YOU FOR THIS.**

_As if you'd dare kill me. You'd only kill yourself, idiot!_

**COMPARED TO A LIFETIME WITH YOU, IT WOULD BE AN ACCEPTABLE LOSS. AT LEAST THEN I COULD TORTURE YOU IN HELL.**

_HEY! WATCH YOUR TONGUE!_

The Kyuubi only chuckled in response as Naruto seethed.

Meanwhile, Akira, sans Akatsuki cloak, calmly flexed his legs as he stopped. His blue sweatpants had a few holes in them, but nothing big. Also (to Naruto's surprise), he had few physical wounds…but even so, his entire body was covered with sweat. _Hmm…getting tired…at this rate, I'll die of exhaustion…_

Oh well. It didn't really matter anymore anyway.

Akira ran a hand through his short, blonde hair, staring at Naruto calmly with his blue eyes. "Well…I must say, I don't really have enough chakra left to battle too long with you…I've already surrendered myself to death, as a matter of fact."

Naruto blinked.

"But…" A sly smirk covered the former Waterfall ninja's face. "I'll show you my most powerful technique…after all, what's the point of going down in battle if you don't show your ace? Am I right?"

Naruto was silent for a moment. Then, he chuckled. "Heh…for a pervert and an S-class criminal…you're not bad." Naruto's chakra aura flared around him furiously as his body transformed into its 'half-demon' state: fangs, red eyes, and a fox-shaped aura.

"Aw, you're making me embarrassed," sarcastically quipped Akira as he performed some hand seals. "**_Suiton; Endainami no jutsu!_** Water Element; Grand Wave!" Akira spewed out a huge pool of water at the ground beneath his feet; in a matter of moments, a pool two feet deep and one hundred feet in diameter. The Akatsuki ninja grinned mischievously as he performed another set of hand seals. "Now…**_RAITON; RAIKARAI NO JUTSU!_** Lightning Element; Lightning Storm!"

The clouds in the sky suddenly started to converge, becoming darker as they grew more volatile. Akira was manipulating the air currents with his chakra, creating a thunderstorm in a near instantaneous amount of time. The Waterfall ninja chuckled as he flexed his neck. "Do you know how hot a lightning bolt is?"

Naruto blinked; he was being asked a question. "Uh…very hot?"

"50,000 degrees Farenheit…five times hotter than the surface of the sun!" Akira slightly winced as a dull pain came to his chest; if his already-tired body underwent more stress, he'd be the victim of a heart attack. "But lightning exists for the fraction of a second; so victims are not killed instantaneously…most of the time, that is."

"What's your point?" growled Naruto as his aura tail twitched.

Fujiwara Akira smirked as his body flared with blue chakra. "But think of this…what would happen if several lightning bolts struck this pool at once?"

Lightning crashed in the distance (the same one Sasuke split).

"Instant steam…and a lot of it too." At that moment, Akira jumped high above the water, closing his eyes and plugging his ears.

TWENTY lightning bolts struck the pool simultaneously. The sound and light nearly overwhelmed Naruto, who had been unprepared. "AGH!"

**SERVES YOU RIGHT.**

_Not…now…!_

As Akira had predicted, the twenty lightning bolts had completely evaporated the water into boiling hot steam. He quickly coalesced the vapor around him before shifting a large orb out and encompassing Naruto. "Okay…now to show you a special steam technique…**_Ninpou; Chakra Heisa! _**Art of Chakra Shutdown!"

Before Naruto could realize it, the orb of steam surrounding him suddenly became dull sticks that slammed into him all at once. "AGH!"

Akira smirked as he recalled the stream towards him, delighting in the sight of Naruto's chakra aura slightly flickering. "Heh…now 70 of your opening points have been closed." _Too bad for him I happen to have an in-depth knowledge of the human body…_

Despite that, Naruto's aura quickly solidified.

Akira chuckled. "Then again, when you have the Nine Tails as an alternate power source, your own chakra doesn't really matter, eh?"

"That's right," snarled Naruto as he held out his right hand. Chakra began swirling around the palm, forming the familiar **_Rasengan_**…except it sprouted it's own, light-blue aura, making it appear many times larger than normal. It was a sign of how much chakra had been pumped into it…and how deadly it was. "**_ODAMA RASENGAN!_**"

Naruto charged.

Akira quickly acted; even though his chances of victory were slim to none against this boy, he only had one shot of pulling it off. First off… "**_YUKEMURISEKI!_** Great Steam Barrier!" A small, concave disk of steam formed in front of him, the molecules packing tightly together in order to prevent anything from piercing it. Next… "You'll like this one kid! **_Narutotoujin no jutsu!_** Maelstrom of Blades!" The rest of the steam that didn't form the **_Yukemuriseki_** suddenly charged toward the demon vessel, forming a tube that was lined on the inside with razor-sharp blades of steam.

Uzumaki Naruto suddenly stopped his charge…and angrily roared, "**HEY!** YOU STOLE MY NAME!"

**I'M STILL WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO STEAL YOUR LIFE, AND YOU DON'T SEE ME COMPLAINING...**

_It's the only thing you do!_

**...MUCH.**

_RRR!_

**HU HU HU HU…**

_I'll KILL you!_

**PERHAPS YOU SHOULD WORRY ABOUT YOUR IMPENDING DEATH.**

"Eh?" muttered Naruto before the tube encompassed him; the blades immediately went to work slashing at him.

Akira chuckled. He had successfully psyched Naruto out. Perhaps he could beat this kid after all.

His minor hope was dashed as Naruto suddenly broke free of the jutsu, his entire body covered with cuts and blood. He didn't care to heal himself; he was too intent on killing the enemy in front of him.

Akira quickly focused all of his energy into maintaining the barrier.

Naruto slammed the **_Odama Rasengan_** into it.

To Akira's shock, it immediately started cracking. _No way…_ He had to get out. He leapt away-

Only to find that he couldn't. Two hands made of sand were holding his feet in place. _What the…?_

Naruto shattered the **_Yukemuriseki_** as the **_Odama Rasengan_** burst. Fujiwara Akira yelped as he was sent flying by the shockwave of air and chakra. Several moments later, he crashed against the desert floor in a heap.

Naruto chuckled as his chakra aura died down. "Heh…take that…you stinkin' pervert."

The dust cleared away from Akira, like birds fleeing a hunter. The former Waterfall ninja took deep, long gasps; he was absolutely exhausted. He tried to move-

"_**RRRRRRRRR!"**_

A strangled groan escaped his lips as he clutched his chest. Heart attack.

As his body endured tremendous agony, his mind was oddly calm. _Heh…that little boy is something else…it only took four shinobi to take down Akatsuki…well, except for Mantarou…he's far more powerful than any of us…_

At that moment, he died.

His body had simply broken under the strain.

Meanwhile, Gaara's face was peering out from the innards of the massive sand wall, staring out at Naruto as he walked away.

He had been able to help out after all.

xxxx

The sun was an orange disk in the sky.

Naruto, bloody as could be, walked towards the Obsidian Seal. As he neared it, he picked up Orochimaru's severed head.

He jumped onto the seal and saw Sasuke do the same thing over on the other side.

Uchiha Sasuke chuckled as the sight of Naruto. "You look absolutely worthless."

"So do you," lightly retorted Naruto. He casually tossed Orochimaru's head over to Sasuke, who caught it with his other hand. "I decided that you should keep that snake's head as a memento."

"Hmph," grumbled Sasuke as he sat down, both the heads of Itachi and Orochimaru by his side.

Naruto also sat down, his body more red than any other color.

Silence passed between them for the next few minutes. After all, what could one say? They had defeated Akatsuki. Orochimaru and Kabuto were dead, thus nullifying his threat for all eternity. Nine S-Class criminals (and one Jonin assistant). Dead.

Now there was only one…

"So idiot," said Naruto out of the blue. "How do you feel? I bet that Level 3 Curse Seal's making you feel like crap…"

"Kukukuku..." laughed Sasuke, impulsively laughing like Orochimaru.. "Don't get cute with me dunce. You aren't looking so good yourself." As he spoke, the power of the curse seal began to fade.

Naruto chuckled, his grin showing bloody teeth. "So...I've annihilated Orochimaru. You've killed Itachi...by the way, you should be thankful I left him for you..."

_Cocky fool_. Sasuke smirked, although it was more out of annoyance than anything else. His body was completely back to normal "I am grateful...but I'm afraid I have no reason to live now...have anything to say to that?" With a blink, his eyes reverted to normal; the Mangekyou Sharingan was no longer visible.

"...yeah." Naruto grinned as he stared at his rival's eyes; Sasuke already knew what to do. He just wanted to hear Naruto say it. "Find a new reason...cause if you don't...how else are you going to make a decent rival...to me...? After all..." He then flashed a toothy - yet bloody - grin at the last of the Uchiha. "I may have beaten Akatsuki...but a life in Konoha wouldn't be the same without 'Mr. Avenger'."

"Dumbass," muttered Sasuke, a strange smile on his face. "...however...I'm open to suggestions."

"Give me a little while...I'll think of something...I always do..." replied Naruto.

Then they both fell unconscious.

It was at that moment that Kakashi arrived.

xxxx

/Present Day/

/Hospital, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"**I DESPISE HAPPY ENDINGS,"** grumbled the Nine Tails as his aura body flared with anger.

"Who gives a crap about what you think?" retorted Naruto as he glared at the diminutive phantasm.

Meanwhile, Sasuke had fallen oddly silent; recounting the entire battle with Naruto and the Kyuubi had only reminded him of one important fact. "We still have Akatsuki's Leader to deal with…Itachi said he was more powerful than any of the others."

Naruto laughed out of glee. "Who cares who the stinkin' Leader is? We'll trash him just like the others!"

It was at this moment that the door opened.

Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage, stepped in, still wearing her morning robes. "Good morning."

Sasuke lightly frowned. "Ah…the true image of leadership: a woman in pajamas."

That sent Naruto howling; after all, it was something HE would've said. "Heh heh heh heh, hahahahaha! Priceless!"

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched as she calmly said, "I'll chalk that up as to battle fatigue…now, down to business. Once you boys are-"

"**GREETINGS."**

Tsunade blinked at the sound of that unearthly deep voice. She looked down at the source…and saw a tiny nine-tailed fox made of red aura sitting on the floor.

Silence.

"**_DEMON FOX!"_** roared Tsunade as she stamped her foot down. The Kyuubi leapt back onto Naruto's chest as the Fifth left a hole in the floor. She snarled as she raised her fist, swinging it down toward the demon fox.

Naruto, unfortunately, saw what was coming. "NO! WAIT! STO-"

_**SLAM!**_

Naruto howled as he was sent crashing down through several floors, all the way down to the main lobby in a heap of torn bedding and broken tiles.

Fortunately for the Nine Tails, the body he had been in was made of simple aura; hitting it would do no harm to his spirit.

Unfortunately for Naruto, Tsunade's fist had plunged straight through the Nine Tails' fake body and slammed into him.

Tsunade blinked. "Um…oops."

Sasuke sweatdropped. _Idiots._

Inside Naruto's head, a familiar voice sounded out.

**HU HU HU HU HU HU…I TOLD YOU I WOULD PAY YOU BACK.**

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**Almost Home! Celebration over Akatsuki's Defeat!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: FINALLY! The Akatsuki battle is DONE! (dances) I don't know about you guys, but I've had enough fighting for now. :P

Just a quick question; who was your favorite Akatsuki character? And what was your most favorite jutsu techniques (you can list more than one)?

See you soon, and please review!


	16. Almost Home!

Standard Disclaimer: Naruto is his own guy, so I can't really own him. Except in Halo 2. Then, I utterly own him.

Author's Notes: Well…the Akatsuki battle is over. Finally.

To the reviews!

raging hobo: It was the Zanbato. Not a 'lance thingy'.

Dragon Man 180: Kakashi's Raikiri is stronger than Sasuke's Chidori, but the techniques are roughly the same. Just different in strength. As it is, Sasuke at Curse Seal Level 3's Raikiri is stronger than regular Sasuke's Chidori.

Arsenel: The battle's over, but the story's not over…

Yamimaru: The details of how the Mangekyou Sharingan is obtained are very sketchy to begin with; I'm convinced there are different ways of gaining the Mangekyou (points to Kakashi). And when it said that the Kyuubi had shown Naruto how to summon him…I said that his contract was now to the foxes, not the frogs. Naturally, a signing of a contract is implied.

Cloud-821: I guess you prefer good guys. :P

Mistress DragonFlame: Zanbato. Not 'halberd-thing'.

aznpuffyhair: Kyuubi fetish? o.o;

ariel stormcloud: Thanks.

Angel of Fire: Akira, easily.

TimeShifter: I prefer to keep from hinting at pairings outside the story, but you can probably guess my preference. ;)

crakbaby23: FIRE!

Skuld's Sentaro 5: Welcome to Legacy!

Toenail: He was also a pervert. :P

Audriel: It's weird; I regard my current update times (one chapter a week for each story, meaning updates for this story are three weeks apart on average) as slow, and everyone thinks they're fast. o.o

AJ-Writer: Giggle McChumBucket.

G Man: It was implied in chapter one (Akira once tried to kill the leader of the Hidden Waterfall Village), but I'll go in-depth later on. At least I'm offering some explanation (glances at the manga's Deidara, who blew up without much of a fight).

Viky: Ha ha.

Facading: Geez, everyone likes Itachi. o.o

Konoha Ninja Sasuke's Lover: Dude, it's the Nine Tailed Fox. How would YOU react in a knee-jerk decision like that, especially if you're Tsunade? You attack.

Fayte Angel: (smiles) The Akatsuki battle comprised the majority of part one…and there are four parts to this story. ;P

This chapter's a bit shorter than recent ones...but it's to be expected. After all, there's no fighting. o.-

Begin!

xxxx

_**Almost Home! Celebration over Akatsuki's Defeat!**_

xxxx

/Outside Sawagakure, River Country/

Sawagakure. The Hidden Marsh Village. Although it was the ninja village for the River Country, it was not like Konohagakure for two reasons. One: it was nowhere near as big…and two: it was the prime training location for the River Country Military.

It was a fact Hatake Kakashi was well aware of as he walked alone with Haruno Sakura out of the village – which was located in the midst of foggy wetlands, hidden by willows and tall grass – via one of the few walkways that stood on dry ground. It was a perfect spot for training soldiers; the hardened plains that the village stood on were hidden from the outside by the fog and the thick marsh surrounding the village was an exceptional barrier.

The pink-haired Chuunin – hands wrapped around a bag full of food bought in Sawagakure – frowned at the Jonin's silent expression. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. Merely thinking about the direction the River Country is taking in terms of its protectors," remarked Kakashi, a bag full of food also slung over his shoulders. "Why do you ask?"

The girl merely frowned in response. "It's just that you became so quiet when we entered the village and saw the men with those…rifles?"

Hatake Kakashi could've pretended to be surprised that Sakura knew that, but she was the apprentice of Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage. Of course she would be privy to information that other Chuunin wouldn't know. "It's because the approach that the River Country is taking might put the ninja away for good."

Haruno Sakura blinked out of confusion. "You're joking, right? I mean, I know about those 'rifles'…how they shoot iron projectiles called 'bullets'…and that they come at you faster than any shuriken or kunai can. But a good ninja could avoid it, right?"

"Yes…although it would be difficult, even for someone like me," remarked the Copy Ninja as the fog slowly began to dissipate; soon, they would reach the series of small, bush-covered bluffs where the other Konoha-nin were waiting for them. "It's a lot cheaper to manufacture those weapons, train several dozen young men over one month to use them properly, and prepare them for combat…and considering that it takes several years to eventually have three groups of three ninja students climb the ladder to Jonin, they could have an army of over 10,000 by then."

Sakura blanched; that prospect was scary. Even the world's most elite ninja would be facing an impossible task by taking on an army of 10,000. And it wasn't like the 'rifles' were the only modern weapon invention; amongst the Hokage's papers, she had seen reports of long-distance weapons that fired huge projectiles, as well as something called a 'tank'. "But…it's not like ninja will be obsolete, right?"

"Of course not. An army can't perform assassinations…but for years, ninja have been tasked with defending their home country from invaders." Kakashi sighed as he suddenly smiled, his lips hidden by his suit. "But that's a subject for another day; Akatsuki and Orochimaru have both been vanquished, and both Naruto and Sasuke are home. We should be thinking happy thoughts."

Sakura nodded with a wide smile. _Yes…Sasuke-kun's back…_ Her step became lighter as the two walked on.

xxxx

/Hokage's Office, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Tsunade sighed as she stared at Naruto and Sasuke from behind her desk. As usual, there was a load of paperwork…but her attention, for the moment, was on the two boys in front of you. "Uzumaki Naruto. Uchiha Sasuke…the first still technically a Genin, and the other a traitorous renegade Ukenin turned Oto-nin…but both have, in one day, done more for this village than most Jonin accomplish in their lifetime. Now, first of all…let me say thank you."

Sasuke was indifferent. Naruto merely grinned. "Heh heh. All in a day's work for the future Hokage!"

"**YOU'D BE SURPRISED HOW QUICKLY THAT GETS ANNOYING."**

Naruto, Sasuke, and Tsunade frowned at the sight of the mini-Kyuubi aura appearing on the blonde boy's head. The Godaime – the Fifth Hokage – asked, "Can't you lock him back inside? I'd rather not have HIM out of all things whilst I debrief you."

The demon vessel grumbled irritably. "You think I like it anymore than you do?" He glared angrily at the demon fox. "GET BACK IN!"

"**AND RETURN TO YOUR CRAMPED INNARDS? I DECLINE."**

"And I say SHOO!"

"**MAKE ME."**

Tsunade frowned as she watched Naruto bicker with the fox spirit. The mere sight of the beast – composed of chakra aura though he was – was enough to send shivers up her spine. After all, the Nine Tails had once ravaged Konoha; she had every right to be frightened.

But there was a difference between fright hidden, and fright shown. She slammed her foot onto the floor, creating a small crack that splintered across the wooden surface. "QUIET!"

"Yes ma'm," squeaked Naruto out of sudden fear. The Nine Tails snorted. **"SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPOSED BRAVADO. COWERING IN THE FACE OF A WOMAN…HOW PATHETIC."**

Tsunade ignored Kyuubi's words as she said, "Listen…I want you both to tell me what happened during the battle. From the beginning. Naruto, tell me what made you go to Sunagakure…and Sasuke, tell me why you went as well."

So the tale began.

Naruto told of Akatsuki's note and his three-day trip to Sunagakure. He spoke of the fight with Kisame, then the battle with Sasori and Deidara. He mentioned Jiraiya's arrival at this point.

At this time, Sasuke spoke, detailing why he had come after the battle with Sasori and Deidara had ended. He revealed his Level 3 Curse Seal, and spoke of how he had freed Gaara from the 'Obsidian Seal'. Naruto interjected again, speaking of the splintered battles that began taking place; Sasuke vs. Itachi/Jiraiya vs. Shuu/Gaara vs. Hiroto and Koumorimaru/Naruto vs. Akira. Then Sasuke had mentioned Orochimaru and Kabuto's arrival. Naruto spoke of how he had seen Shukaku fighting Henpuku-Kami and Manda, summoned by Gaara to battle.

Kyuubi interjected as well, telling of how he had felt upon being freed…as well as the pain he had inflicted. Sasuke spoke of Orochimaru's attempt to claim him…and the Naruto spoke of his last-second save. Finally, each ninja recounted their own respective battles with Itachi and Akira.

The tale lasted about an hour. When it ended, the Fifth leaned back into her chair, rubbing her eyes out of anxiety. "I see…" _So, Itachi is dead…and so is Orochimaru._ That was a particularly big boost to her mood; the fact that Sarutobi's killer and overall archenemy of Konoha was dead was VERY good news. _The village ninja and civilians will love to hear that_, thought Tsunade as she stared at Naruto. "That's very impressive…two ninja, technically still rookies…" Naruto scowled at this; he had been unfortunately reminded of this upon his return to the village from his 3-year string of training with Jiraiya (imagine his frustration when he learned that he was still Genin while everyone else in his graduating class had ascended in the ranks…even CHOUJI had more authority than him!). "…but still strong enough to eliminate Akatsuki and Orochimaru on your own…with some help from Jiraiya and the Kazekage, of course."

Naruto smirked. Sasuke was silent. Kyuubi snorted.

"However," Tsunade's eyes hardened into a glare; a glare directed at Naruto. "It disturbs me that you summoned a body for the Kyuubi's soul…such a thing shouldn't be possible…" Her eyes slightly widened. "Unless…your summoning contract with the frogs was replaced with one binding yourself to the foxes."

Naruto grumbled. "Yeah, what of it?"

Tsunade glowered. **_"IDIOT!"_**

The blonde boy yelped as he suddenly ducked.

_SLAM!_

He feebly turned around, shaking at the sight of the paperweight that had gone through a wall…and another…and another…and more and more until it completely flew out of the building entirely.

Sasuke casually raised an eyebrow. _Hmm. Perhaps I underestimated this woman's strength._

"Fool…" growled Tsunade as she stood, pounding her fists on the table. "I can understand tapping into the demon fox's power to supplement your own chakra…but willingly signing a contract with fox demons to _SUMMON_ a body for him? Did it ever occur to you that he could just run off and do whatever he wanted to do?"

"Of course I did! Do you think I'm an idiot?" demanded Naruto.

Tsunade bluntly answered, "Yes."

Naruto nearly fell on his face out of exasperation. The Nine Tails chuckled. **"THIS WOMAN IS NOT SO BAD IF SHE HATES YOUR GUTS AS MUCH AS I DO. THEN AGAIN, I THINK ALL OF YOU HUMANS ARE NOTHING MORE THAN WORTHLESS SACKS OF FLESH."**

Tsunade gave the Kyuubi one quick glare. Finally, she turned towards the demon vessel and said, "Why? Why give the Nine Tailed Fox a chance to wreak havoc?"

Naruto flashed one of his infamous 'devil-may-care' grins. It was a grin that always indicated 'to HECK with the consequences of my actions!' "Heh. For one, the Kyuubi needs me alive; otherwise his spirit can't go into the body. A summoned body without me is nothing but a big, useless furball!"

"**SOMETHING I INTEND TO RECTIFY VERY SOON."**

"And…Akatsuki planned to use us. If there's one thing the fox and I can agree upon, is that we HATE to be used by utter scumbags." His stern tone was immediately replaced by a cocky one. "And you know what, we ended up kicking their asses!"

"**UNTIL YOU RUINED MY FUN. THEN EVERYTHING GOT BORING."**

Naruto snorted. "There's no pleasing you."

"**NOTHING YOU DO WILL EVER PLEASE ME, SHORT OF AN AGONIZING DEATH."**

Sasuke remained silent as he watched his former Team Seven ally trade verbal blows with the mighty Tailed Demon. Suddenly, Tsunade turned her attention to him. "Now Sasuke…first of all: your Curse Seal. Is it still there?"

Within the space of ten seconds, he upgraded all the way to Level 3. "Does this answer your question?"

The Fifth momentarily shuddered at the sight of Sasuke's radically changed form. Regaining control of herself, she asked, "Hmm…do you have total control over it?"

"Yes. It's gotten to the point where the seal no longer comes into effect merely because I use chakra…but even so, my body deteriorates if I stay like this for long periods of time." He calmly repressed the power of the 'Heaven' seal, his body once again returning to normal. "And I'm sure you're wondering what my plans are now."

"That would be correct," answered Tsunade. In the background, Naruto and the Kyuubi were still bickering. "Naturally, your Sharingan eye is a very valuable power…and you are now the only Uchiha alive who possesses it. That's a very big matter with the Council of Elders and many of the clan leaders, who would very much like it if you were to revive the Uchiha. However, there are also many within the village who utterly despise you for betraying Konoha…and I can't blame them." Tsunade frowned as the bickering grew louder. "And now to my main point…"

"YOU STUPID THROW-RUG!"

"**MEATBAG."**

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched.

xxxx

Moments later, Naruto was sent flying out the window, a firm footprint on his butt.

Six seconds later, Naruto landed on the face of the Fifth Hokage. "…ow…"

The voice of the Kyuubi rang out in his mind as he fell.

**HOW APPROPRIATE.**

xxxx

Tsunade sighed as she sat back down, rubbing her temples. "Now…as I was saying…what are you going to do, now that you're back in Konohagakure?"

The last of the Uchiha was silent, his dark eyes staring straight in Tsunade's. Finally…

"Repentance."

The Godaime blinked. "Repentance?"

"Yes," muttered Sasuke as he folded his hands. "Work as a Leaf ninja once more…to pay off my debt to you. If you forgive me, fine. If you don't, that is fine also. I can't blame you…because my main goal now is to revive my clan."

Tsunade was silent as she stared intently at the young boy…so young, yet one who had seen much. Finally, the buxom woman leaned back, saying, "Very well…officially, I'm going to have to renew your ninja license, and even then, you'll have to prove your worth by going on numerous missions. Given your level of skill, B-rank missions will be your starting point. Until your trust can be regained, you will be regarded with suspicion by almost everyone."

Sasuke didn't even flinch as the Fifth stood up. "Unofficially…" A small smile came to her face as she extended a hand. "Welcome back."

The Uchiha said nothing as he shook her hand.

The bridge had been lowered. Now he just had to cross it.

xxxx

/Two Days Later/

/Outside Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Jiraiya, Hatake Kakashi, Hyuga Neji, Maito Gai, Haruno Sakura, Rock Lee, Hyuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, Yamanaka Ino, and Nara Shikamaru all stood outside of the walls of Konohagakure. Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Gai were holding the body bags containing the corpses of Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Itachi, respectively. Lee sighed out of content. "Ah…the village may still be in need of repairs, but it is good to be home all the same! Especially after such a ferocious battle!"

"Lee, we didn't take part of the battle against Akatsuki," reminded Shikamaru with an annoyed grimace.

"It's the spirit that counts!" bellowed Gai as his teeth (somehow, considering it was the dead of night) shined. "Isn't that right Lee?"

Lee gave a thumbs-up: his 'nice-guy' pose. "Yes sir, Gai-sensei!"

The large, wooden gates slowly opened to let the group of ten ninja in.

To their shock, the streets were lined with paper lanterns, streamers, and stands full of proprietors selling their wares to a very exuberant populace.

Akamaru yipped from Kiba's jacket as the hairy Chuunin snorted. "What gives? How come they throw a party after we decide to leave?"

"GUYSH!"

Everyone blinked at the sound of a VERY inebriated TenTen stumbling over to them. Apparently, she had taken a sip of some sake by accident (or was it?). Neji paled at the sight. "TenTen…you're drunk?"

"I didn't mean toooo…" TenTen shook her head to try and clear the strange buzz that had gripped her. "Buuut…it'sh okay! Everyone'sh shelebrating the defeat of Orooshimaru and Akatshuuuuki!"

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. _It seems Tsunade decided to let everyone know of the battle's outcome._ He wondered how much of it the old woman had revealed. A light smile coated the Ero-Sennin's face as he thought of how packed the hot springs would be right now. _Heh…perhaps after meeting the old witch I should see how the village's women are faring…_ "It's been a long time since any of you kids have had some relaxation…I'll take the bodies to the Hokage." He calmly hoisted Kabuto and Itachi's bag over his right shoulder before leaping off toward the palace.

Silence.

"WOOO!" cheered Kiba as he and Akamaru burst off running. "Time to play games Akamaru!"

"Ruff ruff!"

Shikamaru groaned as he glanced at a stand for miso soup. "If I know Chouji, he'll be out and about, stuffing his face."

Ino sweatdropped. "And forgetting that he's still injured from using the pills. GAH…" She worriedly walked off to look for her teammate, muttering, "I swear, he's such a pig."

Shikamaru sighed as he followed, a sardonic thought coming to mind._Like you're one to talk, Ms. Anorexia._

TenTen, meanwhile, happily grabbed a bottle strapped to her waist and pulled the cap. "Heeere! Thish shtuff is greeeat…" She held it towards Lee, who paled. "Um…it is legal for me to drink, yes fellow teammate?"

"I dunno," mumbled the drunk Chuunin as she poured about four ounces down the Taijutsu specialist's throat. "Made me feel funny though."

Gai quickly swiped the bottle and took a sniff.

He paled. _Oh no…this is the sake TenTen drank._ A chill ran down his spine; Lee had very low tolerance for alcohol, which meant he got drunk quickly. And when he got drunk…

"**WOOOO!"** roared Lee as he gave Gai the thumbs-up. "TEN-TEN WAS RIGHT! IT IS TIME FOR US TO HAVE FUN!" The now-inebriated Taijutsu user leapt high into the air…only to crash down on a roof. He merely shook it off and kept on leaping.

Gai scowled. "This isn't good. Neji, I'll deal with Lee, you keep Ten-Ten occupied!" As the older Jonin jumped away, Neji tried to protest. "But, wait…"

"Come ooooon Neji-kun!" cheered TenTen as she grabbed the Hyuga's arm. "Let'sh go have shome fuuuuun!" The Jonin could only grown as the exuberant Chuunin dragged him away.

Kakashi, Sakura, and Hinata blinked. The Jonin muttered, "Well. That didn't take long."

"No kidding," grumbled Sakura. Hinata merely made a mumbling sound to herself as she twiddled her thumbs.

"You should have been here for the speech."

The three ninja turned to see none other than Aburame Shino…holding an ice cream cone. He calmly retorted, "What? I can't enjoy myself as well?"

Kakashi asked, "What speech?"

Shino calmly licked the top off of the chocolate cone before saying, "The Fifth's speech. She told everyone about the deaths of Orochimaru and Uchiha Itachi, along with the rest of Akatsuki. Naturally, not everyone gelled to the idea that Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto were the ones mostly responsible for this turn of events…you know the stigma associated with their names."

Kakashi frowned (he knew how petty some of the villagers were). Sakura gulped (she hoped Sasuke was okay). Hinata glanced downward (how come no one gave Naruto a second look except her…?). The Jonin asked, "Where are they know? Sasuke and Naruto, I mean."

Shino adjusted his shades as he answered, "Sasuke is at the Uchiha grounds." The grounds of the Uchiha clan within the village, despite being unused, had been left alone…because seeing as how Sasuke was still alive, all possessions of the Uchiha belonged to him. Sakura quickly leapt onto the nearest building and leapt from rooftop to rooftop towards the Uchiha grounds.

"And Naruto-kun?" asked Hinata.

The bug user merely pointed towards the head of the Fourth Hokage atop Monument Range. Even from there, a tiny dot could be seen sitting atop the rocky bust.

Hinata quickly took off for Monument Range.

Kakashi looked down at Shino.

The bug user calmly held his ice cream cone out. "Want it?"

"No."

"At least I tried," muttered the emotionless Shino as he calmly walked away, finishing off his treat. Kakashi sweatdropped as he watched the boy walk away. _He needs to work on his social skills._

xxxx

The moon shined down upon the empty Uchiha grounds.

Sasuke was sitting atop the roof of his father's house. The celebration that Konoha's denizens were experiencing was not for him; it was clear most people in the village – even some of his former ninja colleagues – did not trust him. That was fine by him. After all, he hadn't earned their trust. Not like Naruto had. _But that doesn't stop most of the villagers from hating his guts_, thought Sasuke with a hint of irony.

_Thip._

Sasuke slightly turned his head to see the figure that had just jumped onto the roof. "…you've cut your hair."

Haruna Sakura fidgeted slightly as her short pink hair fluttered in the sudden wind. "Um, yes…I hope you don't mind." _After all, I know how you prefer girls with long hair…_

"It doesn't really matter either way," replied Sasuke, his eyes turning back to the moon. Sakura seemed slightly sad at this; he still seemed so detached from all others. She so desperately wanted to be the bridge to his emotions…after all, her heart belonged to him. The Chuunin quietly sat down next to the Uchiha, the sounds of celebration ringing in the distance.

Sakura feebly asked, "So…are you…leaving again soon?" Please no please no she'd been waiting for him to return so don't leave now after so long nonono-

"To where?" asked Sasuke to no one in particular, much to Sakura's confusion. "There's nowhere else in this world that would accept someone like me. My only ties to anything now are here…if I abandoned this place again, I would only drift until nothingness consumed me."

The apprentice of Tsunade remained silent at Sasuke's words; he was still sorting through so much…she didn't know the full details of the battle with Akatsuki, but she knew it had somehow changed his perception of the world around him. Maybe it had been his fated duel with Itachi…or had it been something else (had she been more astute, she would've recognized Naruto's fingerprints all over this)? Nevertheless…she wanted to be there to help him. "So…does this mean…?"

Sasuke quizzically turned to face Sakura, his eyes contorted into an expression of…well, she couldn't really describe it. It was so mesmerizing, the way those eyes had that effect on her…

"I'm not leaving Konoha," suddenly said Sasuke as he once more looked up at the moon. "I have to revive the Uchiha, as I vowed to do a long time ago…it'll take a while. But I have to do it…and in the meanwhile, I'll be fighting as a shinobi…earning my repentance."

Sakura's heart skipped a beat. "You…you're not leaving?"

Without looking, the boy answered, "No."

Sakura felt a million emotions swell through her, threatening to overwhelm her heart. Before she realized it, tears were gathering on her eyes…and without even thinking, she buried her face into his lap, sobbing out of joy and a pain that had been with her ever since he had left three years ago.

Sasuke looked down at Sakura, as if mystified by her reaction. He was fully aware of why she was crying…and he was also aware that he was unable to reciprocate these feelings. At least, not yet. But maybe soon…

All Sasuke did was calmly stroke her hair with one hand as his dark eyes stared into the sky above, Sakura crying all the while. And as tears began to stain the boy's clothes, one thought ran through the girl's mind.

_Naruto…thank you for bringing Sasuke-kun back…_

Naruto had indeed kept his Promise of a Lifetime.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**A Fool Realizes his Foolishness! Naruto and Hinata!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: Blarg. This chapter should NOT have taken so long. x.x

Meh. Oh well…judging from the last scene in this chapter and the next chapter's title, you readers should know my stance on pairings. :P

See you soon, and please review!


	17. A Fool Realizes his Foolishness!

Standard Disclaimer: None of you know what it takes to be a ninja. For one, you must know that Law Ninja will decapitate me if I don't cooperate by saying I don't own Naruto.

Author's Notes: Okay folks, I might as well announce official pairings…at least, the first two. You probably know them; Naruto/Hinata and Sasuke/Sakura. Don't like it? Too bad. In other news, Mattel has the toy license for Naruto.

And due to the new update on FFnet…it is official. Replying to reviews is no longer allowed. Crap.

From here on, I'll send a reply to each of my reviewers, starting with the next chapter. It's just…crap. I really like replying to my reviewers so that everyone can see.

Begin!

xxxx

_**A Fool Realizes his Foolishness! Naruto and Hinata!**_

xxxx

/Hokage's Office, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Tsunade sighed as she poured herself a small cup of sake from a glass bottle. The recent days had been very tiring to her…physically and mentally. _I need to sleep at least four hours tonight…_

"Well if it isn't Ms. Vanity."

Tsunade shot a glare at her former teammate: Jiraiya. She sarcastically shot back, "Well if it isn't Mr. Skirt-chaser."

"Touche," replied the Pevert-Sennin as he pulled up a chair. "Mind if I help myself to some of the sake?"

"Go ahead," grumbled the Fifth as her former teammate poured himself a bottle of the transparent alcohol. "It's been a very tiresome week…so please make it quick."

Jiraiya chuckled. "The life of a Hokage is always busy. But if you must know why I'm here, then I'll show you." The old man calmly stood up, stepping outside the office doors. Moments later, he dragged three body bags into the room. "Behold; the three traitors."

Tsunade suddenly froze as her eyes were fixated upon the left body bag. "…is HE in there?"

"Yes…the snake is dead. As to who killed him, I would guess that it was either Sasuke or the idiot." Jiraiya took another sip.

A sneer came from Tsunade. "Ah. The idiot. He lives up to his name." She took another swig of the sake before pouring more into her cup.

Jiraiya turned silent as he stared intently at Tsunade, trying to read her features. It came naturally to him; she was like an open book to him. "So…did the boy do something to tick you off?"

"You could say that," remarked the Hokage as she rubbed her temples. "It involves a certain Nine Tailed Fox…" So she told him about how Naruto, Sasuke, and the Kyuubi recollected the fight against Akatsuki (Jiraiya's look of shock had been quite priceless) earlier. She spoke of how the boy had changed his summoning contracts, switching from the Frogs to the Foxes to which the Nine Tails belonged.

When the tale ended, the Frog-Hermit had down two more cups of sake. He seemed silent and down; perhaps he was merely thinking about what to do next. Finally, with a sigh, he muttered, "That boy has a penchant for doing stupid things, doesn't he?"

Tsunade nodded. "What are you going to do about it?"

To that, Jiraiya adroitly replied, "Nothing."

"WHAT?" roared Tsunade as she leapt to her feet. "Are you insane? Has too much sake gone to your head or something? This can only mean trouble in the future…what if someone in the village found out during a battle or a mission that Naruto could summon the Nine Tailed Fox at will? Simple; he'd be dragged out into an open square and lynched by a mob."

"I don't like it anymore than you do," remarked Jiraiya, his gaze and tone indicating his seriousness. And truthfully, he was; such a matter was of grave importance. Naruto had worked far too hard to only be brought down before his prime, before he had the chance to live life to the fullest. To inadvertently end that life now, after all that boy had done…would be a crime of the highest magnitude imaginable. "I'm going to find him and talk to him. To make sure he understands when and when not to summon the beast. Considering the nature of their…shall we say, 'symbiotic' relationship…this was bound to be a natural step. I was actually wondering why the boy hadn't tried this stunt sooner."

The Fifth merely blinked out of slight surprise. Then again, the man – despite his perverted nature – WAS a Legendary Leaf. That meant his mind was as capable as his jutsus or his ninja skills. "…very well. Do what you must."

Jiraiya nodded as he calmly walked away, leaving the body bags behind. Before exiting the door, he cheekily asked, "So…you want to go somewhere with me? I have enough money to rent a fancy hotel suite!"

"Get lost," grumbled Tsunade as her eyebrow twitched.

Jiraiya could only smirk. Couldn't blame him for trying.

xxxx

/Monument Range, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Hyuga Hinata was nervous.

After all, she was about to meet with the boy she had practically adored and worshipped – well, maybe not THAT far, but she did adore him – most of her life. A boy that had been gone for three years. A boy that she loved.

Hinata gulped. Did he return her love? No, it wasn't possible…she should just turn back now…

The girl immediately shook her head. She would not back down. She had been waiting for this moment for years. She would tell her feelings to Naruto now.

But there was the possibility that it would make him nervous and cause him to get defensive. Hinata cringed at the thought of offending him. _I should leave…_

_No!_ More shaking of the head. She had come too far. She had to say it sooner or later, or else she'd explode.

But what if she said something wrong? What if it caused Naruto to hate her? And what if he still loved Sakura? _No…he couldn't possibly love me…I shouldn't bother…_

_No, no NO!_ Vigorous shaking of the head. Hinata clutched her skull out of agony; what was she supposed to do? She had waited for this moment for a long time; she had even practiced what to say to him! She couldn't get cold feet now!

Gulping in an attempt to remove her hesitation, Hinata trudged forward through the small forest that atop Monument Range, heading for the top of the Fourth Hokage's bust. After a few minutes of walking, she emerged in the clear, seeing the whole night sky of stars and moon.

Naruto could be seen, sitting cross-legged atop one of the Fourth's 'stands of hair'. It was essentially the highest point of the bust, making him seem more like an irregular bump than a person. Hinata calmly approached, her body quivering all the while. She should turn back. She wasn't ready!

Naruto turned to face her. "Thought I heard someone. That you Hinata?"

"Eeek!" squeaked Hinata at Naruto's voice. Quickly regaining her composure (how embarrassing!), she mumbled, "Yes…hello Naruto-kun."

The blonde ninja blinked at the sight of Hinata's Chuunin outfit in the full moonlight. It was different from three years ago; gone was the thick jacket, replaced by a black jumpsuit that covered her entire body from neck to ankle. She wore thin leather shoes with no laces, allowing her to slip them on easily. A white sash was wrapped around her waist, and detachable white sleeves lined her arm from the elbow down to the wrist. Finally, her Leaf hitai-ate was wrapped around her waist, serving as a bind for the sash.

Believe it or not, Naruto actually gave a wolf whistle. "Wow! You finally ditched that stupid jacket. You actually look good when you dress like a girl!"

"Um…thank you Naruto-kun," said Hinata with a blush. Other girls would've taken offense at the obvious sarcasm…but SHE knew different. She had watched Naruto for a long time. She knew it was a compliment. "I…was wondering why you aren't down there in the village, celebrating. After all, you DID help defeat Akatsuki…"

"Feh, like any of those people down there care," grumpily replied Naruto. "They still don't respect me; I mean, it's just too frickin' annoying to continue to do all this cool stuff and get nothing but flak from them! They wouldn't even bother to look in my direction."

**I WOULDN'T WANT TO LOOK AT YOU EITHER.**

Naruto ignored the voice of the Nine Tails that echoed through his head. He couldn't afford to let the stupid fox leak through now; not in front of Hinata. "Oh well…I know what I did, and I know there ARE people who care. After all, that's why I waited, so everyone else could get here."

Hinata smiled. She couldn't understand why people didn't want to give Naruto a second thought; he had done so many great things too. After all, he had waited for everyone else before even deciding to party. "Um…everyone else has returned, by the way…"

"I know. After all, you're here, aren't you?"

Hinata was quiet. If Naruto knew that, then why was he still here?

Suddenly, the blonde ninja asked, "So…I heard that Konoha was attacked."

"Um…yes," muttered Hinata. "Ukenin sent by Akatsuki and Oto-nin from the Sound."

Naruto grinned mischievously. "Heh heh heh…did you kick butt?"

**AND YOU WONDER WHY GIRLS DON'T LIKE YOU.**

_Shut up! Like you're one to talk._

**ON THE CONTRARY; ALL THE WOMEN IN MY HOME BEGGED TO TAKE MY SEED.**

_Pfft. What'd you do, romance em' with a crappy song?_

**ONE MERE GLANCE AT MY TESTICLES WOULD SENDTHE FEMALES SWOONING…AND THE MALES GROWLING WITH JEALOUSY.**

_You're lying._

**WHY DO YOU THINK I HAVE NINE TAILS, IF NOT TO HIDE MY 'PACKAGE'?**

Naruto scowled as the Kyuubi laughed. Wonderful; now the fox was picking up human colloquialisms.

"Naruto-kun…why are you scowling…?"

The fox boy blinked before immediately chuckling. "Eh, just thinking about Akatsuki…we still have that leader to deal with."

**NICE REBOUND.**

_Bite me!_

**TRUST ME; IF I COULD, I WOULD.**

Hinata frowned; Naruto was scowling again. He still had to battle in the near future…against the leader of Akatsuki. To see Naruto so focused on protecting Konoha was heartening…but it also made her sad. After all, the 15-year old boy needed to relax. Otherwise he'd snap.

Suddenly, she giggled.

Naruto blinked at Hinata's sudden fit of giggles. "What's so funny?"

"Well, um…the class reunion…remember?" The smile on her face was wide and unmistakably happy.

Naruto frowned…and then realization hit him. "Oh…OH." He suddenly started laughing, remembering what exactly Hinata was referring to. "THAT…that was one heck of a prank."

xxxx

/Naruto's Flashback (IT RETURNS)/

/One Day Before Naruto's Departure to Sunagakure/

/Hallway, Ninja Academy, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Team Gai: Rock Lee, Hyuga Neji, and TenTen.

Team Kurenai: Inuzuka Kiba, Hyuga Hinata, and Aburame Shino. Oh, and one dog named Akamaru.

Team Asuma: Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, and Akimichi Chouji.

One-third of Team Kakashi: Haruno Sakura.

All ten of them were heading towards the main auditorium of the Ninja Academy, where they would be holding a reunion of all the members of the class that had graduated three years ago; Team Gai had decided to attend for a few reasons.

One: it was an excuse to relax and reacquaint themselves with the younger ninja.

Two: Neji was Hinata's cousin.

Three: …a certain knucklehead ninja was back after an absence of three years.

Kiba smirked as Akamaru's head hung out of his thick jacket. "Feh. It's been too frickin' long since that idiot's been here. I've been meaning to repay him for our fight during the Chuunin Exams…just wait till he sees our **_Waau-Rufu-Kyou_**, Akamaru!"

"RUFF!"

"I'm just here for the free food," said Chouji as he licked his lips out of anticipation. Ino grumbled as she resisted the urge to smack the fat….er, 'pleasantly plump' Chuunin. "Come on; you want to see Naruto again just as much as us."

Shikamaru sighed out of annoyance. "Just don't bicker you two; it's bad enough that I have to deal with the gossip coming from the kids in class." Yes; Shikamaru, being a Chuunin of a few years, had chosen to start teaching strategy classes at the Academy on the side whenever he didn't have a mission. All the rumors he heard…one particularly interesting one was that Ino and Chouji were a couple. As to the truth of it…he could only guess.

Lee merely pumped his fist and exclaimed with enthusiasm. "OOOOOOH! This is a joyous occasion; let's not spoil it with silly arguing! If anyone else argues, you shall force me to run 500 laps around the village!"

Everyone sweatdropped. Sakura calmly muttered, "Um…you don't have to do that Lee."

"NONSENSE SAKURA-CHAN!" yelled Lee. "My principles won't allow me that!"

TenTen and Neji both sweatdropped. _Bonehead._

Shino was silent, as usual.

As for Hinata…she was feeling a great deal of anticipation. Naruto had returned…had he changed…? Did he still remember her…?

_Naruto-kun…_

Kiba pushed open the double doors, revealing the large auditorium. The layout was slightly different from standard lecture halls; the entire floor – constructed of polished pinewood – had vertical aisles pointing toward the center, which held the main podium: a circular platform made of white marble. Red, plush seats were arranged in a circular pattern, allowing those sitting inside to see the person speaking at the podium. In the corners of the room were speakers, allowing for anyone's voice to be heard all throughout. Thick metal rafters – colored a rusty red – crisscrossed along the ceiling, offering support for the structure. On the podium was a large circular table…but sitting at the table were the people everyone was expecting to see that night; Iruka, Kakashi, Gai, Jiraiya, and the Fifth Hokage Tsunade.

Thing is, they were all sitting around the table…playing poker.

And considering the fact that the following articles of clothing were missing…

Iruka: Vest, socks, and sandals.

Kakashi: Vest, shirt, shoes, and hitai-ate.

Gai: Pants, shoes, and hitai-ate.

Jiraiya: His belt, his shoes, and his hitai-ate.

Tsunade: Everything except her bra and underwear.

…it was strip poker.

The only ones left facing in the current round were Kakashi, Jiraiya, and Tsunade. Gai and Iruka had already bowed out; those two merely watched on in silence.

"NO…" muttered Sakura.

"_FREAKIN'…"_ continued Kiba.

"**WAY,"** finished Ino.

Neji's eyes were wide with absolute shock. "Wha…what is the meaning of this?"

"Greetings fellow Leafs!" exclaimed Gai as he waved. "We decided to pass the time by playing a harmless game of poker."

"Unfortunately, it was Jiraiya's idea to make it into strip poker," commented Kakashi.

Jiraiya chuckled. "And Hokage-'sama's' bad luck has been in full force."

"Oh shut up you pervert," grumbled Tsunade as she slammed her hand of five cards down: three nines and two fours. "Full house!"

Kakashi sighed. "A shame." He put down a 5, a 4, a 3, 2, and an ace; all of the Hearts suit. "Straight flush."

"And I'm still the luckiest of them all," replied the Pervert-Sennin with a smirk as he put down an ace, a king, a queen, a jack, and a 10; all of the Spades suit. "Royal flush. Tsunade made the losing bet…now take it off."

Tsunade grimaced…and with great reluctance, she removed her bra.

Kiba was the only one in the room to get a nosebleed. But it was a pretty big one. TenTen was aghast. "Hokage-sama! Why are you denigrating yourself?"

That's when the doors on the OTHER side of the auditorium opened…revealing Tsunade, Jiraiya, Iruka, Kakashi, and (having lost a rock-paper-scissors battle to Kakashi had been forced to carry all the food over) Gai.

The ten children stared.

The five poker players stared at their counterparts.

Suddenly, Tsunade scowled. "And what is **THIS?"**

The poker players suddenly chuckled…and a puff of smoke revealed them to be copies of Naruto. **_"GOTCHA!"_** They all disappeared in another puff of smoke, along with their discarded clothes.

Iruka sweatdropped as he said, "So…who will do the honors?"

"Allow me," said Kakashi as he threw a shuriken into the rafters above.

"WAH!"

A certain blonde ninja fell from above, landing deftly on his feet. The mischievous grin…the crystal blue eyes…and the orange color on the uniform were unmistakable.

It was Uzumaki Naruto.

Tsunade roared, **_"YOU LITTLE BRAT!"_**

"HA HA! Got you all good! And if you don't like my prank, well you can bite it you old hag!" boasted Naruto as he burst off for the others, rushing in an attempt to escape. He looked back one more, sticking his tongue out at the Hokage. "You snooze, you lose!" He turned his head around-

HE WAS TWO INCHES AWAY FROM HINATA'S FACE.

A quick sidestep, and Naruto was already gone past her, laughing all the way. Sakura roared, "NA**RU_TO!_** YOU GET BACK HERE!"

"Make me!" retorted the blonde ninja as he disappeared into the hallways.

Jiraiya huffed, a small smile on his face. "Well…I must say that was unexpected. Good prank though, if only because he got your top off…even if it was what he imagined your 'naughty bits' to be. Yours are much bigger in real life."

**_SLAM!_**

Jiraiya's head was now inside the floor. Tsunade cracked her knuckles once before growling, "NOW…SHALL WE GET THE REUNION STARTED?"

Chouji cheered with joy. "FOOD!" He ran towards the podium. The others gradually began to mill towards the center (Kiba was laughing his butt off at Naruto's audacity)…except Hinata.

She was still frozen in place.

She could still see Naruto's face so clearly in her eyes…he had been so close…close enough to see his blue eyes – deep pools of blue – and his whisker marks…close enough to kiss him…"

"Hinata?" said Neji. "Are you coming?"

"Oh…yes, Neji-san," murmured Hinata as she scampered over to the podium.

/End Flashback/

xxxx

Naruto snickered as he grabbed his ankles to keep himself from fidgeting. "Man, that was one AWESOME prank. Top three, easily!"

"Y-yes," murmured Hinata with a smile. "It was…funny…" She had been so close to kissing him…how did he taste? _Oh my goodness…did I just think that?_ The Hyuga went into a flurry of blushes from that alone.

Naruto's laughter eased up as he stared below at the lit lanterns and the flickering torches; everyone seemed like ants from atop Monument Range…

**ANTS ARE EASILY CRUSHED.**

The demon vessel sighed as his gaze tilted upward; a somber tone came to his voice as he said, "Hinata?"

"Yes Naruto-kun?"

"When I trained with that stinkin' Pervert-Sennin, he made me think a lot," replied Naruto.

**A MONUMENTAL TASK FOR ONE SUCH AS YOURSELF.**

Ignoring the Nine Tails, Naruto continued. "He made me think about Konoha…its ninja…and all the people that dwell in here. He made think about what it meant for me to protect them from Akatsuki…"

"…yes?"

The fox boy sighed as he stood up, eyes reflecting the moon. "Now, I'm not normally the kind of guy who thinks things through…I kinda just move on, using my gut to decide stuff when I get to it."

**INTELLECTUAL HONESTY. WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT IT?**

"Thinking about Konoha though…made me think of all my friends." Naruto's face was turned away from Hinata's, the moon seeming even brighter than before. "I thought about Lee and his devotion to getting better…thought about Neji and the pain caused by his clan…thought about Sakura-chan and my Promise of a Lifetime…and I also thought about a certain someone…"

As Naruto spoke, Hinata's heart began to skip a few beats. Who was Naruto referring to now…?

"That someone is a certain dark-haired weirdo who's stalked me for most of my life…has hovered behind my back…and has generally been too shy for me to notice her." Naruto then turned around, facing Hinata, showing her his trademark grin. It warmed her soul. "That certain weirdo is also someone who always thought highly of me…who always gave me a second look when people didn't give me one…who was always there for me, even though I was too dumb enough to even see her…and that someone's name is Hyuga Hinata."

Tears began to well up in Hinata's eyes. The warmth in her was exploding, threatening to overwhelm her; her knees were shaking. _Oh my goodness…oh my goodness…did…did he just say that?_

Naruto chuckled a bit as he rubbed the back of his head. "Okay, so I guess it sounded a LITTLE corny…um, can I call you Hinata-chan now?"

"…of course, Naruto-kun." Hinata's smile was so wide that it could've split her face in half. Naruto grinned in reply.

**NOW TAKE HER.**

Naruto blinked. _Eh?_

**TAKE HER. RIP HER CLOTHES OFF. INJECT YOUR SEED INTO HER. THEN HOWL TO THE MOON; MAKE YOUR RIVALS JEALOUS.**

Naruto's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. _WHAT? ARE YOU NUTS? I CAN'T DO THAT!_

**WEAKLING. THEN AGAIN, I WOULDN'T MIND IF YOUR GENES WEREN'T PASSED ON. THERE'D BE LESS OF YOUR KINDAROUND.**

_RRR!_

"Um…are you okay Naruto-kun?"

Naruto suddenly snapped back to reality; he laughed nervously before stuttering, "Um, I'm just fine Hinata…chan." The fox boy grinned as he looked down at the village of Konohagakure. "Now that everyone else is back, I'm gonna see if I can trounce Kiba at some games…" He prepared to slide down the mountainside…then he paused. "Oh yeah. Forgot something." He stepped over to Hinata, saying, "Um…I know it's not much, but I'd like to consider it paying off a debt."

"Debt?" asked Hinata out of confusion. "What debt? What do you mean?"

Naruto grinned somewhat nervously. "Well, you spent so many years watching me, even though I was too foolish to see you…so, I don't know if this'll help, but it might pay off part of my debt."

He wrapped his arms around Hinata, hugging her tightly.

Hyuga Hinata's eyes were about to pop out; they were wide enough to do so. The warmth that had been in her before expanded at the rate of a supernova. She felt absolutely giddy…and for good reason.

She had always noticed Naruto. Now Naruto had noticed her. _I'm…I'm gonna faint…oh, I can't do that in front of Naruto-kun…_

Uzumaki Naruto smiled as he let go. _Huh…that actually felt pretty good._

**ARE YOU GOING TO TELL HER ABOUT THE TIME YOU SAW HER NAKED IN THE WATERFALL? I'M SURE THAT WOULD BE AMUSING.**

_Wait…huh?_ Naruto suddenly paled as he recalled a mission three years ago – before leaving with Jiraiya – to retrieve the Bikochu 'scent bug'. He remembered seeing a nude girl dancing near a waterfall…and it clicked. _YOU MEAN THE 'ULTRA-PRETTY GIRL' WAS HER? _

**I'M SURPRISED IT TOOK YOU THIS LONG. NIMROD.**

"Naruto-kun?"

"Um…" stuttered Naruto, suddenly feeling a bit confused and flustered over the memory, quickly said, "Gotta go! Celebration and all that." He skidded down the surface of the Fourth's face, sliding down towards Konoha.

Hinata was alone.

The Hyuga slumped to her knees, deep gasps escaping her. She had nearly torn herself up over whether or not to speak to Naruto…and now she was deeply glad she had. Naruto now recognized her…and he had called her 'Hinata-chan'. _Naruto-kun…!_ She happily twirled her dark-indigo hair around a finger as she walked down Monument Range, her euphoric thoughts keeping her company.

Everything was going great.

Unfortunately for Naruto, however…his method of departure was a bit unwise. After all…

xxxx

/Next Day/

"_**NAAARUUUTOOO!"**_

…he had left a large,diagonalscar in the face of the Fourth Hokage.

From his house, Naruto winced at the sound of Tsunade's scream echoing through the wind. "Crap."

**I'M GOING TO ENJOY WHAT COMES NEXT.**

Naruto merely grumbled as the Nine Tails' chuckling ricocheted through his head.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**A Heart Wrenching Decision! Naruto Reveals His Secret!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: …meh. For over a week, I couldn't write anything. Then, in three days, I wrote it all down. I hate writer's block. x.x

Anyhow, please tell me how my first try at NaruHina went; I want to start it a bit slow. It'll develop over the course of this fic, so…yah.

A little late, but this is my Thanksgiving gift to you all. ;D

See you soon, and please review!


	18. A Heart Wrenching Decision!

Standard Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, don't you think you'd be reading this in manga form? Yeah, that's right.

Author's Notes: Upon further review, I've come up with a simpler solution to my reviewer reply dilemma.

FFNet has brought back forums. So I've started a Naruto forum! And of course…there's a Review topic! So yay! Look up on my profile for forums! Here's the URL (replace symbols as needed)

http(colon)/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/fr/74952/14/28/1/

xxxx

_**Heart Wrenching Decision! Naruto Reveals His Secret!**_

xxxx

/Monument Range, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Atop the head of the (recently-scarred) Fourth Hokage was an aggravated demon vessel.

Naruto irritably rubbed the bumps on his head that he had gotten from Tsunade. Needless to say, she had not been happy about his handiwork. _I didn't even mean to do it! It was an accident!_

**YOUR BIRTH IS AN ACCIDENT UNTO ITSELF.**

_Okay, now you're just being an ass._

**I'VE TORN OTHERS ASUNDER FOR REMARKS LESS INSULTING THAN THAT.**

_Blah blah blah._

Uzumaki Naruto merely rubbed his hair as he gazed at the horizon beyond Konoha; the morning sun was in the 10 o'clock position in the sky. _I'm getting hungry._

**YOU ALREADY ATE.**

"So?" replied Naruto aloud with a smirk on his face. "You're not the boss of me; if I want to eat, I'll eat!"

**IF YOU HAPPEN TO BURST ONE DAY, I'LL TAKE GREAT JOY IN IT.**

Naruto snorted. He should've learned by now to ignore the fox whenever he tried to get under his skin…well, he was under his skin already, so it was kind of a moot point…eh, never mind.

The fox boy had a momentary flashback to last night. To be honest, the expression on Hinata's face had been utterly priceless. _She looked like I absolutely took the breath out of her. And with just one hug!_ For some reason, he looked forward to what would happen if he pursued the relationship further…maybe break Hinata out of that shell of hers. _Heck, she needs to be brought out of it anyway._

**HU HU HU HU HU…**

_What are you laughing about now?_

**DO YOU HONESTLY THINK THAT GIRL WILL STILL LOVE YOU WHEN SHE LEARNS OF MY EXISTENCE?**

"Well that's a dumb question," retorted Naruto out loud. "I don't intend to tell her at all!"

"You might want to reconsider."

Naruto turned around to see his sensei Jiraiya approaching. "What do you want?"

Jiraiya snorted as he grumbled, "Little punk. You should've learned by now to respect your superiors."

"And I'm the guy who trashed Akatsuki. Who's superior here?" retorted Naruto with a grin.

**I AM.**

_Shut up you!_

"But despite your conceit, I've come with a serious topic of discussion." The Pervert-Sennin calmly gazed down at Konoha as he said, "This Hyuga girl. What are your feelings for her?"

Naruto blinked at the question. His feelings for her…well, they were kind of hard to define. A small inkling was due to sympathy; after all, she had had a rough childhood (not as rough as his, but rough nonetheless). The rest was a strange mixture of actual affection and honest gratitude. He did feel for her (although how was still up in the air)…but he was genuinely thankful for the fact she had been there to support him when no one else did. That alone was worth a lot. "…not sure. She means a lot though…I know that much."

"That so…" muttered Jiraiya. "What about the others? Would you give your life for them? For Konoha? Would you sacrifice your happiness?"

Naruto chuckled. "I've been doing it for awhile. Of course I'd give my life for this place, even if most of the people hate me…and I won't be truly happy until people finally recognize me."

**THEY ALL RECOGNIZE YOU AS A LOWLY WORM. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. NOW DIE.**

_RRR!_

Jiraiya sighed. Speaking of such grave matters was depressing; he'd rather life be more light-hearted. Too much depression would kill someone (considering how much paperwork Tsunade had to deal with, it explained her 'charming' personality.). But that wasn't why he dreaded telling his pupil this.

"Boy…"

It was because he wished someone as amazing as him didn't have to deal with such sorrow.

"…you should tell her about the Nine Tails."

Naruto was silent.

Then, he turned his blue eyes toward the Legendary Leaf. They weren't filled with anger, indignation, or even confusion…merely pain. "I know what you're saying."

Jiraiya blinked out of genuine surprise. "You do?"

"Seeing as how I have the fox inside of me, I can't get too close to everyone, right? I know what you're saying…because there's no guarantee that the Kyuubi will remain sealed in me. If he broke out, you'd all have to group together to kill him…even if it meant killing me." Naruto sighed as he rubbed his eyes. He really hated his life. He hated it. Despite all he accomplished, there was always the chance it'd all go away. His existence, due to the presence of the Nine Tails, always teetered on the edge…and he was always in danger of falling off the side into an endless oblivion. An oblivion that would consume him should the Kyuubi break free. "It'd be best if no one else knew the truth. I don't want to burden my friends with that knowledge."

"Tsunade knows. Kakashi knows. Iruka knows. I know."

"You're all adults," muttered the blonde Genin. "You were there when it happened."

"Sasuke knows."

"He saw me summon the fox."

"So why not let the others know?"

Naruto's eyes hardened into a glare, finally exhibiting some frustration. "BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THEM TO SUFFER!" The teen pounded his fist into the rock, leaving an indentation. "That's why I want to be Hokage…not just because I'll finally be recognized…but also because my suffering will remain mine. No one else will have to bear it."

Jiraiya was silent as he stared the blonde-haired boy, who was so much like a man in many ways…and in some ways, not even human. _Hmm…since when did this boy decide to mature?_ Perhaps his constant advice to 'think' had stuck after all. The Legendary Leaf merely chuckled in response.

Naruto frowned. "What's so funny?"

**YOUR SUFFERING.**

"Your resolve is admirable…but it's foolish. Idiot. Dunce!" Jiraiya shook his head. "No human can bear too much suffering. Pain is something no human takes joy in, save the truly disturbed. The way I see it, it's best to tell them now…while you're all still close. While you're all still young." The Pervert-Sennin smirked as his white hair flowed in the wind. "As time passes, time also separates the ties of youth. If you never tell them at all, your pain would only grow until it you become lost in your loneliness. You'd be unable to do anything. If you wait too long to tell them, they might regard you as something else entirely…because youthful idealism – especially forgive and forget – is lost on the old."

Naruto said nothing as his master walked away.

It was funny how something he had been so dead-set on was now footloose through his head. The fox boy grimaced as he scratched his head. He didn't want his friends to suffer because of him…yet the prospect of him being so pained that he couldn't even be a good Hokage? That also frightened him.

_What do I tell them…?_

**TELL THEM THAT THEY'RE ALL SACKS OF FLESH. THEN INSULT THEIR MOTHERS.**

Much cursing – directed at the Nine Tails – followed.

xxxx

/Next Day/

/Local Café, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Akimichi Chouji was one happy camper. Or Chuunin, I should say.

In his arms was a tremendous amount of snacks; obviously for snacking. Considering his jovial disposition, his healing wounds from the battle for Konoha were obviously not a problem. His outfit had changed only a little in the three years since Naruto had left to train with Jiraiya; he wore a dark blue bodysuit that fit snugly onto him, yet was stretchy enough to accommodate the Multi-Size technique. However, he now wore green armor over his torso, arms, and thighs (much like his father); on the torso was the character for Food – Sesshoku – in red paint. His brown hair was now longer, and two spiral symbols were painted on his cheeks, also in red.

The plump Chuunin eagerly tore into a bag of Sour Cream-n-Onion chips and started eating. As he ate, a certain girl with light blonde hair watched from several tables away.

It was Yamanaka Ino; in the time during Naruto's absence, her hair had grown; the front bangs now covered her right eye completely, while her ponytail went down to her back. Instead of the full body bandages she once wore, she now wore fishnet stockings around her elbows, knees, and thighs (probably because the bandages were too cumbersome; can you imagine having to change them every time you needed to go to the bathroom?). She now wore a button-up top that went up to her neck and a miniskirt – leaving her abdomen bare – both colored a dark purple. Over her miniskirt was a single flap of violet leather, buttoned up to cover more of her thighs. There was a small blue hairclip on the bangs over her left ear, and she wore a black bracelet over her right thigh (hidden by the leather flap). Finally, she wore white socks and dark blue sandals. She sighed out of annoyance – the look in her eyes completing her expression – as she stared at her teammate and friend. "Suffers damage to his shoulder…tears up his insides by eating two of the special pills of the Akimichi clan…yet when the chance comes up, he immediately pigs out. Predictable…but he's consistent."

"Well aren't you acting sarcastic."

Ino glanced up to see her childhood friend Haruno Sakura sit down across from her. The blonde-haired girl smirked as she replied, "Only if because the big goof doesn't care about his personal well-being long enough to live. Someone has to watch over him when he's on an eating binge."

Sakura giggled at Ino's concern. "You've always cared about Chouji, haven't you?"

"Like I said," answered Ino with a shrug (a strange-looking smile on her face). "Someone has to look out for him. Shikamaru's too busy teaching at the Academy and serving on the Chuunin Exam Preparation Council…now that we've become Chuunin, Asuma is no longer around as much either. So what do I as a fellow teammate have to do? Well…you know the rest."

Sakura smiled; her friend always devoted herself to everything. "I bet this means you don't about as Sasuke-kun as much anymore."

Ino's reaction was swift; a glare of roaring anger and a swift retort. "AS IF! If you think you've won, you've got another thing coming!"

Sakura stuck her tongue out at her old rival.

"Speaking of Sasuke…" Ino calmed down as she took another glance at Chouji, now opening a packet of brownies. "…how is he? You're the only one who's been watching him continuously since he returned."

The pink-haired Chuunin sighed as she gazed in the direction of the Uchiha clan grounds, where Sasuke had been ever since her encounter with him last night. "Well…he's been morose. Still thinking about things…and I can understand why." Her concerned frown turned into a wide grin. "But I'm gonna crack that shell of his one day!" (Inner Sakura: And by that time, I'll have gotten my first kiss!)

Ino chuckled. "That so. Just don't think I'm going to give up on him…" _Even though you were the one who spoke to him last before he left._ Honestly, Ino's affection for Sasuke had faded over the years…and it had taken a big blow when everyone had learned of the Uchiha's betrayal. "…and even if I can't get him…" She glanced over at Chouji. "There are other fish in the sea."

Sakura smiled. "Yeah."

_WOOSH._

**THUNK.**

The two kunoichi blinked as a kunai slammed into their table, a piece of paper tied onto the end of it. Ino blinked. "Wha?"

Sakura untied the note and glanced at it.

xxxx

_TO ALL MEMBERS OF TEAM KAKASHI, TEAM GAI, TEAM ASUMA, AND TEAM KURENAI_

_COME TO THE HONORSTONE AT MIDNIGHT_

_-NARUTO_

xxxx

"Naruto wants us to meet at the Honorstone tonight at midnight," muttered Sakura. The Honorstone was the very memorial upon which the names of Konoha's heroes that had died during the call of duty. It was located near a river right outside of Konoha's southeastern wall, wedged right next to a forest of oaks. _I wonder why…I'd better tell Sasuke-kun about this..._

xxxx

/Forest, Monument Range, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

A certain dark-haired Chuunin was kneeling down next to a long blade of grass in a field of tall grass. Of course, his physical traits were completely hidden; he wore a greenish-gray hooded jacket over a black, button-up shirt that went up from his thighs to his neck, the thick collar covering all the way up to his nose. He wore black sweatpants, complete with black sandals with thick soles. Along with the Leaf hitai-ate – the headband protector – on his forehead, he wore dark sunglasses. If one was judged by first impressions, one would've thought of this young man as a recluse or a hermit.

Of course, it was only Aburame Shino…and right now, he was staring at a small black beetle sitting on the aforementioned blade of grass. "Hmm…black beetle with red antenna and a white spot on the carapace…a Spotted Redhead. A rare species." The Chuunin made some strange chirping sounds, trying to attract the female beetle onto his outstretched finger.

Watching him from afar were two other Chuunin: Inuzuka Kiba and Nara Shikamaru.

Shikamaru's appearance was not so different as to what he wore before Naruto's departure three years ago; the only difference was the fact that he now wore a long-sleeved shirt of blue satin now under his green Chuunin vest. The same with Kiba; he still wore the same jacket in which Akamaru could fit and rest in. The only difference was that he had a shorter haircut; his dark brown hair no longer went past his ears.

Kiba grumbled, "Man, how long has he been like that?"

"Long as he usually is," muttered Shikamaru, scratching his cheek. "It's what his clan does; find bugs, crossbreed them with other bugs, and get new ones."

Kiba snorted. _Meh…I still think it's creepy._

Suddenly…

"ARF ARF!"

The white-furred Akamaru suddenly romped through the grass, scaring away the Spotted Redhead. Shino's frown deepened as he watched Akamaru romp through the grass. "…"

Shikamaru sighed as he scratched his head. "I was under the impression that Akamaru would have grown by now. Yet he still remains as small as ever."

The spiky-haired Chuunin grimaced as he stared at his faithful companion; considering how the Inuzuka family of Konoha specialized in canine breeding (a far more interesting breeding choice than stinkin' beetles. Meh.), Akamaru should've grown more by now. However, it had long ago been concluded by his mother Tsume that Akamaru's growth had been stinted due to the numerous soldier pills that dog had swallowed over the years. As to whether or not he'd grow…that was unknown.

"Pardon me Kiba…but I think your dog's about to be neutered."

Kiba blinked as he stared at Akamaru…who was held up by the scruff of his neck, whimpering at a rather frustrated Shino. "You scared away that Spotted Redhead."

Akamaru gulped.

"**_WAH!_** HOLD UP THERE!" yelped Kiba as he rushed toward the two. Shikamaru sighed as he rubbed his temples. _Craziness…_

_WOOSH._

**THUNK.**

A kunai with a note attached to it landed in the ground by his feet. The shadow-user frowned as he untied the note and read it. "…Honorstone…tonight…from Naruto…" _Hmm?_

xxxx

/Forest, Monument Range, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

A certain Taijutsu user stood silently in the midst of a small clearing, his bandaged fists clenched together. He wore a long-sleeved bodysuit of deep green color, with the sleeves of his legs covered with striped orange cloth. He wore the recognizable green vest of the Chuunin, although it was laced with large weights (roughly 200 pounds) just for him. His shiny black hair was neatly combed into a dome around his head, and he possessed bushy eyebrows. He wore blue sandals of hardy leather…and finally, his Leaf headband protector was tied around his waist. It was Rock Lee, Taijutsu specialist. With a dramatic tone, he roared, "I AM READY TENTEN!"

His teammate nodded as she shifted her legs into an offensive stance. Her lithe body was clothed with a pink shirt, laced with red trimming. The sleeves went down to her forearm, and her hands were clad with fingerless blue gloves. Her baggy, dark blue pants had slits in the side near the waist, revealing her bare skin. Her shoes were made of blue leather, with the heel and sole being made of pure rubber. Her short brown hair was tied into two buns, and her brown eyes shone with determination. As her Leaf hitai-ate glowed in the sun, she reached into her large backpack, pulling out two scrolls. "I hope you are Lee!" She performed hand signs with both, yelling, "**_Soshoryu no jutsu!_** Twin Rising Dragons!" She threw both scrolls upwards…and they disappeared in a puff of smoke, revealing all manner of weaponry: shuriken, windmill shuriken, kunai, dosukunai (two curved kunai joined together by a metal ring), scythes, kusarigama (scythes with an iron weight and chain attached to the end), flails, and nunchaku. Also, two small tonfa fell to the ground. Using invisible strings of chakra, TenTen threw all of the weapons in one steady wave, save for the tonfa.

Rock Lee blanched as he dove and dodged the onslaught of steel and iron. The Taijutsu specialist, with unwavering precision, weaved in and out of the weapons, avoiding them all (which was saying something, considering TenTen was 100-percent accurate with her weapons).

As the onslaught ended, Lee looked up to see TenTen upon him, twirling both of her tonfa. The boy yelled, "HYOOOOOO!" as he swung with his fists and feet, blocking the steel tonfa.

Watching from the edge of the clearing, sitting upon a mound of boulders, were two other shinobi. One was Hinata.

The other was a Jonin. His long black hair went down to his back, with a few strands hanging over the front of his face. He no longer wore a jacket; instead, he wore traditional Hyuga robes; loose white underclothes from head to toe (including the long sleeves that went to his wrists), and a shortened black umanori (a kind of hakama that splits down the middle, giving it the nickname of 'divided skirt') that went down to his knees. A thick girdle of black cloth tied the umanori to his body, and a single gold button near the collarbone bound his white underclothes together. He wore thick black sandals, made of high-quality leather…and his hitai-ate gleamed in the sunlight. It was Hyuga Neji, cousin of Hinata and member of a Hyuga branch house.

Hinata muttered, "Your teammates train hard."

Neji nodded, his white eyes closed. "Lee remains dedicated to hard work. TenTen wants to test her weapons on someone who can't use the **_Kaiten_** for a change."

"I see," finished Hinata as her thoughts drifted back to the night before. It was all still fresh in her mind…although only temporary, the hug had sent a torrent of warmth through her that had made her feel…happy. Very happy. Happier than she ever remembered being…even more so than when Naruto had recognized her during the Chuunin Exams over three years ago.

"So…I take it your meeting with Naruto last night went well?"

Hinata squeaked at Neji's question. "Um…y-you knew?"

Neji smiled warmly. "It was not hard for me to figure out. You seemed unusually chipper when you came back last night…and I spoke with one of the servant maidens who spoke with you this morning. As I heard, you couldn't stop talking about him."

"Oh…I see," muttered Hinata as she blushed heavily, almost wishing for the moment that she had a jacket to sink her head into…wait. Why was she embarrassed? She herself was happy; Naruto had finally acknowledged her as someone special. Neji was also someone special to her…so why was she self-conscious about it? Probably a gut reflex.

Neji chuckled quietly at Hinata's self-induced blushing. It struck him as strange how often Naruto had affected their lives…once, he had been bitter and cynical, believing life was determined for you from birth. Naruto had changed that. And now, after so many years of watching, Hinata had been recognized by Naruto as well. Not only that, but Naruto had brought about the downfall of Akatsuki…the Jonin felt a sense of wonderment. _I wonder if this is how people close to the Fourth felt as they watched him grow…_

_WOOSH._

Neji's eyes snapped open as he held his hand up, grabbing the kunai that had shot out from the forest. Hinata blinked at the sight. "Neji-san?"

The Jonin frowned as he stared at the note tied to the end of the kunai. "Hmm…"

xxxx

/That Night/

/Honorstone, Outside Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Uzumaki Naruto stared quietly at the stone tablet, reading the names on the list. "Uchiha Obito…Gekko Hayate…Dan…Hyuga Hizashi…the Third Hokage…the Fourth Hokage…so many…"

**YOU DON'T MERIT BEING ON THAT LIST.**

_Since when did you care?_

**YOU'RE TOO INCOMPETENT TO BE ON A LIST THAT HAS THE ONE WHO SEALED ME IN YOU.**

_Feh…whatever. I don't intend on dying anytime soon._

**I CAN CHANGE THAT.**

_Whatever. Listen…I don't want you trying to take a bite out of them. Do it, and you'll regret it._

**AND WHEN HAVE I EVER LISTENED TO YOU?**

Footsteps.

Naruto turned around to see eleven people walking towards the memorial.

Nara Shikamaru.

Akimichi Chouji.

Yamanaka Ino.

TenTen.

Rock Lee.

Hyuga Neji.

Inuzuka Kiba (and Akamaru).

Aburame Shino.

Uchiha Sasuke.

Haruno Sakura.

Hyuga Hinata.

Naruto sighed as he scratched the back of his head; why had Jiraiya talked him into doing this? He shouldn't have caved in…he didn't want to burden them with the knowledge of the Kyuubi. He wanted to keep them safe…but deep down, he wanted to tell them. Even if doing so would alienate them all. _I…I want to tell them._

**GO AHEAD. I'LL DELIGHT IN YOUR PAIN.**

Naruto said nothing as he stared at his comrades and friends…and he took note of the calm stare in Sasuke's eyes. _He knows why I've called everyone here…after all, he already knows._

"So Naruto…" muttered Sasuke, as if he had read Naruto's mind. "You've called us here in the middle of the night for SOME reason…mind enlightening us?"

"Go ahead and tell us Naruto-kun. Is it something important?" asked Lee.

TenTen sighed. "If it wasn't, then why would he be calling us out here at midnight?"

Chouji merely shrugged as he pulled out a previously hidden bag of potato chips. "Well, no sense in beating around the bush."

"No kidding," continued Ino as she yawned, stretching her arms. "We kind of need to sleep you know…"

Naruto sighed. "I'm getting to that…"

Sakura blinked at the tone in her teammate's voice. "You sound depressed…are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," quickly rebounded Naruto with a quick grin.

**SMOOTH. AS SUBTLE AS A RAGING DRUNKARD.**

_Shut up. You're not helping._

"So…" Neji's white eyes gleamed in the dark as he spoke. "You wanted to tell us something?"

"Oh. Right." Naruto cleared his throat before staring intently at the eleven gathered before him. "Do you all remember the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox attacking Konoha fifteen years ago, right?"

A small wave of shock went through the group. They all knew what happened; the Nine Tails had attacked…and the Fourth had managed to defeat the beast. Shikamaru sighed as he rubbed his temples. "We know what happened; the Nine Tailed Demon Fox attacked Konoha. After many lives were lost, the Fourth Hokage managed to finally destroy the demon at the cost of his own life. We don't need the history lesson," grumbled Shikamaru. "We know what happened…what's the real reason you called us here? It's kind of bothersome staying awake when we don't have to."

"Heh…" Naruto smirked at the irony of it all; when he had been told the truth of what had happened, he had experienced an epiphany that had changed him forever. _I wonder how they'll react…_

**THEY'D PROBABLY SPIT ON YOU AND CURSE YOU.**

_Heh. Is that all?_

**I'D DO WORSE.**

Well duh. "Well…you don't know your history."

Save for Sasuke (and, strangely enough, Sakura), everyone blinked. Shino asked, "What do you mean by this?"

Naruto chuckled as he bit into his thumb, drawing blood.

"Spit it out already!" yelled Kiba. Akamaru yipped a few times for good measure.

"Well…you were told that the Yondaime had killed the Kyuubi at the cost of his own life." Naruto began tracing the blood over all of his fingers. "The sacrifice part was right…but the Nine Tails was too powerful to be destroyed…"

Neji's eyes narrowed. "…what are you getting at?"

Naruto calmly held his hands together as chakra began to swirl around him. "The Fourth had only one option…to seal the beast away with the **_Fuuinjutsu Shiki Fuujin_**…and to do that, he needed someone to seal the beast in." Naruto slammed his hands into the ground, roaring, "_**KUCHIYOSE **_**_NO JUTSU!_**"

Everyone stepped back as Naruto disappeared in a flash of red chakra…and as the red chakra continued to grow, Hinata fearfully murmured, "Naruto-kun…?"

The flash faded.

And everyone found themselves gazing into the blood-red eyes of the Nine Tailed Demon Fox.

Everyone screamed…save for Sasuke. Yet despite it, he still felt a great chill in his bones. The Nine Tails' power, after all, was nothing to sneeze it.

The Kyuubi snickered as he lowered his massive head, baring his teeth to the teens. **"SO MANY OF YOU…NO BIGGER THAN TOOTHPICKS. BUT EVEN I PICK MY TEETH AT TIMES…HU HU HU…"**

"HEY!"

Kyuubi suddenly snarled as Naruto clenched the chakra line that linked the body to the spirit sealed in the boy. "I TOLD YOU; NO TAKING A BITE OUT OF THEM!"

"**YOU SAID NOTHING ABOUT THREATENING THEM."**

"I DON'T CARE!" retorted Naruto. Another angry growled from the Nine Tails…and this was a frustrated one too. **"THAT'S IT."**

The Kyuubi suddenly began to shrink. Naruto blinked as he stumbled off, the Nine Tails becoming about as big as bloodhound. **"I CAN SETTLE THIS WITH YOU RIGHT NOW. DOESN'T THE PHRASE GO LIKE THIS: PICK ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE?"**

Naruto smirked as he clenched his fists. "Gladly!" And so Naruto and the Kyuubi fought, biting, clawing, and scratching at each other.

And all the while, the others watched in dumbfounded amazement. Here was the most feared monster in the history of Konohagakure…wrestling with Uzumaki Naruto – troublemaker extraordinaire – like two feisty pups in a litter.

Ino mumbled, "Uh, buh…wha…but…huh…?"

"No kidding," concurred Chouji as he began eating at a faster rate.

Sasuke said nothing…and then he noted Sakura was oddly silent. "You're quiet…" Sakura said nothing. "…you knew, didn't you?"

The pink-haired Chuunin sighed. "I did…being the Hokage's assistant means I'm privy to private conversations…I don't think she intended for me to overhear…but after learning the truth, I kind of went into shock for a while." That had been an understatement; for the first few weeks after learning the truth, she had cried in her sleep…wondering what life had to have been like for Naruto…and how mean she had been to him, despite his troublemaking ways. After learning of the life he had endured…she understood now.

Uchiha Sasuke watched the Kyuubi slash at Naruto's nose (and arched an eyebrow as Naruto retorted by biting one of the demon's nine tails), quietly replying, "It was easier for me…I discovered the truth on the field of battle. There was no time to reflect."

THUD.

Kyuubi snarled as he held Naruto's bicep in his maw. **"YIELD."**

"You first," challenged Naruto, a grin on his face. He had the Nine Tails in a chokehold.

"…Naruto-kun…?"

The voice stopped Naruto. He turned towards Hinata, the one who had spoken…and her white eyes were filled with confusion.

Sighing, the fox boy willed the Kyuubi's spirit back into his body (much to the demon's displeasure). As the body disappeared in a puff of smoke, Naruto – now covered with a bunch of cuts and some bite marks – rubbed his hair nervously. "So…yeah."

"…the Fourth sealed the demon inside of you," revealed Neji, absolutely dumbfounded…and wondering why he hadn't been told of this sooner (he WAS a Jonin after all).

"Yeah." Naruto sighed as wiped some of the blood off of his face. "I can't blame the Fourth…in his position, I would've done whatever it took to stop the Nine Tails…but he did it wanting me to be thought of as a hero. As you all know, it didn't quite work out that way…"

Sakura nodded out of acknowledgment. "All of the adults hated you…and told us children to stay away from you." Neji grimaced; this would explain Hyuga Hiashi's attitude towards Naruto…because the way it bordered on utter disgust had startled him until now. And yet…he did not have sympathy for the views of Hiashi.

"Yeah," repeated Naruto. "It sucked…it all sucked…yet I wanted to grow up to have everyone recognize me as the Hokage, even after I learned I was nothing more than a damned coffin for the Kyuubi's spirit."

**COFFIN…FITTING NAME.**

"So…why tell us then?" asked Shino.

Naruto smirked, albeit with a bit of bitterness. "Because I was convinced that it would be best not to tell you…to not burden you with this knowledge…but I guess I changed my mind." _Stupid Pervert-Sennin._ "If something should ever happen…I wanted you all to know."

Silence. Akamaru whimpered inside Kiba's jacket.

"That's all." Naruto's head sagged as he stared at his feet. "You can go now…go ahead and leave. I'm sure you don't want to be associating with a demon vessel after all…" _Yeah…it's better this way. It's best they don't get close…_

That's when he was hugged…by Hyuga Hinata. _…wha?_

Hinata said nothing as her thin arms held tightly onto Naruto's bloody frame. Everyone stepped forward as the fox boy muttered, "But…why?"

"You idiot. Moping's not your style!" exclaimed Kiba.

Hinata whispered, "Your worth hasn't decreased because of the Nine Tails…but to know you've weathered on despite this…aspiring to so much…you're so much more than a 'coffin' Naruto-kun…"

"**OOOOOOOH!"** roared Lee as he gave Naruto his 'nice guy' pose: the thumbs-up and flashy grin. "To know you've worked so hard despite such a terrible fate…your youthful fire is greater than any other! I must work even harder to even compare!"

"And this only proves what you told me years ago is true," continued Neji, a warm smile on his face. "One's destiny is not decided by their birth…to see all you've done, despite the demon sealed in you…that's living proof."

Shikamaru added, "Well, I'm not exactly one to talk…but I will say that despite how troublesome it is to have a demon in you…to see you continue to fight is pretty encouraging."

Uzumaki Naruto was utterly dumbfounded. He had not expected anything like this…not at all. He had expected them to feel afraid…to flee…but not this.

Not this.

And he felt so lucky. So, so lucky. _Heh…and I'm supposed to be the optimist._ "Heh…thanks Hinata-chan…thanks everyone. And you're right Kiba. Moping's not my style at all!" He immediately sported a wide grin.

"You're welcome Naruto-kun," whispered Hinata as she closed her eyes momentarily, basking in the warmth of Naruto's frame.

When she opened her eyes again, a red fox face was peering out of Naruto's shoulder, staring at her.

"**BOO."**

"EEEEK!" yelped Hinata as she fell backwards onto her butt. Everyone blinked as Naruto glared at the head of red aura. "HEY! GET BACK INSIDE!"

"**HU HU HU HU,"** chuckled the Nine Tails as he receded into Naruto's body.

Sakura suddenly frowned. "Wait…is it just me, or is the Nine Tails actually picking up after NARUTO?"

"Heaven forbid," muttered Ino.

"I second that," agreed TenTen.

"Ha ha, very funny," grumbled Naruto as he crossed his arms. _Great going you damn fox. You ruined a moment!_

**GLAD TO BE OF SERVICE.**

_Hmph. But guess what; you were wrong! They still like me! I'm right, you're wrong!_

**EVEN A BROKEN CLOCK IS RIGHT TWICE A DAY.**

_HEY!_

And meanwhile, from atop Konoha's walls, Jiraiya watched from afar. _Hmm…he handled that quite well._

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**Time to Settle an Old Grudge! Naruto vs. Sasuke!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: Merf. Took me forever to get down character descriptions. Finished the last half in one night. xx;

Anywho, see you all next year! Hope you have a Merry Christmas!

See you soon, and please review!


	19. Naruto vs Sasuke!

Standard Disclaimer: SNARLROARIDON'TYIPYIPDON'TOWNSNARFGROWLNARUTO!

Author's Notes: Ah…it took me two days to upload a chapter in my other story. That's the kind of progress I LIKE.

Anyhow, this is the final chapter of Part I…and the battles shall start again…SOON.

Begin!

MINOR EDIT: Apparently, Jiraiya didn't create Rasengan. So sue me.

xxxx

_**Time to Settle an Old Grudge! Naruto vs. Sasuke!**_

xxxx

/The Fifth Hokage's Office, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Tsunade was silent as she stared at the number of men and women gathered before her in the office. They all held great standing within the village.

Hatake Kakashi. Jiraiya. Maito Gai. Sarutobi Asuma. Yuhi Kurenai. Mitarashi Anko. Ebisu. Morino Ibiki. However, the last two…were of particular importance to this meeting.

Hyuga Hiashi: Head Elder of the Hyuga clan, and the father of Hinata.

And Uchiha Sasuke…who was technically the Head Elder of the Uchiha clan now. As such, he wore ceremonial robes that had once been his father's, his body clad in the blue and white garb of the Uchiha, complete with the clan symbol on his back.

Tsunade sighed as she clearly said, "You all know why you're here today…Hiashi wanted it to only be between myself and he, but as you can see, the subject of our 'discussion' has some rather thick ties."

Hiashi said nothing. It was clear from the glare in his eyes that the 'subject' was none other than the vessel for the Nine Tailed Demon Fox: Uzumaki Naruto.

"The reason why this meeting has been called is because of one thing. You all know what it is without me even speaking…but let me say it anyway." Tsunade paused a few moments for dramatic effect. "Naruto now has the ability to summon the Nine Tailed Demon Fox into a physical form."

Despite the fact that they had known on some level that this is what was being alluded to…it still didn't decrease the effect of subdued shock. Ebisu's nostrils flared as he readjusted his sunglasses. "The mere thought of that monster being out and about again…it gives me chills."

"As it should," concurred Hiashi. "Long have I advocated that the boy be done away with. The demon within him is too great a threat to be left alive…"

"And you would have everything that boy has accomplished go to waste?" remarked Kakashi in his ever calm tone. "All he has done for this village…he defeated Gaara of the Desert, even after the One Tail took over the Sand ninja. He was also a major factor in Akatsuki's downfall."

Hiashi scowled. "Akatsuki's eyes would have never come here had it not been for the Nine Tails."

"Yet there is still the matter of the assault by both Orochimaru and the Sand ninja over three years ago," muttered Ibiki, his scarred countenance magnifying his low, growling voice. He had had a strong admiration for Naruto ever since the Chuunin exams where he had served as the proctor of the first exam. And as word of his exploits had reached his ears, that admiration had only grown. "Kakashi is right; this boy has done so much for this village. We all know the perils of being a ninja…yet he has thrown himself into situations more dangerous than we EVER experienced at his age." The venom in his voice was clear…yet it did not concern Hiashi. Ibiki may have been a Jonin, but Hiashi had greater skill.

"Sure, he had the help of some close associates," remarked Jiraiya, a sly smile on his face. "But in the course of the years that I've known that idiot, he's shown that he has something I haven't seen in anyone in a long time…the last person…well, he eventually wound up becoming the Fourth Hokage."

Hiashi merely glared at the Sennin. "There is a profound difference: the Yondaime did not have a murderous monster bound to him."

Asuma let out a small puff of smoke as he casually remarked, "The boy can't help it. He had no say in a matter."

"And yet you would snuff out his life as though it were no more than a candle's flame." Gai's contempt for Hiashi's words was utterly palpable; not only was Naruto a incredibly powerful ninja that was an undoubted asset for Konoha…but everyone close to him admired him fiercely. Especially Lee. "Can you really make a decision so lightly?"

"Yes." The answer was clear and concise; it was as though Hiashi were discussing the weather. His mind was made up. "And I will ask now if I'm the only one who is aware of the danger this 'boy' represents."

Tsunade took note of Hiashi's almost sarcastic use of the word boy (perhaps because he regarded Naruto as something much lower than human) before replying, "We may regard the boy as something much more than a mere demon vessel, but we're not naïve. We're well aware of the danger that would occur should the demon fox break free."

"THEN WHY TAKE THAT RISK?" growled the Hyuga Head Elder.

Mitarashi Anko – the fiery, unpredictable, and slightly creepy Jonin that had served as a proctor for the Chuunin exams' second phase for three years now – smirked at Hiashi's words. "That's like saying 'what's the point of living if you're only going to die?' But make no mistake…" Anko licked her lips out of remembrance. "A boy with blood as red and luscious as his…he's not the kind who'd just lay down and take the deathblow."

Hiashi stared at the Jonin, his eyes clearly showing his disgust with the female ninja (and with good reason; her former time as Orochimaru's apprentice had screwed with her mind in more ways than one). "Such a parallel can't be made. Not with him. He can summon the demon fox at WILL. What if that demon tries to break free? There'd be nothing to stop the Nine Tails from doing so."

"Not quite."

Everyone turned to someone who had spoken for the first time in the meeting: Uchiha Sasuke. Hiashi's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I was there both times Naruto summoned the Kyuubi." Sasuke's tone was calm, yet lifeless. "Both times, he managed to dismiss the Nine Tails without much effort. He's the one who summoned the body for the demon's spirit…so he apparently has some measure of control."

"And what guarantee do we have that his control will remain in place?" growled Hiashi as he glared the young Uchiha, his eyes impulsively transforming into the **_Byakugan_** (so great was his control, he didn't need to perform hand signs). "What guarantee that the demon fox will remain under 'control', if you can call it that?"

Sasuke was silent as – in a show of defiance – his dark eyes morphed into the red, three-dotted Bloodline Limit known as the **_Sharingan_**. "There is none. But I know this; Naruto brought me back. ME, of all people. The fact he's the demon's vessel is a pretty damn good guarantee."

Kakashi lightly smiled at Sasuke's retort. Anko darkly giggled at Sasuke's spunk. Hiashi simply scowled. _Impudence…_

"Enough of this," muttered Tsunade. "We know of the risks Hiashi. We know the dangers. But we're not going to terminate Naruto's life before he's even had the chance to live all of it. For goodness' sake…he's still a CHILD."

"A child with more power than anyone in this room." Hiashi forcefully exhaled as he turned off his **_Byakugan_**. "This boy may have done great things for this village…but should the Nine Tailed Demon Fox break free…all of those accomplishments of his will mean nothing. And if my daughter, or anyone in my family, dies at the hands of that beast…you will hear no end to my wrath. Because my words went unheeded."

Kurenai arched an eyebrow, realizing something. "I see…so the only reason you're so mad is because Naruto's finally eying Hinata after she's eyed him all these years?"

Hiashi's glare was instantaneous.

Jiraiya chuckled. "Even though he's been hanging around me for the last few years…I'm sure Naruto's dignified enough to ask before whisking a woman off her feet."

The Hyuga Head Elder said nothing as he turned, walked away, and opened the office door.

Standing right there was a very dour Uzumaki Naruto.

Ebisu nearly yelped. _He's been standing right there this whole time?_

Hiashi stared at the blonde ninja in silence…and then he uttered, "Move." It was a command, from someone of higher ranking.

"Nice to see I'm appreciated," retorted Naruto.

"Move," repeated Hiashi.

"Yeah, yeah…" Naruto's expression suddenly morphed into one of his infamous grins. "Oh, and if you see Hinata, tell her I said hi."

That audacious remark nearly sent Hiashi off the deep end…of course, he never got the chance to do or say anything.

In one yellow flash, Naruto was gone.

xxxx

/Honorstone, Outside Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"**ARGH!** THIS SUCKS!"

**NOT FROM MY STANDPOINT.**

"SHUT UP!" roared Naruto as he irritably punched a tree, sending it toppling to the ground. He was angry. REALLY angry. "All the hard work I've done for this village…and yet there are people like Hiashi who know about it, and _STILL_ hate me **_ANYWAY!_**"

**AND THAT'S WHY I'M HAPPY.**

Naruto snarled as he kicked another tree, sending it down to the ground. "You're really PISSING me off…why don't you just go choke and die already? You'd be free of me, and I'd be free of you. It's a win-win!"

**I'D ONLY KILL MYSELF IF I COULD TAKE YOU WITH ME.**

"RRR…" Naruto growled out of annoyance as he punched another tree. His frustration was consuming him right now…because despite it all…despite all the blood he had shed…there were still jerks like Hiashi…and they were the majority. He needed something to vent his anger…something…ANYTHING…

**TRY HANGING YOURSELF. IT'LL RELEASE ALL OF YOUR BUILT-UP TENSION.**

_SHUT UP!_

**HU HU HU HU HU HU…**

And so Kyuubi laughed, further enraging Naruto. He knew this anger was uncharacteristic of him…and it was not righteous anger, but undirected rage. He felt the need to hit something. And hard. _Is the Kyuubi influencing my emotions…?_

**WHO, ME?**

The fox's sarcastic response caused Naruto to punch his stomach repeatedly. "SHUT! UP! YOU! FRICKEN! FOX!" Of course, this only caused the blonde ninja to keel over out of pain. "Ow…"

**AH, THE STUPIDITY OF HUMANS. ALWAYS AMUSING.**

Naruto merely growled as he got back on his feet…and then he glanced at the Honorstone.

Uchiha Sasuke – still clad in his ceremonial robes from the meeting – stared at him silently. "I figured this would be where you would go…where our life as ninja truly began."

"Gee, what gave you that idea?" sarcastically replied Naruto as he turned to face his long-time rival…and, his once-hated enemy.

Sasuke shrugged. "Just a feeling."

Naruto smirked. "You actually have feelings? How rich."

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. "Not what I meant of course…but you're just trying to get under my skin. You'll need to do better than that."

"Heh. What do want me to do? Ask the stupid fox for pointers?"

**ADVICE FROM ME? YOU'D HAVE TO BE CAPABLE OF INTELLIGENT THOUGHT TO UNDERSTAND.**

Ignoring the Nine Tails, Naruto slowly walked closer to Sasuke, asking, "So…why are you here?"

"To fight you."

Naruto blinked. "Huh? Why?"

"Two reasons. One…because after that meeting, you look like you need to vent. And two…" Sasuke smirked as he shifted into a battle stance. "We still have an old score to settle."

Naruto's shocked expression turned into a smile…and then he smirked. "Yeah…we never did completely finish that battle." He clenched his fists. "So…you ready?"

"One thing though; to prevent collateral damage…we won't go all out. No demon fox for you…and no curse seal for me." Sasuke's fingers twitched with excitement. It was the kind of rush he felt whenever fighting an opponent of great power.

Naruto smirked as he showed his teeth. "Fine by me."

The two were silent as they gazed straight at each other…waiting for the other to make the first move. Several animals – including a large family of rabbits – bounded away from the clearing and into the forest, sensing the battle about to occur.

**HUNT THEM.**

_Huh?_

**THOSE LITTLE CREATURES, THOUGH SMALL, ARE SWEET COMPARED TO ONI OR TENGU. HUNT THEM. DEVOUR THEM.**

_What? You mean raw?_

**WHAT OTHER WAY IS THERE? RED BLOOD. WIGGLING CORPSES STILL FILLED WITH THE FAINT SPARK OF LIFE. THAT IS WHEN THE MEAL IS ALWAYS THE TASTIEST.**

_Dude, you're sick! And besides, nothing's better than ramen!_

**THEN YOU HAVE NEVER TASTED TRULY SATISFYING GAME. I FIND HUMANS TO BE THE TASTIEST.**

_Feh. Says you. I wonder how fox meat tastes…?_

**HU HU HU HU HU.**

_What now?_

**YOU'RE SO NAÏVE.**

_Huh-ACK!_

Naruto gagged as a the broadside of a giant, flaming sword slammed into his torso, sending him flying through several trees. "OW…" Naruto glared at Sasuke, who was smiling a cocky sort of smile. In his hands was the flaming **_Zanbato_**. "What's the matter Naruto? Your guard was down."

"Grr…damn fox. Thanks a lot," muttered Naruto as he got to his feet.

**I COULD MAKE A BUSINESS OUT OF DISTRACTING YOU. FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE.**

Ignoring the Nine Tailed Demon Fox, Naruto immediately went for an old standby. "**_Kage bunshin no jutsu!_**"

Sasuke slid his foot back as Naruto and the nine Shadow Clones charged at him. He deftly swung vertically, slicing through three of the clones before leaping backward to avoid incoming shuriken and kunai.

"GOTCHA!"

The Uchiha paled as a hand erupted from the ground, clutching his feet and holding him fast. _He materialized a Shadow Clone underground!_ Sasuke turned around just in time for seven feet to kick him in the gut.

Uchiha Sasuke gagged as he was sent flying. He landed smack dab in the middle of the forest, Zanbato still in hand.

Naruto and his remaining clones quickly went on the offensive. "**_Doton; Daichiago no jutsu!_** Earth Element; Earth Jaws!"

Suddenly, the ground where Sasuke had fallen erupted like a bear trap, slapping down upon the Uchiha. Then the process repeated itself seven times over; once for each clone.

Naruto smirked at his handiwork. "Let's see if he can get up from that!"

**CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR.**

_Eh, that's just superstition!_

**AND WATCH AS YOU'RE PROVEN WRONG.**

"**_Goukakyuu no jutsu!_** GRAND FIREBALL!"

Suddenly, a massive fireball erupted from the mound of dirt Sasuke was buried under. The clones were incinerated as Naruto impulsively jumped away…and as he gazed upward, he saw Sasuke in mid-jump, falling towards him with the Zanbato in hand. _Oh crap!_

**AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON'T HEED MY WISDOM.**

_What wisdom?_

**BY SAYING THAT, YOU PROVE YOUR STUPIDITY. EVEN A DEAF MAN WOULD HEED MY ADVICE.**

_Hey, how would a deaf guy…HEY!_ The insult was clear enough…but Naruto had a more important matter to attend to.

Sasuke raised the blade above his head, his robes fluttering in the wind. Naruto prepared to jump away at the last possible moment, allowing for a quick counter…

And that's when Sasuke pulled a large windmill shuriken from behind his back, throwing it low.

"WOAH!" yelped Naruto as he impulsively jumped over the shuriken, which barely missed his legs. But now Sasuke had him right where he wanted him…

Sasuke swung.

Naruto dodged to the side…but the Uchiha pushed off the hilt of the Zanbato, bringing his foot up against the fox boy's face. He was sent flying thirty yards away into the forest.

The demon vessel grimaced as he sat up, rubbing his head. _Gah…he got me good that time._ He brought his hand away, glancing at the blood dripping from a cut on the forehead. _Eh, nothing big…I'll get him back for that one. And…why the heck does the ground feel so squishy?_

Naruto looked down…and saw that he had landed in a pile of deer droppings. "…wonderful. JUST wonderful."

**HU HU HU HU HU. HOW APPROPRIATE.**

_Oh, just shut up!_

**CERTAINLY.**

…

**CRAP ASS.**

"**GAH!** THAT DOES IT! **_HIRAISHIN NO JUTSU!_**" roared Naruto as he charged gung-ho back onto the battlefield with the high-speed jutsu, using it to reappear right in front of Sasuke (much to the dark-haired ninja's surprise). "RAH!"

Sasuke never got the chance to retaliate before the ferocious uppercut sent him into the river with a tremendous splash.

Naruto sighed as he wiped some sweat off of his neck. _Hu…it's been a while since I've fought a battle without using your chakra._

**AND YOU'RE ALREADY LOSING STRENGTH. WHERE WOULD YOU BE WITHOUT ME?**

_I'd be better off. And I'm not even close to being done!_

**ACTUALLY, YOU'D BE SIX FEET UNDER.**

Uzumaki Naruto ignored the Kyuubi as he gazed beyond the river at the massive wall of Konohagakure…and he looked up to see a few familiar figures watching their battle from atop the wall.

Hyuga Hinata (who was twiddling with her fingers).

Hyuga Neji (who was silent).

Haruno Sakura (who was having a hard time deciding who to root for).

Rock Lee (who was cheering loudly for Naruto).

Umino Iruka (who merely watched with a smile).

Naruto grinned as Sasuke pulled himself out of the river. The blonde ninja remarked, "We've got ourselves an audience."

"I noticed," muttered Sasuke, his **_Zanbato_** gone after being doused by the rushing river. However, he had brought out the **_Sharingan_**…which meant he was ready to be serious.

Fine. So would Naruto. "Now…let's play for real. **_Hiraishin no jutsu!_**"

Sasuke's eyes spun as he barely caught a wisp of Naruto's after-image; even the **_Sharingan_** was having difficulty tracking the speed of the Yellow Flash technique. _He's…behind!_

He whirled around, slamming his hands around Naruto's wrist. His outstretched hand held a kunai, hovering inches from the Uchiha's face. Sasuke brought up his leg, which was caught by Naruto's free left hand. Sasuke countered by jumping, bringing his other foot up. Naruto countered THAT by shifting his elbow, blocking the kick. Sasuke then twisted Naruto's wrist and right arm, pushing the kunai towards the fox boy's face. Naruto responded to that by biting Sasuke's hand.

"OW!"

Naruto immediately slammed his right elbow into Sasuke's gut, simultaneously bringing his right knee up against the spine. The Uchiha growled as he lashed out with his head, slamming it against Naruto's.

"GAH!"

Sasuke immediately wriggled out of Naruto's grasp, his hands performing a flurry of katas before he roared, "**_Shinsoku_**; God Speed!" It was the very technique that Itachi had used at the battle near Sunagakure…and Sasuke had copied it.

Before Naruto could react, he was being pummeled from all sides. However, unlike Sasuke, he didn't realize it was only a Genjutsu technique that made everything seem slower for the victim…and this would prove to be unfortunate. _Heh. I'll just speed up myself!_

**YOU MIGHT WANT TO RECONSIDER.**

_Oh shut up!_ "**_Hiraishin no jutsu!_**"

Naruto's perception of everything was slower, even though everything still moved in real time…and as such, his Yellow Flash technique moved just as fast. But to Naruto, with his slowed perception…the technique appeared to be faster than normal. Too fast.

"WAAAH!" wailed Naruto as he spun out of control, slamming through several trees. He came to a stop fifty yards away, his vision swimming. The illusion had been broken by the numerous knocks to the head Naruto had gotten…but he was a little more torn up than before. "Ow…head hurting…"

**AND AGAIN YOU DISREGARD MY ADVICE. SUCH A FOOL.**

"Ah stuff it," growled Naruto as he got to his feet. He quickly emerged from the forest…and saw that Sasuke standing in the clearing. His right hand was glowing with blue lightning. **_Chidori_**.

This caused Uzumaki Naruto to smile. "This again, eh? Well…I'm not one to argue. We'll see if the outcome will be different this time!"

"And it won't," remarked Sasuke, his hand feeling a tingly sensation from the power of the Lightning Edge.

"Says you!" retorted Naruto as light-blue chakra began to coagulate in his right palm: **_Rasengan_**. "This time…you're gonna be the one on the ground!"

Sasuke smirked as he reared his right arm. Naruto reared his right arm as well.

From atop the wall, Hinata gulped. "…do you think Sasuke and Naruto-kun will be okay?"

"Of course," remarked Iruka. "Those two are very talented ninja…but they also have a tendency to stay alive." _Especially Naruto._

"Wind Spiral versus Lightning Edge…a technique created by the Fourth Hokage versus a technique created by Hatake Kakashi the Copy Ninja…" Neji frowned as he used his Byakugan to analyze the chakra in both techniques. "Either way…this is where the battle ends."

"**_OHHHHHHHHHHHH!_**" roared Lee as his hair shined under the sun. "Such relentless fighting, such horrific suspense…I must watch, even if it pains me to do so!"

Sakura merely stared quietly at Sasuke, his black hair and dirtied robes fluttering in the wind. _Sasuke-kun…just don't die…_

Suddenly, the two charged.

**_Rasengan_** met _**Chidori**_.

Blue lights. Explosive force. Incredible winds. Thunderous sound.

Then it all faded.

The five observers gazed over the wall.

A circular crater – where the two rivals had met – existed in front of the Honorstone. Sasuke had landed against a fallen tree. Naruto had gone through a whole oak, landing against a tree trunk.

Neither of them moved.

"Naruto-kun," muttered Hinata as she impulsively leapt over the wall, much to Lee Neji's shock. Naturally, they both followed. Of course, Sakura was already sliding down the wall as well (Inner Sakura: After all, the man needs to have a woman looking after him!). Iruka merely watched, a smile on his face. _Naruto…you've come quite far since your days as a troublemaker who couldn't even perform **Henge** correctly…_

Hinata knelt down beside Naruto, staring at his bleeding right hand. "Naruto-kun…!"

This solicited a response from Naruto: a chuckle.

Likewise for Sasuke (whose right hand was ALSO bleeding), he started chuckling as well. "Well well…looks like a draw…"

"Sure does," muttered Naruto as he let Hinata tend to his hand.

**PATHETIC.**

_What now?_

**SO WEAK THAT YOU NEED A FRAIL GIRL TO TEND TO YOU. SUCH WEAKNESS.**

_Oh shut up. Hinata-chan's cool!_

**AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOCK THAT FOOL UNCONSCIOUS. TO THINK YOU USE MY POWER. HOW DEGRADING.**

Naruto merely scowled. _Stupid throw rug…you're going to learn to behave one day. Mark my words!_

**THAT'LL BE THE DAY WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER.**

Naruto ignored the Nine Tails as he stared ahead of him…gazing straight into Sasuke's dark eyes. _Well…there's always next time…and when that time comes, I'll make sure he has a Leaf headband._

xxxx

/Secret Cavern, Fire Country/

Mantarou stared at the massive figure inside the cavern. "Enough time has passed; it's time to begin the final phase of the plan." He traced his blood around his arms, his eyes gazing at the tremendous statue standing at the end of the cavern.

The statue was humanoid in structure; the statue began the waist, the skin made of hard, sturdy gray rock. The hands were clenched, resting right against the shoulders. The monstrous statue's toothy mouth was shut tight…and its five eyes were closed.

"A Level 5 Gatekeeper Golem," muttered Akatsuki's Leader as he finished tracing the intricate pattern on his arms. "The last one left in this realm…and the key to my plan."

He slammed his hands into the ground. The bloody lines glowed with chakra, wrapping around the statue…and shrinking it. When the process ended, the Gatekeeper Golem was no bigger than a coin.

Mantarou pocketed it in the folds of his cloak…and then he pulled out two red contact lenses. "I'll go with red eyes this time…" He took out his green contact lenses and put in the red ones, giving his eyes a shade of blood red.

He was ready.

"First…Shukaku…and then the Kyuubi." Mantarou clenched his fist tightly, orange chakra swirling around him. "Soon…soon…"

xxxx

**_END PART I, ARC I_**

xxxx

Author's Notes: Next chapter begins Part II of Legacy…and the battle against Akatsuki's Leader.

See you soon, and please review!


	20. Akatsuki's Leader Makes His Move!

Standard Disclaimer: YAH! HO! RAGH! I DON'T OWN NARUTO! HAH!

Author's Notes: Text workouts are tiring. x.x

It seems some people are curious as to my usage of the Body Flicker technique…AKA, the **_Shunshin no jutsu_**. Some have said I have made it too god-like in power.

Allow me to answer both statements!

When I first started writing Legacy, it was unknown to me as to how the **_Hiraishin no jutsu_** worked. So I had to make up one. Even though I know how it is now in the manga (the Yondaime could only teleport to his special tags or to kunai that have the tags on them), I'm not going to change it. Not this version of it. You might see something later though, so be patient.

For one thing, the way the Flying Thunder God works in Legacy is that Naruto sends out a thin stream of chakra, 'catapulting' his body along it at high speed, giving off the illusion of 'teleportation' (if anything, this may be how it really works; the Yondaime can only teleport with his tags because the tags provide a channel for his chakra). The reason Naruto used it as much as he did during the Akatsuki battle was because of his access to the Kyuubi's chakra, as such a move is a big drain on his own personal chakra.

Now take note as to why it isn't as god-like as a certain reviewer made it out to be.

In the last chapter, he used it only four times. The first doesn't count (he still had access to the Kyuubi's chakra), and the last time, it was only active for a mere second, as he immediately spun out due to the illusion Sasuke placed on him. So that means two times. And he used it on a battlefield less than 100 yards in diameter. And when the battle ended, he was utterly spent.

God-like? Not really.

Here's the URL for my review replies.

www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/fr/74952/14/28/1/#163531

Begin!

xxxx

/Kazekage's Palace, Sunagakure, Wind Country/

Gaara's eyes snapped open.

A strong source of chakra was approaching Sunagakure from the east. _Hmm…fairly strong…not of Akatsuki's caliber, but Jonin-level at least._

**Ku hu hu…feel like a midnight slaying?**

_We shall see what this person's intent is_, mentally replied Gaara as he stepped out of his room and onto the balcony, his dark red night robes swaying in the sandy winds. With a thought, he willed the sand to him, creating a platform. As he stood upon it, his gourd of sand dematerialized and floated over to him, reconfiguring itself on his back.

Gaara was nothing more than a silhouette as he floated over Sunagakure, the winds beginning to dye down. The night was clear. The stars were shining. The moon was bright.

And another silhouette stood amidst the desert, over five miles outside of Sunagakure's walls of stone.

Gaara set down seven yards away from the figure (who was clearly a man judging by his build). All he could make out in the dim light was spiky hair…crossed arms…and a cloak.

A black cloak with red clouds.

The Kazekage's eyes narrowed. "Akatsuki's Leader."

"Correct," muttered the Leader. "I am Mantarou…and I am here for you, Gaara of the Desert. Or, to be more precise, the One Tail."

Without hesitation, Gaara surrounded himself in a sphere of sand.

Mantarou didn't bother to move.

When the sphere cracked open minutes later, the Leader of Akatsuki gazed up at the massive Shukaku, a feral grin adorning the demon's face. Gaara stood atop his head. "If you are here to fight me, I will warn you that I will not fall to you."

Mantarou merely frowned. "You so quickly flaunt the demon's power…" His eyes – colored red by his contact lenses – formed a harsh glare. "It will be your undoing."

Shukaku snorted. **"I'll be picking my teeth with your bones by morning."**

"Even if you are Akatsuki's Leader, I know how to read an opponent's chakra level. Yours' doesn't compare," muttered Gaara.

"Please," retorted Mantarou with a measure of annoyance. "You of all people know I'm hiding my true power."

Gaara knew that much for certain. His chakra was indeed being held back…but something was strange about it…it was foreign…yet familiar…

Mantarou flexed his neck. "The question is…how much am I holding back?"

In a single instant, the air around Mantarou lit up like a miniature sun, his orange chakra aura illuminating the sky around them as if it were the coming of dawn. The aura alone was easily three times as large as Shukaku.

Gaara's eyes widened out of fear (fear? He hadn't felt fear in YEARS.)…and Shukaku's out of disbelief. "What…kind of chakra is this?"

"It is my chakra," remarked Mantarou as his aura flared brightly. His chakra would surely awaken the ninja of Sunagakure. He would have to be quick. "Now…kneel."

With a sudden speed that would seem fitting for Koumorimaru, the orange chakra aura surged at the One Tail, moving like a beast with its own free will.

The fight was over in fifteen minutes.

Mantarou had not moved an inch. There had been no need.

Lying on the ground, slick with blood, was Gaara. Shukaku had already returned to the safety of his body…he couldn't blame him…head hurt…hard to think…the chakra was too strong…couldn't standwhywhathadhappenedwhowasthismansuchpowerhowhadhebeenbeatensoquicklyimpossible…

Gaara suddenly realized that Mantarou was standing over him, glaring down at him without mercy. "Who…who are you…?"

Akatsuki's Leader clenched his hands, his fingertips glowing brightly with red chakra. "Your judge…your jury…and your executioner. And I condemn you to death."

Without hesitation, he plunged his glowing fingers into Gaara's stomach.

The Kazekage screamed.

xxxx

_**PART I **_

_**ARC II: THE LEADER**_

_**A Crisis Hits Sunagakure! Akatsuki's Leader Makes His Move!**_

xxxx

/Hinata's Room, Hyuga Clan Grounds, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Hinata's room was quite cozy. At least, by Hyuga standards. To Naruto, it would've seemed enormous.

Hinata's room was based in the Elder Hall – essentially the home for whomever was the Clan's Head Elder at the time – and it had been her family's ancestral home for generations. Her room was on the third floor, and was circular in structure with a diameter of forty feet. Most of the room's floor was empty space, covered by green rugs laced with black and white markings (the black and white markings combined to form a very complex Leaf Village symbol). Her bed sat at the very back; the frame was made of elegantly carved oak, the four posts in the corners ridged in design, stretching to the ceiling (which, in itself, was twelve feet tall). The walls were painted gray, and her windows were rimmed with lumber painted white. A number of paintings adorned the walls, each one either a drawing Hinata had done at a young age, or official portraits of herself and her family. Several dressers composed of polished oak stood around her room, holding her clothing and personal possessions. Finally, there were two doors; one wooden door that led out of her room and into the corridor leading to the main junction of the Elder Hall, and one door of glass that led to an outdoor balcony.

Right now, Hyuga Hiashi was staring outside the glass door. Hyuga Hinata was staring down at the floor, her eyes downcast.

Hiashi calmly said, "Please understand that this is for your own good, as well as for the good of the clan."

Hinata was trying her hardest not to cry…it wasn't fair…all of a sudden, out of the blue, her father had showed up this morning in her room, asking for a talk. Basically, he spent almost an hour saying 'you cannot be romantically involved with Naruto'.

And it wasn't fair…he had finally recognized her…he had finally saw her as someone that could be special to him…perhaps…hints of admiration…and maybe…love…

And now…she was forbidden to do so.

_Naruto-kun…_ "Father…why?"

"You KNOW why," remarked Hiashi with a calm glare. "The Kyuubi. The boy has the demon fox sealed inside him. That alone is reason enough." He hated having to say this to his daughter. He knew of her strong feelings for the boy…but he couldn't take the risk of letting her get too close. If the demon fox ever freed itself…and killed her daughter…he would not only never forgive the people who let the boy live…but he would never forgive himself for letting his daughter come under such danger.

Hiashi turned around, speaking as he slowly walked towards Hinata. "One day, you will come of age. One day, as the firstborn, you will take the position of Head Elder, and serve the Hyuga clan as I have, and as my father did, and as his mother did, and so on until the beginning of our clan. One day, you will pass down the title of 'Head Elder' to your firstborn. To carry on this title, you must be strong." Hiashi knelt down, clasping his hands on Hinata's shoulders, a warm smile on his face. "Daughter…you have become very strong. To think you were once a girl who could not stand up to your five-year old sister…and now, you have become a strong ninja in your own right. You have done me proud…and I can't imagine losing you again. So please…not just for the clan's sake, or my sake…but for YOUR sake…forget loving that boy. That path leads to death."

Hinata said nothing. Her heart, to be blunt, was in utter turmoil. Her father sounded like a father should: calm, caring, and understanding…

But what he was asking…was impossible to grant.

"…father…"

Hiashi paused.

"…do you not realize that it was because of Naruto-kun…" She gazed up at her father with pleading eyes. "…that I have become strong?"

Hiashi said nothing.

Hinata mumbled, "H-he…kept going. Even when he fell…he always g-got back up. He never surrendered. He never q-quit. I…I…envied him…because we both had a painful childhood…b-but I wasn't as strong as him. I wanted to be strong, like Naruto-kun…but more than anything else…" Her eyes showed a brief flash of determination, momentarily forgetting any fear of her father. "…I wanted him to recognize me…as someone like him…as someone who knew his pain…and as someone who would do anything to support him…"

Hiashi was silent, his mind contemplating why he had let his daughter's affection for the boy go on for so long. Perhaps it was because he felt for the boy? Truly, it was a fate no one should have had to go through…but the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox was too great a threat. One human life, no matter its value, was worth the risk of letting the Kyuubi free.

"So father," continued Hinata with a gulp. "I got strong because of him…are you willing to get rid of that reason…?"

Hiashi merely frowned as he turned away. "I have said my final words. Seeing as how you and the boy are ninja, I will not forbid you from working with him on missions…but romantically, I am severing that link. Besides, you will have no choice but to marry a member of our clan anyway. After all, the bloodline must be kept pure." The Head Elder walked away, placing his hand on the doorknob…and sighing. "Please try and understand why I am doing this." And then he left.

Hinata's white eyes began tearing the moment he left the room. How could she not?

Although the words were surprisingly soft – considering this was her father we're talking about – it still didn't diminish the impact. For all intents and purpose, she could not even so much as hug Naruto-kun again.

_Why father…you abandoned me as a child…and although I am happy we are now a family again…why must you force me to abandon the one I love?_ Hinata shook her head to try and clear away the tears as she stepped outside onto the balcony. It was a cloudy day…perfectly gloomy for her current mood.

She thought about Naruto.

All of a sudden, she saw a glimpse of orange running across the rooftops, leaping over the village walls to the west. The figure disappeared from sight.

_Naruto-kun?_

Neji suddenly dropped onto her balcony, panting. "Hinata, have you seen Naruto?"

"I think…I just did Neji-san," muttered Hinata. "He went over the village walls to the west."

Neji cursed. "I was afraid of this…he burst off immediately once he found out."

Hinata blinked. "Found out? About what?"

"The Kazekage…" He turned a grave eye to Hinata. "He was attacked by the Leader of Akatsuki."

xxxx

/The Fifth Hokage's Office, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Tsunade drank from a bottle of very strong liquor. In cases like this, it was appropriate.

It had been innocent enough; Tsunade – along with Jiraiya and Kakashi – had been speaking with Naruto about his revelation to the others about the Kyuubi, his eavesdropping on the meeting with Hiashi, and the subsequent battle with Sasuke (this was of particular interest to Jiraiya and Kakashi).

Then the fastest messenger bird of the Sand – Takamaru the Brown Eagle – had arrived with an urgent message.

Two days ago, Gaara had been found outside of Sunagakure. He was near death. All he had muttered before lapsing into unconsciousness…was 'Akatsuki…'.

Predictably, Naruto had immediately burst off towards the Wind Country. However, he had left before Tsunade could finish reading the note. It basically warned the Leaf that Akatsuki's Leader was on their way to Konoha for Naruto…because the Leader had left a message beside the Kazekage when they had found him, written in Gaara's blood.

_**I HAVE SHUKAKU**_

_**NEXT IS KYUUBI**_

Tsunade sighed. "This isn't good…the Leader of Akatsuki will be here soon."

"What concerns me is why he didn't appear at the battle against Naruto, Sasuke, Gaara, and myself in Sunagakure," remarked Jiraiya. "If he is so powerful that he could defeat a Kage so quickly, then why didn't he come?"

"A puzzling question indeed," muttered the Copy Ninja, his mind looking through all possibilities as to why…

Tsunade stood. "No time. We will prepare for the arrival of Akatsuki's Leader. Our defenses will have to be in tip-top shape if we're to withstand this man's assault. I want all ninja to be ready for an attack and for the civilians to be evacuated by our lesser warriors."

Jiraiya snickered. Tsunade glowered at her former teammate. "And WHAT is so humorous?"

"It's just that the reason that Akatsuki's Leader is coming is because of Naruto, and the idiot's not here." His grin was not genuine; it was a troubled one, for fear of what the future brought. "Let's just hope he doesn't get angry when he finds out."

Tsunade had nothing to say.

xxxx

/Fire Country-River Country Border/

It was late afternoon.

Naruto, on his last journey to the Hidden Sand Village (when he had fought Akatsuki), had moved faster than he had ever gone before.

Now he was going even faster. And this was without theFlying Thunder Godtechnique.

Akatsuki's Leader had attacked Gaara. He was going to utterly DEMOLISH him.

Naruto said nothing as he burst across the large river that served as the River Country's border with the Fire Country, leaving a long splash of water in his wake.

However, further downstream…

Mantarou paused as he turned his head, the straw-hat on his head shadowing his face from view. _Hmm…odd…I thought a felt a powerful source of chakra to the north._ He shrugged it off; it was probably a group of ninja on their way to Sunagakure. After all, the Leaf and the Sand were allies; undoubtedly, the news of the Kazekage had reached them by now.

The Leader of Akatsuki continued his leisurely pace (at least compared to Naruto's breakneck speed) towards Konohagakure.

xxxx

/Outside Sunagakure, Wind Country/

Naruto skidded to a stop.

He was atop the Obsidian Seal, now defunct and useless. It was where Akatsuki had lied in wait for him. It was what Akatsuki had planned to use to release the demons from within himself and Gaara (at least, that's what HE thought).

All that going against Naruto and the others...and they had won anyway.

And now this.

"Crap…" grumbled Naruto. "What is this Leader guy up to anyway?"

**DAMNATION.**

Naruto blinked. _What are you upset about?_

**THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU TALKED IN OVER TWO DAYS.**

_So?_

**IT WAS THE MOST PEACEFUL TIME I'VE EVER HAD IN THIS WRETCHED PRISON.**

Naruto chortled. _Then I'll just have to make up for lost time._

**INSECT.**

Naruto immediately took off for Sunagakure, his pace much slower than before.

xxxx

/Medical Chamber, Sunagakure, Wind Country/

The Medical Chamber of the Hidden Sand was the private facility for wounded ninja. Right now, the largest room was reserved for the Kazekage.

Watching from a window in the wall were Temari and Kankuro, their eyes filled with concern and worry. "…"

The door behind them opened.

Naruto stepped into the clean white room, panting heavily. "I…got here as fast as I could. Where is he?"

Temari pointed beyond the window.

Naruto – a moment of fear gripping his bones – peered through.

The large room was dimly lit by torches, the flames flickering with red. Runes and lines formed a massive seal of blood – blood from the medical ninjas – that adorned the ceiling, walls, and floor, surrounding the prone Gaara. The body of the Kazekage was surrounded by five white-clad medical ninjas, their bodies glowing green with curative chakra.

It was in that ambience that Naruto saw the wound.

It was a massive hole in the gut, ragged and ugly. The fact it was still there – even after almost three whole days of healing – was a testament to how fatal it had been.

Gaara's eyes were closed.

Naruto's jaw clenched out of anger. "Why…why did Akatsuki's Leader do this…?"

"Shukaku's gone."

Naruto whirled around to face a stern Kankuro, his lips etched into a worried frown. "What do you…what do you mean by 'gone'?"

"Exactly what he means," murmured Temari, her purple Jonin uniform crumpled after not changing for the last few days. There were bags under her eyes as well; lack of sleep had really been bad for her complexion. Not that she cared. Not now. "When we found him…there was no more demonic taint to his chakra. Even when the medical ninjas first analyzed him, they could only conclude that the One Tail was gone. Shukaku's presence has been completely eradicated from Gaara…or, as the message the attacker left leads us to believe, removed from Gaara."

"Message? What message?" asked Naruto, his curiosity piqued.

Kankuro snorted. "Sick freak wrote it in the sand with Gaara's blood. 'I have Shukaku…next is Kyuubi'."

Naruto froze.

And then he paled. _Oh no…if he came here to fight Gaara…then…!_

The Leader of Akatsuki was going to Konohagakure.

**JUST REALIZED THAT?**

…_what do you mean?_

**NOTHING MUCH…ALTHOUGH THIS LEADER IS GOOD TO CONCEAL THE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF CHAKRA HE HAS.**

…_you know where he is?_

**AS WE CROSSED THE FIRE COUNTRY'S BORDERS. I SENSED SOMEONE MOVING EASTWARD AS WE MOVED WESTWARD.**

_And?_

**HIS CHAKRA, ALTHOUGH HIDDEN, REEKED OF DEMONIC POWER.**

Naruto was growing agitated. _And you didn't tell me this because?_

**I WAS TOO BUSY ENJOYING YOU NOT TALKING.**

_YOU ASS!_

**HU HU HU HU HU HU.**

Naruto grumbled as he turned towards the door. "I've got to get back to Konoha. I've got to stop him!" His chakra aura began to surge. "**_HIRAISHIN NO-_**"

"Wait!"

Naruto paused as he turned toward Temari. "What!"

"Don't waste chakra on any techniques," muttered Temari…out of FEAR. And she had every right to be; her brother Gaara had been literally gutted by the Leader of Akatsuki. "Just run to Konoha…you'll need to be as ready as you can be to face him."

Naruto nodded. "I see…fine then." He walked to the door…and stopped. "If Gaara wakes up…tell him I'm sorry."

"For what?" asked the female Jonin.

"For not being here to fight." And that's all he said before dashing out of the building.

Kankuro scoffed. "That boy's dead meat."

"Shut up Kankuro," retorted Temari with a frown. With someone as powerful as Akatsuki's Leader…she doubted Konoha's chances. She knew they wouldn't sit back and let Naruto fight alone…

That's what troubled her most: the startling potential for collateral damage.

She only hoped that pineapple head would stay out of trouble.

xxxx

/Southwest Wall of Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Morning.

Three days since Takamaru had arrived with the warning from Sunagakure.

Five days since Gaara had been attacked by Akatsuki's Leader.

Naruto was less than a day away from Konoha.

Of course, Mitarashi Anko had no way of knowing that.

The Jonin yawned as she scratched her neck. Early-morning patrol wasn't exactly her forte. But hey, when a powerful S-Class criminal was on his way to Konoha, there was no choice but to prepare.

The woman fingered her 'Heaven' seal; she had hoped that it would have left after Orochimaru's death (oh, how joyous a day that had been. She couldn't remember how much sake she had had…). Unfortunately, that hadn't been the case (after all, it was a Curse Seal…and curses tended to last.). It didn't matter to her, however. It hadn't bugged her in years (the last time had been in the Forest of Death when she had confronted Orochimaru).

Besides, her mind was on other things.

"Hmm…wonder what Akatsuki's Leader is like," remarked Anko with a sadistic smile. "I'm sure his blood would be a sight to see…though it'd have to be something else to compete with Naruto's." Giggling ensued.

Yeah, so she had a fetish for guys who bled (of course, it was only if the guy was relatively good-looking. She did have standards after all). She's creepy. And?

Anko sighed as she took out a small thermos and sipped some warm oshiruko bean soup. "Eh, I'm starting to think too much about men again. Gotta stay focused."

Her eyes suddenly narrowed as she looked down at a figure approaching the wall.

A straw hat.

And a black cloak with red clouds.

Anko smirked. "So…he's here." She turned and prepared to whistle for backup-

"I'd advise against that."

Anko froze.

Tendrils of chakra had wrapped around her body; serrated edges were against her neck, ready to slash.

"I don't want to kill you, but I will if you call for help. I'm only here for one person," muttered the Leader as he got onto the wall, walking with long 'legs' of chakra (think Doctor Octopus).

Anko actually managed to get a glimpse of his face. "Heh…you're not actually that bad to look at."

"Flattery will get you nowhere," remarked the Leader. "Now stand down."

Anko preceded to spit in the man's face before whistling.

He immediately slit her throat.

The brown-haired man looked down at Anko as she impulsively clutched her throat, his chakra tendrils receding as she sunk to her knees. "A pity. I don't like taking human life unless necessary. Unfortunately, you had to go and doom yourself."

Mitarashi Anko chuckled slowly, her hands stained with her blood. "Heh…so smug…I bet you won't be after you have your ass handed to you…a shame I couldn't do it myself…"

And then she collapsed.

Dead.

Akatsuki's Leader glanced downward at the roof of a nearby house. Already a group of ninja had gathered to face him.

Uchiha Sasuke. Haruno Sakura. Rock Lee. Hyuga Neji. TenTen. Maito Gai. Hatake Kakashi.

More were on their way.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed as he stared at the bleeding corpse of Anko. He had been here for no more than two minutes, and he had already killed a Jonin. He momentarily subdued his rage before asking, "So…what's your name?"

"Mantarou. And I'm here for Uzumaki Naruto and the Tailed Demon sealed within him."

"A bit too late for that," remarked Jiraiya as he landed on the roof beside Kakashi. "He's not here."

Mantarou was silent as his red eyes narrowed…and he sighed. "I sense no demonic chakra near here. You speak the truth." _Perhaps he was the source of chakra I felt when crossing the border?_ "Do you know when he'll be back?"

Sakura cracked her knuckles. "Do you really think we'll tell you that?" (Inner Sakura: The only thing we'll tell you is how we're going to kick your ass!)

Rock Lee roared, "**OOOOOOOOOOOH!** Not only that, but you killed one of our fellow Leafs! Such a crime is not only inexcusable, but unforgivable!"

"That's the spirit Lee!" cheered Gai.

Mantarou frowned. "So I take it you wish to fight?"

Sasuke flexed his neck. "Do you have to ask?"

"Regrettably," remarked Mantarou as his chakra swirled. "Very well then. If you do not intend to aid me in my righteous crusade, I will have to beat the answers out of you."

At that moment, his orange aura flared momentarily as four tendrils – sharpened to a point thinner than the tip of a pencil – formed from his energy, rushing toward the ninja of Konoha.

Now they had a monumental task ahead of them: stall the Leader of Akatsuki – who had defeated Gaara and Shukaku so quickly – until Naruto arrived.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**Absolute Control! Mantarou's Deadly Chakra Aura!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: And so the fight against Akatsuki's Leader has begun. I'm sure you're all curious as to his motives…and they shall be known soon enough.

And yes, I killed Anko. Please don't kill me.

See you soon, and please review!


	21. Absolute Control!

Standard Disclaimer: (runs in) I DON'T OWN NARUTO! (runs away, with Anko fanboys in hot pursuit of his hide)

Author's Notes: I figured there'd be people who'd be asking for my corpse for what I did to Anko. What can I say? I wanted someone to die by Mantarou's hand, and it had to be someone who would have very little impact on the future story. But it also had to be someone who would have SOME emotional impact. So it really came down to either Anko or Ibiki. I picked Anko.

Begin!

xxxx

_**Absolute Control! Mantarou's Deadly Chakra Aura!**_

xxxx

/Fire Country-River Country Border/

Naruto was over two hundred miles away from Konoha.

Morning.

He tore across the river at breakneck speed. The sheer speed caused a chain reaction that created a massive wave that surged upstream and downstream. A trench was being dug by his feet as he ran…but he was going so fast that it took a whole second for the trench to come into sight by the time he had passed. At least, it would seem that way to the naked eye.

Trees were upchucked and thrown into the wind. Naruto was a rampaging beast, whose mind was set on one objective: Konoha.

**YOU'RE ANGRY.**

_Gee, how could you tell?_

**YOUR TENDONS ARE TEARING.**

_Don't care._

**YOU'LL TRIP EVENTUALLY.**

_So?_

**IMAGINE TRIPPING WHEN TRAVELLING SO FAR SO QUICKLY.**

_Point taken. Still don't care._

**HU HU HU HU HU HU. DRIVEN SO HARD FOR PEOPLE SO MEANINGLESS.**

_You don't even know. You can't even comprehend what they mean to me._

**JUST AS WELL. I'D RATHER NOT 'COMPREHEND' WHAT TRASH MEANS TO YOU.**

Naruto scowled as his red eyes narrowed. His chakra was roaring through him like an uninhibited beast…like a demonic fox, ready to pounce on his prey.

The blonde ninja intended to kill Akatsuki's Leader. To make him pay for hurting Gaara. To make him pay for even being PART of Akatsuki. So many different reasons.

Naruto snarled. _He'll pay…!_

And all the while, the Kyuubi smiled to himself. The boy was showing quite a bit of bloodlust…

xxxx

/Rooftop, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Had Gaara been awake at the moment, he would've been thinking back to his battle with the Leader of Akatsuki.

He would've realized – in hindsight – that he had made a mistake by summoning Shukaku…for all that had done was make him a bigger target. A bigger target meant an easier time for Mantarou's chakra aura to whittle away at you.

And that was what was helping the Konoha ninja right now, as the four chakra drills surged toward them.

"MOVE!" roared Kakashi as all seven Leaf ninja that now faced Mantarou dove out of the way. The four drills missed.

Unfortunately, they split apart into thin tendrils, weaving out to strike at the Leafs like writhing snakes. Kakashi grimaced as he dashed to the side; the tendrils were on him like white on rice. _Fast…!_

He quickly shifted his hitai-ate up, revealing the Sharingan. The eye swirled as the Jonin ducked underneath the incoming mass of orange chakra, which moved like a ravenous beast. _I can barely keep up. Have to get the upper hand…!_

"_**KAITEN!"**_

Kakashi felt immensely grateful for the power of the Hyuga Clan; Neji's **_Kaiten_** had utterly forced away a tremendous amount of the orange chakra. "I bought you some time," muttered Neji as he dove away from a pursuing chakra tentacle.

Time. So little time.

Kakashi grimaced as the chakra surrounding him spun angrily, forming the visage of a mighty beast. _Such tremendous power…I've never felt so much chakra before!_

Mantarou's eyes slightly narrowed as he saw the group of ninja evade his chakra aura. _Hmm. This might present a more considerable problem than the One Tail…_

He glanced to his right at the Uchiha. He could sense the chakra within him flowing…coagulating in the mouth. He was about to attack. _Not if I have anything to say about it_, thought Mantarou as one of the tendrils became a buzz saw, zooming toward the raven-haired boy.

Sasuke was holding a familiar red ocarina, performing hand seals at the same time. Fire began to form in his mouth. He was calm – his Sharingan eyes spinning rapidly – even as the orange saw soared toward him.

_KA-RACK!_

Suddenly, the wooden roof rose into the path of the saw. The impact shattered the roof into hundreds of splinters, but it also diverted the buzz saw from its original target. The reason: Sakura, who had punched the roof so hard that it had split off and upward, much like the old-fashioned tatami mat 'flip' technique. The pink-haired Chuunin smiled at Sasuke and yelled, "DO YOUR STUFF!"

"**_Katon; Karyuuotakebi!_** Fire Element; War Cry of the Fire Dragon!" Sasuke began blowing on the musical instrument; with each note, more streams of fire erupted from the holes, each one creating a fiery dragon's head. Each head moved at the speed of sound, colliding with tremendous force against Mantarou's chakra aura.

The Leader frowned as his chakra aura receded momentarily, hardening into a more protective shield to keep him safe from the blazing wave.

The moment the jutsu ceased, Kakashi was there with his **_Raikiri_**. "HUAH!"

Lines of orange chakra wrapped around Kakashi's legs and arms, effectively stopping his forward progress. Without hesitation, Akatsuki's Leader chucked him several dozen yards away. "This futile gesture would cease if you only told me where the boy is."

"FAT CHANCE YOU FIEND!" roared Lee and Gai simultaneously as their feet slammed into the chakra shield protecting Mantarou. They rained countless blows down upon the shield, fully intent on breaking it.

The Leader's red eyes narrowed as he expanded outward with a thought, pressing the two Taijutsu specialists away. _How tiresome._

"**_Shintenshin no jutsu!_**"

Mantarou glanced to his left; standing atop the village wall was Team Asuma. Backing Yamanaka Ino were Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji, and Sarutobi Asuma.

Asuma took a puff of his cigarette before aiming his fists at Mantarou. With a simple clenching of the hands, the silver gauntlets on his hands – a new weapon he had procured since Naruto had left three years ago – shot tiny needles at the enemy from slots above the back of the hand.

Mantarou casually swatted the needles away with a tentacle of chakra. However, it allowed Ino's spirit to slip through his chakra barrier.

_Perfect! Now I'll just-_

Almost immediately, Ino's soul was assaulted by a tremendous force. She saw the immense rage, hatred, and utter FURY of four Tailed Demons…and the calm, singled-minded devotion of a very lonely and powerful man.

Facing up against such tremendous forces was too much for the young girl's spirit to handle.

The spirit returned to Ino's unconscious body…and she remained unconscious, save for the look of incomprehensible fear that now existed in her blue eyes.

"Ino…?" muttered Chouji as he stared at the unmoving female.

Shikamaru grimaced. "Well…that doesn't look too good. I think we're in a bit of trouble…"

"That man will PAY!" yelled Chouji as an angry sensation gripped his heart. His teammate had been harmed! A teammate that had cared for him! "**_CHOU BAIKA NO JUTSU!_** Super Multi-Size technique!"

Chouji immediately catapulted in height, towering over the smaller – and abandoned, thankfully – homes within the walls. The giant ninja growled as he raised his fist. "TRY TO SURVIVE. RAAAAAAAAA!"

Mantarou sighed, as if disappointed by Chouji's choice of action. "All you've done is give me a bigger target."

His chakra aura suddenly enflamed and grew, sprouting eight sharpened strands that pierced Chouji's shoulders, thighs, hips, and forearms.

The Chuunin froze; unimaginable pain erupted through his nervous system, overloading his brain and sending him into shock. He could do nothing as more tendrils wrapped around him, _lifting_ him, and slamming him into the streets of Konohagakure. As the tendrils retracted, Mantarou sighed. "What a shame."

"**_Soshoryu no jutsu!_** Twin Rising Dragons!"

Mantarou turned back to see TenTen's massive armament floating above. Without hesitation, she pulled on the chakra strings, sending the weapons downward towards the Leader of Akatsuki.

His dense chakra shield expanded outward, deflecting all of the weapons. The Leader immediately followed up with a chakra battering ram that moved too fast for the kunoichi to dodge.

**_SLAM!_**

TenTen gagged as the battering ram slammed into torso, sending her sailing. Had Neji not caught her, she would've been paste on the street. _This is ludicrous_, thought Neji with a scowl. _He hasn't even moved from his original spot, and he's fighting us all on his own!_

"You've all seen my strength," remarked Mantarou as he parried a thrown kunai by Kakashi. "I have no need for the jutsus you use…for I have gained something better in my years of living: control. Absolute control. A control over my chakra aura that makes it far more useful than you would think."

_We gathered that much_, thought Sasuke as his Heaven seal activated; he was going to Stage 1.

"And I am beginning to tire of this pointless farce. Where is Uzumaki Naruto?" calmly asked Mantarou. "I merely wish to finish what I started years ago."

"I'm afraid you'll have to wait another day!"

Mantarou shifted his gaze to see more arrivals.

Jiraiya. Tsunade. Shizune. Yuhi Kurenai. Hyuga Hinata. Aburame Shino. Inuzuka Kiba.

Mantarou scoffed slightly. "I doubt it."

Jiraiya stepped forward, an almost cocky grin on his features. "A very impressive power…but can it last?"

"See the corpse at my feet and ask yourself the same question." Mantarou's words finally caused the reinforcements to stare at the corpse of Anko.

Tsunade blanched; she and Jiraiya had been quite attached to that girl (probably because she had been the apprentice of Orochimaru BEFORE he had rebelled…)…and she was dead. She gazed down at the street to see a bleeding Chouji being tended to by Shizune…and atop the wall, she saw an unconscious Ino being tended to by a worried Sakura. By the feet of Neji, an unconscious TenTen.

Four casualties: one dead, three wounded.

The Godaime snarled as she glared at the Leader of Akatsuki. What power had he used to take them down…? "How did you do this?"

"If you wish to know of my abilities, I have no problem in revealing them to you," answered Mantarou, momentarily surprising the Hokage. "I do not know any jutsus…I have instead devoted my life to refining my chakra. Slowly training my body to handle more and more chakra through rigorous training and body conditioning. My inner coils gradually adapted to the increased chakra flow…and as time passed, I became the ninja I am today: one who only uses chakra to fight. It is why I have never lost a battle." To make his point, the Leader's chakra aura flared brightly like fire.

_It doesn't make sense though_, thought Kakashi with a frown. _He's shown a lot of chakra in a physical form…his aura is too tremendous…and I'm sensing too much. It can't be all natural…so how?_

"It doesn't make sense…"

Everyone turned towards Neji, his eyes transformed into the familiar **_Byakugan_**. He was now looking at Mantarou's Inner Coils system…and he was shuddering out fear. "Impossible…"

"What do you see Neji?" asked Lee.

Hinata decided to look as well, activating the **_Byakugan_**…and she froze as well. "His arms…his legs…"

"What? _WHAT?_ Tell us!" demanded Kiba with a shout. Akamaru was hiding; the mere whiff of Mantarou was sending chills into the little dog's spine.

"His Inner Coils…in the forearms…and the lower legs…so many coils…they look like bushes…" muttered Hinata as she saw the massive amount of chakra flowing through his Inner Coils.

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "So his Inner Coils system is different, is it…?" _I wonder why…_

Mantarou calmly shifted his cloak, revealing his bare, muscular arms.

Everyone paled.

On the right forearm was the image of Shukaku.

On the left forearm was the image of an ogre.

He calmly reached down and rolled up the sleeves of his pants, revealing the his lower legs also had similar images.

On the lower right leg was the image of a dragon.

On the lower left leg was the image of a sea serpent.

"Over the years, I have sealed four of the Great Tailed Demons into my body. Since my body could not handle the massive amount of chakra alone, new coils grew…it was a bit different than other demon vessels, but in my case, it was necessary…especially considering that I have four within me." Mantarou stretched his limbs out, indicating a certain one with each word. "Kyojini, the Demon Ogre, the No Tail…Soraryu, the Demon Dragon, the Three Tails…Akudaija, the Demon Sea Serpent, the Five Tails…and just recently, Shukaku, the Demon Sand Spirit, the One Tail…all four have been sealed within me, and in reaction to the massive chakra intake, my Inner Coils system grew each time. Call it a gift, if you will."

Kakashi frowned. _That explains his unbelievable amount of chakra…four Tailed Demons. I never thought someone could actually house more than one of these powerful demons…_

"Then what was the whole point of that Obsidian Seal?" asked Shikamaru, his mind working through possible scenarios. The best solution was to keep the Leader talking…to delay him…

Mantarou sighed as his arms and legs disappeared beneath his cloak once more. "Regrettably, the third Tailed Demon I faced – Akudaija the Five Tails – was the first one I faced that wasn't imprisoned within a demon vessel. The encounter nearly cost me my life…but I won in the end. I healed. And I knew that a future fight with a Tailed Demon might cost me life, for Akudaija is one of the weakest of the Tailed Demons. So I created Akatsuki…to search for any demon vessels left in this world. After several years, the existence of Gaara came to my attention…but seeing as how the creation of Akatsuki automatically branded me an S-Class criminal label, I had to bide my time. Later on, the existence of Uzumaki Naruto came to my attention…"

"And then?" asked Tsunade. Kurenai briefly smiled at the Hokage. _Good job Hokage-sama…keep him talking…_

"So with my knowledge of demon seals, I crafted the Obsidian Seal. It would activate at the light of a solar eclipse…and the seal would extract the demons from Gaara and Naruto. The other members of Akatsuki merely had to detain them long enough until I arrived in time for the eclipse, where I would absorb the two Tailed Demons." The Leader scratched his head; a gesture of disappointment. "I must say, I wasn't that happy when I learned that the other members of Akatsuki were all dead. Three years of waiting for the next eclipse…and it goes to waste. To go to Sunagakure after I learned of Akatsuki's destruction would've been pointless."

Sasuke quietly, "You sure don't seem to value them, judging by your words."

Mantarou snorted. "Unlike myself, the label of 'S-Class criminal' truly applied to them. It was disgusting to work with them at first…but I had to accept it. They were merely means to an end. And fortunately for me, their deaths served a purpose."

"And that would be?" asked Tsunade.

"To weaken the Tailed Demons." The Leader calmly took off his straw hat, letting it fall to the street far below. Everyone finally got a look at his face. "That was the only reason I managed to defeat Shukaku so quickly…he and his demon vessel still had yet to fully recover from the battle with Akatsuki."

Kakashi was silent…for his mind was racing for an explanation as to why the man looked so familiar. _Where have I seen him before…?_

"And in case you're wondering why I'm willingly telling you this…it's because I know you cannot win." A small smile came to his face. "I know you wanted to 'trick' me into revealing information to you…I'm too powerful for you to stop either way."

Tsunade growled. "We'll see about that." She immediately punched into the roof, causing half of it to shatter. The force behind the blow caused the roof's fragments to zoom toward like rain.

The chakra aura of Mantarou caught all of the fragments.

"Now Lee!"

"Yes sir, Gai-sensei!"

Mantarou glanced at the two Taijutsu specialists; their bodies tensed up.

Then, simultaneously, teacher and apprentice yelled, "First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth – **Initial, Heal, Life, Harm, Limit**, and **View** Gates – **_OPEN!_**"

The change was nearly instantaneous. Skin turned red. Their pupils and irises disappeared. Any and all injuries disappeared. Blue and green chakra whirled around them…and so much unleashed chakra swam through their Inner Coils that the coils were visible on the outside as blue veins against the skin (hence the 'View'). The two Taijutsu users charged ahead, feet forward. "**_Shainingu-hihana!_** SHINING SUNFLOWER!"

Their kicks were so fast that they seemed like silhouettes. Dozens of super-powered kicks slammed into Mantarou's chakra aura, whittling away at it with all the ferocity of a lion.

The Leader's eyes narrowed. "Is that all?"

A flash of orange light.

The attack ended as Mantarou's chakra aura suddenly flared brightly, forming thick tentacles that wrapped around the two attackers. Gai and Lee gagged as the tentacles wrapped tightly around them, holding them in place. The Leader nonchalantly said, "You're not the only ones who can open Celestial Gates." It was true; orange veins were visible against his skin, his eyes were all white, and his skin was red (albeit it was a more subdued red than Gai's and Lee's). He had opened the first six gates. "To use your excess chakra to increase your speed and strength…what a waste. The body is not designed to handle so much chakra. Using it as you do is detrimental…and self-destructive. That is why I don't move…I let my chakra do the fighting. And thus, the damage done to my body is miniscule at best."

Mantarou's two tentacles immediately slammed Lee and Gai into the paved street far below. Rock and rubble were sent flying into the air. He then turned his attention to the remainder. "You are only hurting yourselves…" He closed the six gates, returning to his original state. "Where is Uzumaki Naruto?"

"**_Katon; Zanbato!_**"

The Leader gazed upward as Sasuke – powered by the Level 1 Curse Seal – swung with the flaming blade, which could crush him like a twig.

The chakra aura formed a hand, which grabbed the blade in mid-swing. Sasuke blinked as he was tossed aside like so much trash. "This is making you all look foolish. Stand down, and you won't suffer anymore."

**_CHOOM!_**

Shino looked utterly flabbergasted as a section of the roof Mantarou stood was obliterated by several spikes of chakra; his destruction bugs had been sneaking up on him just fine…

As if sensing what Shino was thinking, Akatsuki's Leader calmly boasted, "I can sense chakra at a very high degree boy. Your bugs…were reeking with chakra."

The bug user grimaced.

"Alright then, I guess we'll just have to kick your ass the old-fashioned way!" yelled Kiba, his cockiness evident. "Come on Akamaru! Time for the **_Waau-Rufu-Kyou!_**"

"RUF!" barked Akamaru as he hopped out of the jacket and onto Kiba's head. The ninja performed various hand seals before disappearing in a cloud of blue chakra as he and Akamaru merged into the familiar white werewolf.

"Come on Neji-san, let's help Kiba," said Hinata as she got into an offensive stance. Neji nodded as he prepared to fight as well.

The Kiba/Akamaru werewolf (who shall now be known as Kibamaru. THE AUTHOR HAS SPOKEN!) howled as he charged forward along with Neji and Hinata.

Mantarou sighed as his chakra blazed brightly. "Suffer the little children."

xxxx

Rock Lee had a very big headache. _Ow…head hurts…_

It hurt not only because of the blow…but because his mind was reeling. It couldn't comprehend what had just happened.

Akatsuki's Leader could open the Celestial Gates as well…and he had used his chakra to effectively shut down their offensive assault. He was so powerful…and he seemed so unstoppable…

_NO!_ Rock Lee leapt to his feet, ignoring the spasms in his muscles. "I cannot fail! I will keep on fighting, because that's what the good guys always do!"

"Heh…bravo Lee."

"Gai-sensei!" exclaimed Lee as he turned in the direction of his sensei's voice. "Are you ready to-?"

Lee froze, his eyes widening in horror. _No…no…_

Gai was sitting on the pavement, a crooked, self-assured smirk on his face…but his legs were all bent in unnatural angles. "I'm afraid I won't be walking for a while. Shattered legs can't really support a lot of weight."

"Gai-sensei…your legs…"

"Oh, it doesn't matter right now Lee." On the inside, however, Gai was hurting; he would be unable to fight against Akatsuki's Leader now (heck, he wouldn't be fighting for a long while). "After all, you managed to recover from bone fragments in your spinal cord. Compared to that, broken legs will be a breeze!" To seal the deal, Gai used his 'Nice Guy' pose.

Lee smiled at his teacher's optimism. In return, he also returned the 'Nice Guy' pose. "Yes sir!" With that said, Lee leapt back up onto the roof of the nearest house before leaping towards the battle between Mantarou and Neji, Hinata, and Kibamaru.

Gai just laid back against the street, staring into the sky above.

It seemed so calm compared to the turbulence they were in.

Tsunade suddenly appeared above him. Gai gave a mock salute. "Greetings, Hokage-sama. Lovely weather."

"Ha ha. Your legs look completely shattered." Tsunade was at a bit of a loss. _So many casualties already_, she thought with a frown as she turned around.

Sakura was holding an unconscious Ino and TenTen over both shoulders. She was followed by Shikamaru and Asuma.

Shizune held the bloody body of Chouji (fortunately, she had stopped the bleeding) in her arms.

_And Anko is dead_. Tsunade shook her head. _We need to get this man away from Konoha before more ninja are wounded…_ "Take the wounded to the hospital. Shikamaru, Asuma…take Gai to the hospital."

"Yes ma'am," replied the four ninja as they carefully took off toward the center of the village, where the hospital was located.

Tsunade was left to her thoughts.

That is, until a certain lecher interrupted them. "Having a little trouble?"

"Shut it," snapped Tsunade as she stared at Jiraiya, who was leaning against the wall of the nearest building. "If I recall correctly, you haven't done much yourself."

"That's because we're facing an entirely new breed of enemy…and I had to stay in the background to formulate a suitable plan for a counter-attack." The Legendary Leaf's eyes twinkled with knowledge…and a sense of self-satisfaction. "Care to hear it?"

"By all means," commented Kakashi as he dropped down from above. "It wouldn't involve being swatted away, will it?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "Hopefully not. Once I'm done, go find that raven-haired pupil of yours and tell him what to do…"

xxxx

Mantarou looked bored.

Even though he was under attack from two practitioners of the Gentle Fist style and a four-eyed werewolf, he wasn't even breaking a sweat. If anything, he seemed to be letting them attack without countering…as if he were amused by their gesture.

Alas, he didn't let it last long. "Pitiful." His chakra aura sprouted fists that punched the three attackers in the face, sending them backwards.

All of a sudden, another fist sprouted from his chakra aura and punched the air behind him. Kurenai suddenly appeared – having made herself invisible to the naked eye – as she was sent soaring. _Genjutsu techniques don't work on someone who can sense chakra and manipulate it as I can._

"_**CHIDORI!"**_

"_**RAIKIRI!"**_

Mantarou's attention was back to the present as Sauske and Kakashi came at him from the sides, their right hands crackling with electricity. The Leader solidified his aura, preventing the deadly technique from touching him. "Insufficient."

"_**RASENGAN!"**_

Jiraiya suddenly appeared from below, having leapt from the street and into the air. In his hands was the familiar **_Rasengan_** orb…and, in an unexpected move, actually PITCHED it towards Mantarou, like a fastball. Simultaneously, Tsunade was coming, now on the roof and running at high speed…just behind the thrown **_Rasengan_**…

And Mantarou suddenly realized their plan. He tried to increase the power of his aura-

Too late.

The **_Rasengan_** orb slammed into his aura…and then Tsunade immediately punched the orb with all the force she could muster.

The chakra aura had held under the duress of the twin Lightning Blade techniques. It had wavered when hit by the **_Rasengan_**. Add the tremendous power of Tsunade's punch…and Mantarou's shield was insufficient. He had not devoted enough power to keeping it intact.

As a result…

_**CHOOOOOOOOOOOM!**_

Tsunade's punch caused the **_Rasengan_** to detonate in a flash of spiraling blue energy, its explosive force shattering Mantarou's weakened aura and sending him flying high into the sky. He disappeared through a cloud and reappeared as a black dot heading toward the horizon.

Jiraiya whistled. "Now if only you devoted that much strength to being a good date…"

"Sod it," retorted Tsunade with a scowl. They couldn't sit back and rest now; Mantarou would only return…and she doubted he would be very forgiving for any wound they had inflicted upon him. "We need to chase after him…and stop him now."

"I'm on it," remarked Sasuke as he went to the next level, sprouting the fleshy wings that – previously – only Naruto had seen close-up. The Uchiha ignored the stares of shock as he took off into the air, his now-white hair ruffling in the wound.

"Man…what was that crap with Sasuke?" demanded Kibamaru, his nose bleeding heavily.

Kakashi replied, "He's only our ally. Now…we pursue."

"Right!" yelled Lee as he jumped back onto the roof. "I must fight for Gai-sensei!"

So Tsunade, Jiraiya, Kakashi, Neji, Hinata, Lee, and Kiba took off to the northwest, following the flying Sasuke.

xxxx

/Plains, 17 Miles Northwest of Konohagakure/

From the ground, Mantarou would look like a black bird that came ever closer towards the ground, his death ever looming.

That is, until his chakra aura ignited and he formed eight massive legs – like a spider's – that slowed his descent to a gentle crawl, allowing him to land without any injury.

The Leader of Akatsuki frowned as he stared down at his gut. Although his aura barrier had been broken, it had still prevented his flesh from being torn or electrically fried. Even so, the sheer force of the blow had given him a nasty bruise…and, at worst, some internal bleeding.

It wasn't an issue…not with his chakra. He calmly sensed the abnormality – a rupture in the stomach lining, to his surprise – and used his chakra to realign the walls; his chakra then sped up the process of cell division, causing the stomach lining to completely heal itself. In essence, he was his own medic (although not as skilled as someone of Tsunade's caliber).

The Leader was pleasantly surprised. It had been quite some time since anyone had inflicted an injury upon him of any sort. _Those ninja must really value the demon vessel…_

What a horrendous folly. Those who held the power of demons needed death…not only to end the existence of the demon itself, but also to end the tortured existence of the vessel. If the fools had known better, they would've handed Naruto over to him.

Alas, humans were sometimes known for doing things the hard way.

His gaze turned to Uchiha Sasuke as the boy set down with a gentle flap of his leathery wings, the grass coming up to his knees. "You seem really desperate for the power of the Nine Tails."

Mantarou countered, "And you seem like someone who would rather not have that cursed power of yours…Orochimaru was always a sick monster. Were it not for his network of spies and knowledge of Konoha, I would've killed him myself."

"So why didn't you?"

"Because even a monster such as he is not comparable to a terror like the Nine Tails," retorted Mantarou as his chakra aura begin to swirl around him. "And to see you and your fellow ninja trying to save him is maddening."

"Then I guess I'm a madman." It was kind of a fitting term…at least to Sasuke, in retrospect. After all, he had forsaken Konoha for Orochimaru. "I'm still going to stop you."

"As will we."

Mantarou gazed at the white-eyed girl that appeared behind Sasuke, along with the rest of those that had pursued. Hinata, with a surprisingly confident tone, said, "You will NEVER take Naruto-kun from us."

"So just leave, unless you want us to kick your sorry butt out the door!" playfully grunted Kibamaru.

Mantarou was silent.

And then he shook his head. Not out of annoyance, or anger…but out of pity. Pity for a foolish group of people that cared for someone who did not warrant it…or deserve it. No matter what the human side did, the demon within the vessel cursed the boy to death. There was no other way around it.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this," muttered Mantarou. "As I said, I don't like taking human life…but you've continued to oppose me…and you refuse to tell me where the demon vessel is…and that makes you as much an enemy as the demons I've sworn to fight."

Jiraiya was frowning on the inside; even though he knew relatively nothing about the Leader – before he had come to Konoha, that is – but he had expected him to of such a hideous nature that would've rivaled Orochimaru's or Itachi's. Instead, he spoke as if he what he were doing was…right…

And yet, most, if not all, of history's evildoers believed they had been in the right as well.

And so, Mantarou's chakra aura flared to an unbelievable size, the utter power glowing like a star. Everyone paled; now their foe was getting serious.

"May you die a painless death." With that said, Mantarou's aura thinned out, stretching high into the sky…and from the sphere of energy at the top, thin beams of chakra rained down like hail.

Deathfall.

xxxx

Over one hundred miles to the south, Naruto was running atop a mountain range towards Konohagakure…and paused as an orange dot of light lit up on the horizon. "What the…?"

**AH. SO THAT IS THE LEADER OF AKATSUKI.  
**

_That's…from the Leader?_

**APPARENTLY HE LIKES SHOWING OFF.**

Naruto snorted; all thoughts of Temari's advice to conserve his chakra were gone now. Now he just had one thought: GET THERE.

"_**Hiraishin no jutsu!"**_

Naruto disappeared in a yellow flash…

xxxx

…and reappeared atop a grassy knoll in the same flatlands where the orange aura had originated from.

His blue eyes were wide with awe at the sight of the massive orb of orange chakra in the sky…and he saw it was shrinking as streaks of thin energy erupted from it, raining down on the ninja below. The eight ninja – Kakashi, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Lee, Kibamaru, Neji, Sasuke, and Hinata – were all dashing back and forth, rolling and ducking to avoid the rain of death that was upon them. Standing calmly in the midst of it all was the source of the orange chakra: Akatsuki's Leader.

He could barely move.

**HU HU HU HU HU. YOU'VE SOILED YOURSELF.**

Naruto didn't care that his pants were now wet with urine; the sheer sight of the chakra was like a tremendous weight, pinning him down to the ground…

"Neji-san, watch out!" Even with the power of the Hyuga Bloodline Limit, Neji still had his blind spot. And that had been the target of one of the chakra beams.

Hinata, however, had seen it…and being the good girl she was, she had pushed him out of the way. Unfortunately…

SHICK.

"**_HINATA!"_** screamed Neji as the young girl fell to the ground, an orange spear of energy having pierced her gut. She fell to the ground with a whimper…and then didn't move.

Then the fear within Naruto evaporated. It had utterly vanished…and all that remained…well…you can guess.

The onslaught of orange suddenly stopped, and the massive chakra aura receded back towards Mantarou. The brown-haired man turned around, gazing at the knoll. _So…he's come._

Naruto dashed forward, running past Mantarou and coming to a stop by Hinata. The young Hyuga girl gazed up with weary eyes at Naruto…and she smiled. "Naruto-kun…hi…"

_Stupid girl…all of them are stupid._

**AT LEAST YOU'RE BEING HONEST.**

_The Leader only wanted me…so why'd the others stick their necks out?_

**THE CURSE OF CARING. A LESSON YOUR KIND HAS YET TO LEARN.**

Naruto calmly picked Hinata up, cradling her bleeding body in his arms. He walked over to Tsunade and ordered, "Old hag. Take care of Hinata."

Tsunade didn't bother to berate Naruto for his tone. She just merely went to work on healing the little girl.

As Naruto walked away, he turned towards Jiraiya. "Pervert-Sennin. Anything I should know?"

"He only uses chakra. No jutsus whatsoever. He has four Tailed Demons sealed within him, and their chakra is added to his own. He can also open at least six of the Celestial Gates." Jiraiya's answers did little to ease the worry in his heart; it only certified that Naruto was about to face one of the most powerful people in the world.

"Gee, sounds lovely," sarcastically replied Naruto with a smirk.

"Be careful Naruto-kun," cautioned Lee as he bandaged a wound on his pierced shoulder. "He's injured Ino and TenTen…Chouji nearly bled to death from his wounds…Gai-sensei's legs were broken…and he killed Anko."

Each new casualty caused Naruto to clench his fists even tighter. "Thanks Lee." He walked forward, barely acknowledging the stares from Kakashi, Kibamaru, and Neji (and you couldn't blame them; his body was glowing with demonic red chakra; the chakra of the Kyuubi). Finally, as he passed Sasuke (still at Level 2), the white-haired Uchiha asked, "Will you need backup?"

It was a strange question from Sasuke. But nevertheless, Naruto retorted, "No. Don't interfere."

"And if I choose to fight anyway?"

Naruto gave Sasuke one of the harshest glares he had ever mustered. The effect was doubly apparent with the fox boy's red eyes; even the last of the Uchiha was slightly unnerved. "Then I'll kill you." Naruto continued walking on. "This is MY fight."

**HEH. YOU'RE BECOMING MORE LIKE ME EVERY DAY. THERE'S HOPE FOR YOU YET.**

Naruto merely snarled as he glared at Akatsuki's Leader. His aura was orange, yet the eyes were red. Naruto's aura was a demonic red, taking on the visage of a one-tailed fox…and his eyes were red.

They stood apart by about 30 yards, their auras shimmering in the light of the morning. Finally, Naruto asked, "Are you Akatsuki's Leader?"

"I am. My name is Mantarou."

"Did you create Akatsuki?"

"I did."

"…did you attack Gaara?"

"Yes."

Naruto said nothing more.

One second, he was there.

The next second, he was right beside Mantarou in a yellow flash, his right hand coated in red chakra.

Mantarou barely managed to stare to his left side-

**KAPOW!**

The punch sent Mantarou skidding across the grassy ground, creating a massive trench that stretched for over two hundred feet. Dust and dirt were kicked up, and the sheer force behind the hit created a thunderclap of sound.

By the time he stopped, the Leader already knew he was in for a far more difficult fight. "Hmm." He wiped the blood trickling from his mouth before standing. "Very impressive."

Naruto angrily shook his fist at Mantarou. **_"AND THERE'S MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM!"_**

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**A Shocking Secret! Mantarou is More than he Seems!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: Next chapter, Mantarou unleashes a secret…that may possibly doom Naruto to failure in this battle…what is it? I'm not telling…but it's definitely groundbreaking. ;P (flees before he can drop anymore intentionally-placed clues)

See you soon, and please review!


	22. A Shocking Secret!

Standard Disclaimer: Behold! A Layer Demon! 'DISCLAIMER NO JUTSU: I-DON'T-OWN-NARUTO' TECHNIQUE!

Author's Notes: By the end of this chapter, Naruto's world will be turned upside-down…and perhaps it will be for everyone on the sidelines as well. And as of last chapter, I eclipsed the 100,000-word barrier. So yay!

Begin!

xxxx

_**A Shocking Secret! Mantarou is More than he Seems!**_

xxxx

/Hospital, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Shizune was in a bind. Actually, that would be an understatement.

Although her total number of patients came to a grand total of four, their importance was clear.

Yamanaka Ino: unconscious for reasons unknown (most probable explanation: mental stress during the use of her special jutsu).

Akimichi Chouji: stabbing wounds in the shoulders, hips, thighs, and forearms, as well as shock.

TenTen: unconscious from a blow to the torso.

Maito Gai: both legs were shattered (he had been put on anesthetics to dull the pain until a full medical ninja team could be brought in).

Unfortunately, there was another casualty…but due to the fact Mitarashi Anko was dead, she had been taken to the morgue, where her body would wait until funeral arrangements for her burial had been made.

Burial.

It seemed strange to acknowledge that a fellow ninja had just died in the line of duty. It was not a new sensation; it had happened plenty of times before in Shizune's life. But to see that the one killed was a Jonin was the unsettling part. The part that just dumbfounded her was the fact it hadn't even taken much effort for Mantarou to do the deed. _Mantarou_, thought Tsunade's old apprentice with a scowl. She didn't dare fathom the raw power Akatsuki's Leader possessed; her mind was better off being preoccupied with other things.

"…do you think the others will be okay?" asked Sakura, as if sensing the trouble thoughts of Shizune.

"…I'm not sure," honestly replied the older medical ninja.

"Ha. Do not be so quick to doubt." The two medial ninja turned to face Maito Gai, who was lying on a hospital cot with his legs supported by slings. "If you fret too much, it'll only make my hope for victory diminish. Can't hurt a patient, now can you?"

Sakura lightly smiled at that. "…yes."

Yet, despite a forced smile, Shizune could not attest to being so optimistic.

After all, in the face of one as powerful as Mantarou, who could remain confident?

xxxx

/Plains, 17 Miles Northwest of Konohagakure/

Naruto, that's who.

His chakra aura blazed red, synonymous with the power of the Demon Fox…but coincidentally, it was as red as his anger for Akatsuki's Leader.

Speaking of Akatsuki's Leader, his chakra aura shined, as orange as an orange (unintentional pun). His eyes calmly gazed at the ninja of Konoha, measuring the immense chakra within. _Hmm…he will be more difficult than the others._

"**HU HU HU HU."**

Mantarou frowned as part of Naruto's aura morphed into the head of a fox. The Nine Tailed Demon Fox, to be exact. **"I CAN SEE YOU ARE A DEMON SLAYER."**

The Leader scowled, glaring hatefully at Kyuubi. "You will meet your end soon, demon."

"**YOU ARE NOT FIT TO KILL ME,"** retorted the Nine Tails.

"I have subdued four of the ten Great Tailed Demons. After you, I will claim the other five," snarled Mantarou. "Your kind will fall to my power."

Naruto couldn't help but blink out of confusion; the calm warrior he had seen upon coming to these plains was now becoming angry just by talking to the Nine Tails. _What's going on…?_

**HE DOESN'T LIKE ME.**

_And why am I not surprised?_

Mantarou inhaled deeply to calm himself. "I was not aware that you could talk with the demon within you."

Naruto snorted. "Why do you care?"

The Leader's gaze became a glare. "Do you regard the Nine Tails as an ally?"

"Hmph, what does that have to do with anything?" grumbled Naruto.

Mantarou stared…and sighed. "It matters not. Once I end your life, you will no longer have to worry about having a demon within you."

Naruto chuckled. "Sorry. I don't plan on dying…" He then clenched his fist, his red eyes shimmering with mischief. "Because I'm going to become Hokage one day! And nothing is going to get in my way. **_NOTHING!_**"

"Do you honestly expect the people to except someone like you as Hokage? One whom they see AS the Nine Tailed Fox?" asked Mantarou.

Naruto said nothing. That is, until he grinned. "You haven't been paying attention then…guess your spies must suck or something. There are plenty of people who care for me! Like Kakashi-sensei, the old hag, and the Pervert-Sennin! There's also Sakura-chan, Rock Lee, and lots of other Konoha ninja! And don't forget Hinata-chan, or Iruka-sensei!" He bared his fangs. "I won't let you stop me…because I'm going to keep fighting. Fighting for Konoha…so my actions will convince the people that I'd be a GREAT Hokage!"

Mantarou stared.

Another sigh.

"**_STOP SIGHING! IT'S GETTING ANNOYING!"_** roared Naruto.

"I suppose it would be pointless to ask you to kneel…but then again, I'd rather we not have to fight. It would make your suffering end," said the Leader.

Kyuubi's voice echoed through the air as his face disappeared within Naruto's energy aura. **"HU HU HU HU HU…NOW YOU KNOW WHAT I MUST DEAL WITH EACH AND EVERY DAY…"**

"You're not HELPING," growled Naruto. "Either way, I'm going to end this battle! **_Hiraishin no jutsu!_**" A yellow flash. Naruto immediately reappeared two feet behind Mantarou, fist reared for a-

**BAM!  
**

Naruto yelped as an orange fist slammed into his fist, sending him backwards. He landed with a thud on the grassy ground, writhing in pain from the unexpected hit. "What the…how did…?"

Mantarou's chakra aura flared as he spoke. "I never expected that you'd know the Yellow Flash technique…but now that I know, you won't be catching me off guard again."

"We'll see!" retorted Naruto as he disappeared in another yellow flash. Reappearing an instant later-

**BIFF!**

Another punch from the chakra aura hit Naruto, this time in the gut. Still determined, Naruto used the Yellow Flash jutsu again.

**THWACK!**

A chakra rod spun rapidly, slamming into his fist immediately upon reappearing? How, thought Naruto incredulously as he disappeared again.

**SMACK!**

_How is he keeping track of me?_ Naruto grimaced as he landed on the ground, sent flying by another blow from the chakra aura.

**YOU'RE ONLY HURTING YOURSELF. THEN AGAIN, THIS IS ONLY MAKING ME SMILE.**

_NOT HELPING._

**SINCE WHEN DID I CARE ABOUT HELPING YOU?**

_Because that guy's only going to use you as another source for power! Didn't you hear what the Pervert-Sennin said about the Four Tailed Demons this guy's got sealed within him?_

**THAT MEANS I'LL HAVE COMPANY. BETTER COMPANY THAN YOU.**

"RRRR!" growled Naruto as he disappeared in another flash.

**POWPOWPOWPOWPOW!**

Immediately upon reappearing, Naruto's body was assaulted by tiny chakra strands tipped with orange spheres (thus allowing for impact without penetration). Ten strands for the body, two for each arm, and three for the legs. The fox boy gagged as he fell to the ground, pain screaming through his body. "How…how…?" he managed to choke out.

"My senses have been developed to an extreme degree," said Mantarou as his aura receded. "I can sense where the strand of invisible chakra you send ends. A split second after you disappear, I already know where you'll be. A split second before you reappear, my chakra is there to strike." The Leader flexed his neck. "The first time, you caught me by surprise…but now that technique will no longer work against me."

Uzumaki Naruto smirked as he struggled to get to his feet. The pain was already beginning to subside. "Heh…guess you forgot that I brought down the rest of Akatsuki? I'm going to win just like I did that day!"

**YOU'D BE SIX FEET UNDER WITHOUT ME.**

"I am far more powerful than they are," replied the Leader.

Naruto growled. "Well…you're deluded then! Even the Fourth Hokage – the strongest ninja ever to live in Konoha – could only manage to seal the Nine Tailed Demon Fox! You may have Four Tailed Demons, but I really doubt they compare to the Kyuubi!"

**YOU _DO_ REALIZE THAT YOU'RE COMPLIMENTING ME, RIGHT?**

_Don't rub it in._

"It is a shame for you then…" said Mantarou, his red eyes fixed into a lucid stare. "…that I am stronger than the Yondaime."

xxxx

"Do you think he IS stronger than the Fourth?" murmured Kibamaru, his nostrils flaring.

"…I don't know," answered Tsunade. And she was being honest; although she couldn't exactly remember how powerful the student of Jiraiya had been in his prime…but she didn't know the depths of Mantarou's power either. And he was extremely powerful.

_I wonder how far the idiot will push himself_, thought Jiraiya with an observant expression. He hoped that Naruto wouldn't be so hard-pressed in this battle. He hoped that he would be ONLY summoning the Kyuubi…and hopefully, that would be enough.

But then again, Mantarou had taken down Shukaku…as well as the giant-sized Chouji. That would be giving him a bigger target. _Hmm…this will be dicey._

_Very dicey_, thought Kakashi, his thoughts moving along the same line as Jiraiya's. His Sharingan eye was swirling, analyzing the tremendous amounts of chakra. _Amazing…enough energy to level entire villages…_

"You think we should back up a bit?"

Kakashi turned to Sasuke, who still remained at Curse Seal Level 2 (and judging from the occasional glance from Kibamaru, it was slightly unnerving for others to look at him. Not that he could blame them). "Considering all the chakra those two are emitting, it might not be such a bad idea to get a little farther away."

The Copy Ninja could only nod in agreement. "By the way…do you think Naruto was serious when he said he'd kill you?"

Uchiha Sasuke bitterly chuckled, as if wondering about the irony of Naruto's words earlier (after all, he had nearly killed Naruto three years ago himself…). "The funny thing is…I'm not quite sure."

Meanwhile…

"Tsunade-sama?"

Tsunade glanced up at Lee and Neji, who were eying Hyuga Hinata with worried eyes. Lee finished, "Will she be okay?"

The Godaime nodded as she stared at the bloody wound in Hinata's abdomen. Her hands were coated with a green glow, the healing chakra pouring into the wound. "It may be fatal, but it's a localized wound. It'll be quick to heal."

Hinata wearily gazed at Neji, her white eyes filled with sorrow. "Neji-san…will Naruto-kun be okay…?"

Hyuga Neji could only narrow his eyes as he gazed at the two combatants.

Naruto, vessel for the Nine Tailed Fox.

Mantarou, vessel for four Tailed Demons.

"He'll win," said Neji, his tone firm in its resoluteness. "I'm sure of it."

"**NARUTO!"** roared Lee, in his usual dramatic fashion. **_"KICK HIS BUTT!"_**

xxxx

Naruto snickered at Lee's cheer. "You know…I might just do that."

Mantarou only stared; his chakra aura writhed and twisted, as if indicating it was ready to fight.

The fox boy snarled. "Well…you say you can see me coming? Well then, how about THIS? **_Taju Kage Bunshin no jutsu_**; Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"

Mantarou merely arched an eyebrow as 2,000 Shadow Clones appeared around him in a large circular formation. Their eyes blazed with anticipation, and their clawed hands flexed in preparation for a charge. _Hmm…the Nine Tails must be offering quite a bit of chakra in order to let him create this many clones._

"NOW!" roared all of the Narutos. "**_HIRAISHIN NO-_**"

Mantarou's chakra aura expanded. Rapidly. Naruto and his clones could only blink as their bodies were blasted backward from the dome of orange energy. **"AAAAAAAAAGH!"**

All 1,999 clones disappeared.

Naruto landed with a thud on the grassy ground.

"I told you that that technique won't work anymore," casually said Mantarou, as if he were merely discussing the weather. "And now you split your chakra 2,000 ways, and lost over 99 percent of it all."

"I can ALWAYS GET MORE," growled Naruto as another tail of red chakra spawned from his back end, joining the first tail. His fangs and claws became slightly sharper, and his pupils became even thinner. The red chakra aura flared even more brightly. "NOW…think you can take me on…**_PUNK?_**"

Mantarou said nothing.

His aura merely sprouted three long lines – sharpened within the thickness of a millimeter – that zoomed toward Naruto.

Naruto's glowing hand clutched onto the three strands. They couldn't cut through his own chakra aura.

Mantarou stared in slight surprise.

Naruto chuckled. "Is that all you've got?"

"On the contrary," replied Mantarou. "I've yet to begin." Five more lines sprouted from the Leader's orange aura, each one looking like buzz saws. Naruto charged forward through the saws, intent on impaling Akatsuki's Leader with his bare hands.

A giant orange fist erupted from the ground, slamming into Naruto. The fox boy gagged out of surprise; Mantarou had sent his chakra through the ground.

However, Naruto was not finished. "RRRRR! **_HIBASHIRA NO JUTSU!_**"

Mantarou felt the ground beneath him rumble. His aura immediately flattened around him, shimmying up against the ground. At that precise moment, the Blazing Fire Tower burst from the ground beneath Mantarou…but due to the fact his aura spanned over the tower's entire diameter, he went up with it.

Naruto gaped. "NO WAY! HOW THE HECK?" He heard chuckling in his head.

**FOOL. DO YOU HONESTLY THINK YOU CAN WIN?**

_Watch me. I'll win for sure!_

**YOU'RE ALREADY FORCED TO RELY ON MY CHAKRA. WHY NOT JUST SAVE US BOTH THE TROUBLE AND SUMMON ME?**

_HA! As if I'd give you what you want!_

**YOU'LL LOSE OTHERWISE.**

_Pfft. No way. I'll just take more chakra from you. After all…this is my fight._

**HU HU HU HU…IF YOU SAY SO, WORM.**

Naruto gazed upward, his red eyes narrowing as Mantarou hovered in the air, suspended by the column of flames. When the jutsu finally ceased, the Leader's aura coagulated around him once more before sprouting long legs. Naruto blinked as the five limbs of chakra stabbed at the ground, bending to ease the S-class criminal's momentum.

Then, needles of chakra came down from above like rain.

"Ah CRAP!" yelped Naruto as he dodged to the side, his red tails leaving after-images in their wake. All the while, a long stream of chakra emerged from Mantarou's aura, leading toward the ground.

Then, he casually glided through the tube, pulling himself along with his own chakra. All the while, his aura kept on shooting needles of energy. "Behold; with my chakra, no height is too high for me." He came to a stop on the ground, just as Naruto turned to avoid a new wave of projectiles…and came face-to-face with him.

Two orange hands had emerged from the aura…and Mantarou was manipulating his chakra into a condensed form. "I saw the **_Rasengan_** when Jiraiya used it on me. Unlike most jutsus, it is a technique used solely with chakra…that is something I have no problem with adapting myself. Except I can make it infinitely more powerful…by compressing more chakra into it." The small orb had more and more chakra piled into it…and yet it barely increased in size, resembling the size of a doll's head rather than the large, spherical form Naruto and Jiraiya used. But judging from the fact that it looked like a hurricane contained within a ball indicated its power in comparison to the **_Rasengan_**, which did not have the intensity of Mantarou's version of the ability.

And yet, Naruto could only snarl in defiance. "You won't be killing me. I'm not going to die…I REFUSE to die!"

"Such a tremendous will to live. A shame your life had to be cursed by that of the Nine Tails. But it won't be long now." Mantarou's aura blazed brightly, threatening to overwhelm Naruto's. "Die."

Mantarou suddenly glanced to his side to see a black being charge at him, his hand crackling with electricity.

His chakra solidified.

_**ZAP!**_

The electrical power discharged, sending Mantarou flying. Although the blow hadn't been enough to breach his shield, it had been enough to send him into the air.

Naruto blinked…and then stared at his savior. "…you?"

Uchiha Sasuke stared back with his red Sharingan eyes, his black skin and white wings signifying that he was at the third level of the Curse Seal. His right hand was crackling with the power of the **_Raikiri_**. "Couldn't let you die. It'd be kind of anti-climactic for a loser like you to _really_ lose after all of your victories." It had been an unintentional barb with the use of the word 'loser'…but what can you say? The two were still rivals.

Uzumaki Naruto glared at Sasuke as he regained his composure…and he bared his fangs. "I told you that this was MY fight. Do you want me to kill you?"

"Hmph. Lovely way of showing your thanks," muttered Sasuke with a sardonic tone. "Once, you told me that we won't be able to truly battle each other unless we were fellow Leafs." With that said, he pulled out a hitai-ate; a headband protector, which bore the symbol of Konoha.

Naruto blinked. "Where'd you get that?"

"The Hokage gave it to me this morning…along with my first mission. She called it a 'Super-A Rank' mission…the objective?" The black-skinned Uchiha smirked, his snow white hair fluttering in the wind. "Make sure you don't die." He placed the headband under his locks of hair and on his forehead, tying it into a thick knot behind his skull. "Needless to say, I have no intention of failing. After all, more people care about you than me."

Naruto gazed at the far edge of the battle, where everyone was watching him.

Lee. Kibamaru. Neji. Kakashi. Tsunade. Jiraiya.

Even Hinata, despite her injury.

All watching him…knowing that he would win in the end. Because they had faith in him. _They all believe in me…_

**MAKES ME WANT TO VOMIT.**

Naruto chuckled, the anger in his red eyes slowly being replaced by a look of mischief. "Heh…well, I SUPPOSE the old hag had to send someone to help. Even if it was a dumbass."

Sasuke rolled his eyes as he groaned, "You're the dumbass here. Jumping into a battle against a foe far more powerful than anyone you've ever faced before…sounds just like you."

"How touching."

The two turned just as orange hands grasped their bodies, clenching tightly. Mantarou stared quietly at the struggling Konoha-nin before muttering, "If you value your life Uchiha Sasuke, I'd advise you stay out of this battle. This is between me and the boy."

"I told him the exact same…thing!" choked out Naruto as he struggled against the constricting hand. "But does he…LISTEN? _Noooo!_"

"Not…HELPING…" growled Sasuke, his body glowing with purple energy.

Mantarou slammed them both into the ground.

And again. And again. And again.

Finally, the hands around the two slipped as Naruto and Sasuke let their chakra aura expand, loosening the Leader's grip on them. Sasuke flapped his wings and took to the air, where as Naruto leapt back along the ground, his red chakra flaring. His anger was back. "RRRR…**_Kage Bunshin no jutsu!_**" Three Shadow Clones joined Naruto as they charged, running on all fours.

"This won't help you," stated Akatsuki's Leader as his orange aura spawned numerous scythe-like extensions that slashed at the incoming Narutos. However, unlike the last time, these clones were committed to dodging.

The four Narutos dove, rolled, and leapt over the scythes, trying to avoid being slashed in the storm of chakra that Mantarou was subjecting them to. One clone's leg got sliced off at the thigh; it disappeared in a puff of smoke. So did one who got hit in the chest. As did the last clone, which had leapt over a scythe when it inexplicably turned around (responding to Mantarou's will) and bisected the doppleganger.

Naruto was now on his own. Yet he kept charging forward, as if unconcerned with the fact over three-dozen energy scythes were now trained upon him.

Mantarou frowned as Naruto continued his seemingly suicidal charge.

Then his gaze turn skyward as Sasuke swung the familiar **_Zanbato_**, its heavy, fiery mass slamming against his aura at high speed. Mantarou frowned as Naruto began slashing at his aura from the side, trying to reach the vulnerable human within. _Pincer attack._ It was often a decisive strategy in battle…depending on whom one was facing.

And against Mantarou…strategies never worked.

"**Initial** Gate, OPEN!"

Mantarou's aura suddenly expanded as more chakra came under his control. The Leader wrapped a tentacle of energy around Naruto picking him up and slamming him into the ground twenty yards away. He turned to Sasuke; four lines wrapped around his wrists and ankles, essentially pinning him in midair. Then, another strand of chakra – tipped with a solidified sphere – zoomed from Mantarou's aura and slammed into Sasuke's abdomen.

Shock erupted through the Uchiha's nerves as bile and blood came up the esophagus. Sasuke spat them out, gagging on the foul taste in his mouth. _Must've ruptured…an organ…_

**CRASH!**

Mantarou calmly walked over to the Uchiha, who remained unmoving from the ground where he had just been slammed against. "I told you that you shouldn't have interfered," remarked the Leader as his black-and-red cloud cloak flittered in the wind.

Suddenly, Sasuke bolted from the ground, his left forearm – which, in the final level of the Curse Seal's power, had spawned spikes from the bone, which were covered with flesh – lashing at Mantarou's face.

The Leader had been caught by surprise.

So his chakra aura didn't protect him. Which meant Sasuke's spiky forearm slammed into his face.

Mantarou gagged as he skidded along the ground due to the force of the blow…but his chakra aura ignited and he was back on his feet. "**Heal** Gate, OPEN." More chakra was unleashed. The wound on his left cheek vanished…but the copious amount of blood remained.

Sasuke grimaced. _Fat lot of good that did for me._

"Playing dead…it always worked for the possum." Mantarou glared at the Uchiha, who looked downright demonic in his current form. "But if the predator knows the possum is alive…then playing dead no longer has a use."

Sharp spears of chakra burst from the ground.

_CHICK._

Sasuke paled (kind of difficult when your skin's blacker than coal) as four spears jabbed into his body. "Agh…" The spears slipped out and loosened to become tentacles, which wrapped around Sasuke to hold him in place. One of the tentacles spawned two thinner strands of chakra, which wrapped each of Sasuke's two wings.

"I warned you not to interfere. This is the price for interfering with my righteous quest." So Mantarou began to pull.

The Uchiha froze as the two chakra lines began pulling; his wings were going to be ripped out.

The pain began to escalate as the pull gradually increased. Then it became agonizing as his skin stretched. Then it became downright unbearable as the flesh began to rip…and he couldn't do anything to stop it.

"_**DROP HIM."**_

Mantarou turned…and stared solemnly as Naruto spawned a third tail. His chakra aura grew, and it was now in the shape of his body's outline, down to the spiky hair. His claws had grown sharper. The red marks on his cheeks became bolder and almost fur-like in appearance. Most of his teeth had turned into fangs. His chakra was actually bubbling now.

The Leader casually tossed Sasuke aside, staring at Naruto. However, in his mind's eye, the presence of so much demonic chakra gave off the appearance of the Kyuubi himself.

Kyuubi snarled at him.

Mantarou scowled in return. "Your time approaches, _demon_."

The Kyuubi vanished…and Naruto remained. And then he roared.

A wave of power washed over the plains, ripping the grass out by the roots. The clouds in the sky were pushed away by the sheer force of the shockwave; even the heavens seemed to be fearful Naruto's power.

And yet, Mantarou stood like an unwavering mountain.

xxxx

Kakashi caught the injured Sasuke in his arms. "Hmm…it seems your Curse Seal wasn't much help. Nor was your Sharingan, at any rate."

Sasuke didn't speak as Kakashi set him down on the grass. Kibamaru shivered at the sight of his wounds. "Man…Akatsuki's Leader is something else entirely…"

"But now Naruto's using three tails' worth of the Nine Tailed Demon Fox's power," commented Jiraiya. However, he was also apprehensive…for the maximum amount of tails that Naruto had drawn upon came to a grand total of four. And at four…well…he just hoped Naruto wasn't pressed to go that far. Even summoning Kyuubi would be a better option, as much as he hated to admit it.

Then Naruto roared, causing the shockwave.

"**EVERYONE, _DIVE!_"** roared Neji as he dove to the ground.

The wave passed over them, taking grass clippings and topsoil with it. The wind then immediately blew past them with all the force of a gale, howling in the wake of the Naruto's power.

"My…goodness…" muttered Hinata as she gingerly got to her feet. Her wound had been healed…but there was still a dull ache in her abdominal area. "Is Naruto-kun going to be okay…?"

"**OF COURSE HE IS!"** roared Lee – which startled Hinata – as he pumped his fists. **"SOMEONE AS VALIANT AS NARUTO CANNOT LOSE!"**

"…right…" replied Hinata with a weary smile. But nevertheless…she could only stare at Naruto sorrowfully. She hoped the power of the demon within wasn't hurting Naruto.

xxxx

Mantarou shook his head at the sight of Naruto. "You're doing what the Nine Tails wants you to do."

Naruto chuckled. It seemed as though it was hard for him to talk in this form. "Heh…wrong…I'm the one who's using his power…just like you're using the power of four other demons…"

"I subdued the demons before sealing them within me. Their power returned, but their wills are effectively buried. Whereas YOU," Mantarou's tone took on one of…disappointment. "You and the fox are like partners…albeit partners that have difficulties with each other. But you two have a symbiotic relationship…and the only one who has any say in how much of the demons' power I use is myself."

"Pfft…" Naruto snorted. "Newsflash: The Nine Tails and I aren't so…chummy."

**A GREATER UNDERSTATEMENT HAS NEVER BEEN UTTERED.**

Mantarou merely sighed. "This would all be easier if you just surrendered. My victory is inevitable."

Naruto stared…and grinned. "You know what? I've…come across plenty of people who'd say they've…never lost. I've come across more…who've said I'd…never win." His grin grew wider. "I've…proven them ALL wrong. What makes you think…this time will be…any different?"

"Because I'm in a league far greater than any other foe you've faced."

"I've heard that too."

Mantarou shook his head. "It seems there's no point in arguing with you…but nevertheless, I'd rather not fight. Make this easy on both of us. KNEEL."

"Fat chance."

Mantarou stared.

Another sigh. "Very well then." His chakra aura swirled and lashed out with dozens of various lines.

Naruto roared as his three tails lashed outward, slamming against the thinner chakra strands of Mantarou. He immediately charged, his red eyes glistening in the light of all the chakra throughout the air.

The chakra clashed together, each side struggling for dominance. Naruto leapt high into the air and howled, sending another wave of power at Mantarou from above.

Mantarou's aura spawned a bowl-shaped extension, which bore the brunt of the force successfully. Then it broke apart into a number of jagged strands that slammed into Naruto's gut. The fox boy grimaced as he was sent further airborne…but then he righted himself and fell down like a rocket, claws aimed for Mantarou's face.

The Leader's chakra lines wrapped around Naruto and used the momentum to smash him into the ground, belly-first.

The ninja of Konoha, however, was already back on his feet, slashing at Mantarou with his chakra-covered claws. The brown-haired man frowned as his aura was being slashed apart by Naruto's continuous assault.

Mantarou solidified his aura and pushed with all the force he could muster. They were at a standstill. "I've only opened two of the Celestial Gates. GIVE UP."

"NEVER," growled Naruto.

"It is beyond me why you willingly continue on, even though you KNOW there will be people who always hate you. Lay down and GIVE UP."

"I go on…because I will become…_HOKAGE_…and then everyone will respect me!"

Mantarou's eyes narrowed. Each warrior's chakra aura shined like stars. "Are youtruly naïve enough tothink people will respect you even IF you become Hokage?"

"I don't care…about those who always…badmouth me…but I know…that there are people…who DO care!" retorted Naruto.

Mantarou scowled. His patience with this boy was nearing its limits. "You won't live long enough to become Hokage. Because one day, the Nine Tails will break free, whether you want the demon to or not. For the last time…**GIVE. UP.**"

Naruto spat; his emotions were now speaking for him. The one speaking now was defiance. "I won't let that happen…the Nine Tails will NEVER control me!"

That was the straw the broke the camel's back. To hear him say such ridiculous, foolish, utter NONSENSE…to have the audacity to think he could control the Nine Tails as it existed? With a will and mind of its own to manipulate its vessel?

A flash of raw anger erupted in Mantarou's eyes as he actually reached through the aura and grabbed Naruto's neck. Now HE was letting his emotions speak for him. "**FOOL**. You know _NOTHING_. For **_ONCE_** in your life, **LISTEN **to your father and** _DO AS I SAY!_**"

Silence.

Then, all of Naruto's anger and hatred disappeared, replaced by total confusion. "…what?"

**HU HU HU. WELL THAT'S A SHOCKER, NOW ISN'T IT?**

xxxx

"…did that guy just say what I thought he said?" muttered Kibamaru, his four eyes staring in utter shock.

"Is he…Naruto's father…?" asked Lee.

"That's impossible," muttered Tsunade. "It doesn't make any sense…how COULD he be Naruto's father? And where's he been for the last 15 years?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "That's the key…and for some reason, this makes a lot of sense. His demeanor around Naruto is telling…and after all, what would be the point in lying?"

"To psyche out an opponent? After all, it seems to have shocked Naruto pretty badly," commented Neji, who was having a hard time believing that Akatsuki's Leader was actually the father of one of Konoha's greatest ninja.

"..no," muttered Sasuke, his body back to its original stage (though still sporting some nasty wounds). His Sharingan eyes swirled. "His body language…he's not lying…"

"Maybe he's a good liar then?" asked Lee.

Kakashi was silent as he stared Mantarou's face. _His face…I've seen it before…but something's off…_

Hinata was silent, her white eyes staring sorrowfully at Naruto. _Naruto-kun…?_

xxxx

Speaking of Naruto, his red eyes stared at Mantarou out of utter disbelief. "No way. IMPOSSIBLE. No way that YOU can be my father. **NO WAY!**"

Mantarou grimaced as he let go of Naruto, letting his hand drop to his side. "This is the first time in years that I've lost control like that…then again, seeing my son in person for the first time might do that. Especially considering that I'm fighting you."

"No…IMPOSSIBLE," growled Naruto, his voice becoming laced with anger again. "No way you could be my father."

Mantarou sighed. "I'd have rather not told you either. Better to die without knowing than knowing your father killed you."

"**_THAT'S MY POINT!"_** howled Naruto as he accusingly pointed a finger at Akatsuki's Leader. "A father? Killing his own son? That's not very fatherly at all! This is just some kind of sick game, ISN'T IT?"

Mantarou was silent. In all probability, he should've expected this…but then again, this is why he had neglected to come to Sunagakure to assist the rest of Akatsuki in acquiring Naruto; he didn't know how he'd react around his son.

"Admit it…you're not my father." Naruto smirked out of defiance. "I bet you just did it to psyche me out…WELL IT WON'T WORK! **YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER!**" As Naruto spoke, the image of Iruka came to mind. **_"YOU DON'T ACT LIKE ONE!"_**

Mantarou stared.

And then he reached for his eyes and pulled out the red contact lenses. "Since I was designated an S-class criminal, I've had to use colored lenses to hide my identity…it's been years since I've showed my real eyes to anyone else."

Mantarou gazed at Naruto…and the boy froze.

His eyes.

Mantarou's eyes were the same shade of crystal blue's as Naruto's. Despite the red color of his irises due to the Kyuubi's power, he knew what his real eyes looked like…and Mantarou's eyes were a perfect mirror of his own. _No way…no way…NO WAY…_

"My name is Uzumaki Mantarou. I wasn't around because I thought you had died with your mother when the Nine Tails attacked fifteen years ago." As Mantarou spoke, his eyes revealed untold stories of pain and loss…and of a hatred toward the demon that Naruto carried within his belly. "Had I known, this confrontation wouldn't be happening."

Naruto's lips moved on their own…because deep down, he had always wondered who his parents were…and why they had never been around. "Who…who was my mother…?"

"Your mother?" Mantarou gazed over Naruto's head and at Kakashi as he spoke aloud. "Her name was Rin."

A lightning bolt of shock ran through Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Kakashi, for they were the only ones who knew of the one Mantarou spoke of. Especially Kakashi. For Rin was his former teammate. _Rin…oh God…I remember his face now._ Years ago…watching a strange man live in Rin's house as he recovered from horrific injuries…watching him slowly become part of Konoha…and then, after the Nine Tails' attack, he had never seen him again. _I thought he had died during the attack of the Nine Tails…it's been so long that I forgot about him…but all this time…he was alive? And now he's Akatsuki's LEADER?_

Mantarou looked back down at Naruto, his demonic energies and instincts fully suppressed by his curiosity…and the desire to know the truth. "I will pause for now and tell you the truth…" Had Naruto been in his normal state, their blue eyes would have mirrored each other's…both in appearance…and in the painful pasts they had. "After all the persecution and pain as a result of the Nine Tails…you deserve that much."

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**Who is Uzumaki Mantarou? A Demon Slayer's Past Revealed!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: Well, there you have it. Rather than the popular theory that the Yondaime was Naruto's father (yes, I know there are a lot of similarities…but for some reason, that's too obvious. Well, not really.), I went on a different road. After all, we never really knew what happened to Kakashi's teammate Rin…we knew about Obito's death, but not about her fate.

So I will explain it in my own way.

Also, just for the record…here's Rin;

upload(dot)wikimedia(dot)org/wikipedia/en/b/b7/Rin(dot)jpg

I don't know why, but her smile and face structure is EERILY similar to Naruto's. You know, without the whisker marks on his cheek.

Make sure to read my reviewer replies at the forum.

www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/ft/74952/14/1/

See you soon, and please review!


	23. Who is Uzumaki Mantarou?

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. However, I DO own Mantarou.

Author's Notes: Well, the first big twist of this story has gone through…and it was well received. This greatly pleases me. ;D

Also, this story is over a year old as of March 29th! So yayz0rs.

However, there are some notes to make clear before I begin this chapter. For the first time in this story…I shall have to do some retconning.

(THUNDERCLAP)

However, seeing as how Kishimoto-san had some holes (particularly with Rin) in his story, I can do my work with little fear of upsetting anyone…well, ALMOST anyone. ;)

In any case, Kakashi is 29 right now in the manga. He was 26 when it began. And since Naruto was 12 when the manga began, the Nine Tails attacked Konoha when Kakashi was 14. Seeing as how the exact timeline of 'Kakashi Gaiden' wasn't too clear in certain aspects (like how far in the past it was from the attack of the Kyuubi), I can get away with some minor retconning. So Kakashi was 12 during Gaiden…Uchiha Obito was 13…and Rin was…15.

15? **15!** How can I explain THAT?

Read on. ;P

And now…we delve into the past…

Begin!

xxxx

_**Who is Uzumaki Mantarou? A Demon Slayer's Past Revealed!**_

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Hidden Valley, Earth Country/

"_So long ago now…as if an eternity has passed. Naruto…son…let me tell you my story."_

We come to a valley. A lush, green valley that was hidden by nigh-insurmountable cliffs and thick forests atop those cliffs. As if that hadn't been enough, the protective forests were rife with fog, shielding the vale from the outside world. Even the valley spring – spawned from an underground river that ran through the area – provided the water necessary for life. Gardens were rife throughout the fields. Horses – four-legged creatures common to the Earth Country – neighed as they ran gallantly along the unbeaten paths. In the dead center of the valley sat a gathering of simplistic huts, made out of wood and rock. It was a simple life…but then again, the people who lived here were simple folk.

They were nomads. People that had traveled far and wide to find a home. And their current home – a home they had lived in for almost a decade now – was the Hidden Valley.

The brown-haired boy with eyes of shimmering blue didn't care about any of these things. He only cared about catching the little butterfly that fluttered in the air. His tiny hands reached as far as they could; however, the flier with wings of red continued to remain out of reach. So close and yet so far…had the boy not known any better, he would've though that the butterfly was taunting him.

His muscles tensed as he jumped, trying to grab it. He missed.

Then, a single hand calmly latched onto the butterfly, encompassing it within his palm. The boy gazed up at the muscular man, dressed in dirty work clothes befitting a farmer. His frame was sturdy and strong, which served as a perfect complement to his 6'3" body. His long blonde hair, spiky as could be, fit in with the wild nature of his blue eyes. They mirrored the boy's eyes perfectly; twin pairs of blue, as deep as any ocean in their color.

The man chuckled. "Trying to catch this little rascal?"

The boy nodded. "Sure am daddy!"

The man smiled as he calmly opened his palm. The butterfly remained there momentarily before taking flight. "One day Mantarou, you'll become tall enough to grab that little guy with your own hands…without help. When that day comes, you'll be that much more of a man."

Mantarou smiled to himself; his father always made him feel important…and special. Although that had sounded a bit corny.

His father knelt down, a sly grin on his face. "What say we go home now? Your mom's cooking fish, and we want to get there while it's fresh!"

"Fresh fish! YIPPIE!" cheered the boy as his mouth salivated. He loved his mother's cooking. She always made everything taste great, no matter what it was.

"Well then…" He clutched Mantarou's tiny frame and placed him on his shoulders. "Let's get there as fast as we can! Hang on tight!"

And as his father dashed along the dirt path at high speed, Mantarou could only laugh as the wind rushed by his face.

_"Uzumaki Keihan. That was the name of my father. A missing-nin, from Iwagakure…a man who had tired of the bloody battlefields of war and abandoned his native home for the simple life of a nomad…"_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

/Plains, 17 Miles Northwest of Konohagakure/

Mantarou calmly gazed at Uzumaki Naruto as he spoke. The boy's three tails and chakra aura still flared red…but they were calmer by a great deal. Anger no longer radiated from the boy in droves…instead, he was simply intent on listening. After all, this was his family history. "…his skills as a Jonin had made him a commodity to Iwagakure…but they had given up trying to find him." He couldn't help but sigh. "The hair…and the eyes…so similar to his…to your grandfather's. Almost like looking in a mirror…"

"Stop it," growled Naruto. "As far as I'm concerned, you're not my father…I don't care if we're related by blood either."

**YOU REALLY DON'T LIKE HIM, DO YOU?**

_Gee, how could you guess?_

**SOME ANIMALS EAT THEIR YOUNG. MAYBE IF I'M LUCKY, HE'LL DO THE SAME.**

_…you don't really care about surviving anymore, do you?_

**IF YOU DIE WITH ME, THEN NO, I DON'T CARE.**

_How lovely._

Mantarou continued speaking. "My mother, Uzumaki Yonagi…growing up, she was always one of the most beautiful women in the world to me. Then again, I'm certain most children consider their mothers to be beautiful."

The fox boy snorted. "I can't say I know the feeling. I never grew up with a mom."

The Leader's eyes became slightly downcast. "My apologies."

"Stop talking as if you care," growled the Kyuubi's vessel.

"If only you knew how much," remarked Mantarou as he gazed at the two Hyuga on the sidelines of this battlefield. "The road I took to gain my abilities began when I was five…when a certain Leaf ninja by the name of Hyuga Hiatari stumbled into our valley…"

Hinata gasped out of surprise. Neji's eyes widened; Hyuga Hiatari had been his father's uncle…as well as a member of the Hyuga branch house. Hyuga Hiashi had once said that his 30-year old uncle had vanished on a mission when he was only fifteen. _It doesn't make sense…if this man speaks the truth, Hiatari would've been killed soon after by the curse seal on his forehead. None of the Hyuga could risk his Bloodline Limit falling into enemy hands. What impact could Hiatari have made on his life…?_

"My father's skill as a Jonin revolved around seals of various kinds…his knowledge on these seals was second to none." As Mantarou spoke, his blue eyes seemed to reflect the past. "When Hiatari came…those skills were put to good use…"

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Uzumaki Household, Hidden Valley, Earth Country/

A five-year old Uzumaki Mantarou could only stare at the wounded man, lying on his father's bed. His long black hair – once dirty – had been cleaned by Yonagi. The resident doctor – a former medical ninja from Sawagakure by the name of Shinta – had already treated and bandaged his rather grievous wounds. Since his arrival, he had yet to awaken.

_"Hyuga Hiatari. Brother to the Hyuga Clan's Head Elder Akari, and member of the branch family. A Leaf Jonin. He had been on a mission to spy on a suspected meeting place between the Tsuchikage of the Hidden Stone Village and the Raikage of the Hidden Cloud Village. On his way home with his comrades, they had been tracked by an elite ANBU unit of the Hidden Stone. Hiatari had ordered them to split up and meet back at the river bordering the River and Fire Countries. However, after splitting up, he had been attacked by an Earth Element jutsu that had skewered him with a rocky spear. Hiatari managed to lose his pursuers by hiding in the forest…and by sheer coincidence; he had stumbled into the Hidden Valley. I was the one that found him."_

The 30-year old man gingerly opened his eyes, revealing eyes of pure white. Mantarou stared at the man's eyes in wonderment; how come they looked like snow? "Wow…"

He gurgled, "Wha…where…am I…?"

Mantarou suddenly remembered what he had to do. He turned towards the doorway (which had no door, to be precise) and shouted, "Mommy! Daddy! He's awake now!"

Keihan and Yonagi both walked into the room. Yonagi was a rather small woman – at least, compared to Keihan. Standing at 5'4", she was a full foot smaller than her husband…but despite her dainty frame, she made up for it with a kind heart and the warmest smile any world had to offer. Her long hair was brown, and her eyes shined a green color brighter than any jade or emerald gemstone. She calmly knelt down beside the small cot, offering the black-haired man a clay vial filled with water.

His white eyes widened as he eagerly downed the water, relishing the chilling feeling on his throat. He took several deep breaths before asking, "Where am I…?"

"You're in the Hidden Valley," replied Keihan, his weathered hands messing with his spiky hair. He patted Mantarou on the head. "My son was playing with the horses near on the eastern pastures when he saw you tumbling down the cliffs." He grinned widely at the black-haired visitor. "Good thing he found you; you had a large spike in your gut. Our resident medic barely managed to stop the bleeding in time to save you…so thank the little squirt for finding you."

Mantarou playfully pushed his father's hand away. "Oh dad, I'm not little!"

_"Such a playful demeanor I had…those times were simpler."_

The white-eyed man gazed down at his bare stomach; it was bandaged and patched up. He still felt sore…but he was alive. For now, in any case. He sighed with regret. "Thank you for saving me, young one."

"What's your name Mister?" asked the young Mantarou with an inquisitive look.

"…Hiatari. Hyuga Hiatari." He leaned back, fingering the Leaf hitai-ate on his forehead. "It doesn't really matter anymore…"

"Hyuga…" Keihan suddenly blinked. "You mean that famous clan from Konohagakure?" He whistled out of appreciation. "Your Bloodline Limit's in high demand…but you can rest easy. Nobody here is allied to any ninja village; we're all nomads."

Hiatari chuckled bitterly. "It doesn't really matter anymore…I'll be dead soon." He looked at Yonagi. "How long was I out?"

"About a day and a half," replied the woman.

Hiatari sighed. "I see…my comrades should be almost back in Konoha by now…and once they do, my brother will find out I was lost." He pulled out his hitai-ate, revealing a green curse seal in the shape of two lines above his eyebrows, along with a manji. "This is a curse seal…designed to utterly seal away the abilities of the Hyuga blood…so that anyone who examines the corpse of a Hyuga will find nothing. Nothing but flesh and bone."

Keihan was silent…and then he clutched Hiatari's shoulder. "Listen. I may be able to help you…but if I do, you'll never be able to return to your home. If you do return, they will see that you have no curse seal…but you will still have your powers. And there's the fact that you'd be alive. In their position, I would think that you had betrayed the clan's Bloodline Limit to outside interests. Get my reasoning? They will **kill** you."

Hiatari was silent.

_"My father spoke from experience. After all, he had been a Jonin of the Hidden Stone."_

Hyuga Hiatari was silent…and then he muttered, "You can…remove the curse seal…?"

Uzumaki Keihan grinned. "I'll try."

Hiatari didn't even hesitate. "Do it."

"Okay then." He calmly reached for an old scroll that sat on a bookshelf. "Yonagi, go get me my blue paint. Son, go to the village square and have everyone clear out. I'm going to need some room."

The two nodded as they dashed out of the room. Keihan glanced at Hiatari. "Follow me. You can walk, right?"

The Hyuga got to his feet. "Yes."

"Good."

Minutes later, Hiatari found himself in the village square. The villagers that had been working in the square – roughly 20 – were standing in a circle, watching the spectacle. Mantarou was among the crowd.

Yonagi set down a large pot, filled with blue paint. "Here you go."

"Thank you dear," replied Keihan as he took out a small knife and sliced open the skin on his forearm. He tensed the arm and squeezed it, causing blood to flow out into the pot. "Now it's your turn," replied the blonde man as he handed Hiatari a second knife.

The Hyuga calmly slit his arm. Blood poured into the pot.

"Perfect! Now we can begin." He had brought several brushes with him…including one that was as large as a mop. As he plunged the large painting instrument into the pot, he said, "Yonagi, bandage his wound. I can't let any blood get onto the seal I'm about to make." He began mixing the blood and paint together as his wife wrapped Hiatari's arm with leftover bandages given to them by Shinta.

Keihan smiled. "There…" He glanced at Hiatari. "Now lie down with your back to the ground. Make sure your head is pointing north."

Hiatari glanced up at the sun; it had sunk slowly since he had exited the Uzumaki home. Which meant that was in the direction of the west. He calmly laid down so that his head was pointing northward. "I am ready."

"Good," remarked Keihan as he tore a strip of cloth off of his white shirt and wrapped it around his arm; he couldn't afford to let any more blood onto the seal either. "Then let's begin." He pulled the paint-covered brush out of the pot and placed it on the ground.

_"In ten minutes, my father created a seal twenty feet in diameter."_

Keihan rubbed his nose, looking at his handiwork. A circular seal twenty feet in diameter, with four arrows pointing inward from North, South, East, and West. In between these arrows were replicas of Hiatari's curse seal. Squiggly lines curved inward from the areas, surrounding Hiatari before tracing upwards on his bare chest. The converged into four straight lines on his neck, which went around his face and conjoined with the curse seal on his forehead. The Hyuga didn't dare move a muscle.

"Okay…now to get to work." A stoic glare entered Keihan's eyes; a look that he hadn't worn since his days as a ninja. His hands seemed to blur as he performed multiple hand signs at high speed…causing Mantarou to gape with awe. _His hands…are going so fast!_

Finally, he roared, "**_Soudaifuu-Shoukyohi!_**" His hands glowed brightly as he slammed them onto the seal. "Grand Seal – Erasing Light!"

Everyone stared as the entire seal seemed to glow. Hyuga Hiatari didn't budge a bit as the seal slowly shrank, the light consuming the entire seal from the outside in. The Hyuga froze as the light ate away at the seal on his body…and then when the light finally reached his forehead, the curse seal itself began to glow.

Hyuga Hiatari suddenly screamed as the curse seal – bonded to his very being since he was a young boy – was devoured by the light. The two seals were countering each other…and within moments, the light faded.

The curse seal on Hyuga Hiatari's head was gone.

_"As I told you, my father knew more about seals than anyone else…"_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

"…his knowledge saved Hiatari's life." He gazed momentarily at the two Hyuga, gauging their reaction. Hinata was watching in silence. Neji's eyes were exhibiting disbelief. _Not surprising, considering that he has had to live with the curse seal. The girl has not._ "He was so grateful for that alone that he had no desire to return to Konoha…and as he admitted later, he always despised the main branch."

Naruto snorted. The inner politics of the Hyuga clan had always been a bother to him; it was something that he intended to fix once he became Hokage. "And this has to do with your past in what way?"

A tendril of orange chakra snaked its way up Mantarou's body. The man answered, "It was he that inspired my fighting style."

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Spring, Hidden Valley, Earth Country/

_"It had been a few months since Hiatari's curse seal had been removed. Since then, he had acclimated to life in the Hidden Valley. His Byakugan made hunting deer in the woods an easier task…and he was relaxing near the valley's spring when I asked him a question."_

"Now this is the life," muttered the former Jonin of Konoha as he sipped the fresh water of the spring.

Hyuga Hiatari had never felt such freedom before.

To be in control of your own life…to not be tethered to others. To live without the constant threat of death. To Hiatari, this place was like paradise. _I only hope my nephews Hizashi and Hiashi are okay…it's a shame they have to think I'm dead._

"Hiatari-san?"

The Hyuga turned to see Mantarou quietly approach. The boy was clothed in rather raggedy clothing – most likely after scuffling with some of the other boys in the village – but he was clearly filling much less rowdy. "You want to ask me something?"

Uzumaki Mantarou asked, "Well…I've watched you practicing your fighting skills last week. I really liked that **_Kaiten_** of yours."

Hiatari smiled. He had made it a point to keep his skills and abilities sharpened, should he have to defend his new home. Keihan made an excellent sparring partner (though not exactly at the level of his older brother Akari. He briefly wondered how the pompous windbag was doing.). "And you wish to learn how to perform the **_Kaiten_**?"

"Not just that! But your whole fighting style! No offense to my dad, but the way you manipulate and focus your chakra is AWESOME!"

Hiatari chuckled.

_"I was a young boy…easily enticed by displays of power, as I'm sure all children are."_

Hiatari asked, "Have you spoken to-"

"I already asked my dad, and he said for me to ask you! So please teach me!" Mantarou got to his knees and bowed. "PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE?"

Hyuga Hiatari couldn't help but grin at the display. "It might be grueling. Think you can handle it?"

"I've had to clean Mrs. Yagami's cattle before. I can handle it!"

Hiatari stood up, flexing his arms. "Well…how can I say no?"

Mantarou smiled.

_"And so my training began in the Gentle Fist style of fighting. I learned how to manipulate my chakra. I learned how to control it…but there were some mishaps."_

"Watch out Mantarou!"

"Uh oh."

**CRASH!**

"…uh, sorry?"

Hiatari sighed. "I TOLD you not to practice on that tree."

"I didn't know it would fall down!"

_"But nevertheless, my control got better with time…and by the end of the year, I was of enough skill that I would've made a decent Genin…"_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

"Is there a point to this story?" interrupted Naruto.

Akatsuki's Leader frowned. "You apparently have no appreciation for history."

On the sidelines, Sasuke couldn't help but grin. "True…his grades were the lowest in the class."

Naruto shot Sasuke a glare. "Watch it, **_DUNCE!_**"

**WHO'S CALLING WHO A DUNCE?**

Tsunade silent wished that Naruto would stop talking; she wanted Mantarou to keep talking. After all, how often do you hear the life story of one of your most powerful foes?

Mantarou's blue eyes suddenly hardened. "But by the time I was seven years old, I had only grown even more…with Hiatari teaching me how to properly control my chakra, and my father giving me his knowledge on seals, I was becoming a very adept ninja…although by any standard, I was still a rookie. Just with two private tutors. Life had been good to me."

Naruto snorted as he sarcastically said, "Gee, you sure were special."

**COMPARED TO YOU, EVEN DUNG BEETLES ARE SPECIAL.**

_…just…never mind._

**HU HU HU.**

The eyes of the Leader narrowed. A hint of menace was now visible. "Tell me…do you envy those who had a childhood? Those who had parents, and a stable life?"

Naruto blinked…and then said, "What kind of stupid-ass question is THAT?"

"I assure you…if you had lost it in the way I did…it wouldn't seem so stupid. Life HAD been good to me…" Then his chakra aura flared on impulse, raw anger entering his mind. "And then it all went to **_HELL._**"

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Uzumaki Household, Hidden Valley, Earth Country/

"And so the mighty warrior Tenshu struck down the vengeful Akuma, Lord of the Demons and God of Death itself," droned Keihan as he read from an old storybook. "The people flocked to him, adoring his strength and power. Under his guidance, the land witnessed an era of peace. The end."

Mantarou smiled. "I like happy endings."

"And so do I," replied Keihan with a grin.

"But those demons are scary though…" Mantarou shivered. Although seven years old and already a maturing boy, he was still scared of the boogeyman and his monstrous ilk. "They aren't real, are they?"

Keihan was silent.

Then he smiled his trademark grin. "Yep."

Mantarou paled.

"But don't worry! Demons haven't come this world for a long time now," reassured the former Jonin of Iwagakure. He calmly kissed his son on the forehead. "Good night son."

"Good night father." Mantarou quietly shifted under his covers and prepared for a dream-filled night of sleep.

_"Then THEY came."_

The ground suddenly rumbled. Birds chirped in the night sky as they fled. The air suddenly roared as the winds howled…and the night was filled with a noise that sounded like a bizarre, ghastly fusion of the sounds of ripping fabric and rushing water. It sounded like the end of the world.

Mantarou sat up, wondering what was going on. He gazed out his window…and blanched at the sight.

Beyond the edges of the Hidden Valley, a massive hand was reaching out of a swirling hole in the sky. "What…is THAT?" He immediately got out of bed and dashed outside; a considerable crowd had already gathered.

The demon that came out of the vortex was a massive beast, standing over 200 feet tall. His skin was a pale blue color, and he possessed three times as many arms as he had legs (of which he had two). His body was rippling with muscles, and despite the apparent rotund nature of his belly, it too was all muscle. A large black loincloth covered the beast's privates, and both of his tremendous feet were nigh impervious. The demon had a very pronounced chin, dark blue lips, and one yellow eye. The shaggy hair matched his lip color, and the sharpened horn of ivory complemented his teeth. Pouring out of the portal behind him were dozens of oni and ogres.

Mantarou's eyes widened at the sight. _…demons…oh no…they're here…!_

"No…"

Mantarou turned toward his father, who was aghast at the sight of the massive ogre. Pure fright was visible in his eyes. "Kyojini…the No Tail…of the Ten Great Tailed Demons!" He immediately turned towards his son. "Mantarou, I want to get Yonagi and hide. Run from the village and hide!"

_"But it was too late."_

Screaming was heard. Keihan and Mantarou whirled around to see several oni demons jumping down into the valley, charging for the village. Kyojini, thankfully, stomped off to the northwest…although it did little to help their current situation.

Keihan scowled. "No…" His home was about to be torn to pieces. But he would make sure some of it survived! "Mantarou…HIDE."

"No father, I can help!" exclaimed Mantarou as he assumed a battle stance, his chakra flaring blue.

Keihan shot him a horrible glare (yet at the same time, it seemed as though it pained the blonde man to glare at his son like that). "DO AS YOUR FATHER COMMANDS."

Uzumaki Mantarou froze.

Then the hard hands of Hyuga Hiatari clutched his neck. "Sorry…but you must sleep now." He pinched a vital nerve. The young boy suddenly felt woozy…the last thing he saw before succumbing was the door into his house…

Then the darkness claimed him.

_"I awoke some time later."_

"…urgh…" Mantarou grimaced as he sat up; he was in his cot. "What…I'm in my bed…" _Was it a dream?_ It was still night. The moon was out in full force.

He slowly stepped out of his tiny room – grabbing a kunai that had been given to him as a gift from Hiatari – and out of the house.

_"Hell awaited me."_

Huts were burning. Homes were crushed. The earth was torn. Corpses littered the ground everywhere: onis, humans, horses…it made no difference. The smell of blood was everywhere.

…_no…no…_

Mantarou's blue eyes widened with horror. What had happened; where was everyone?

…_no…_

Then, to his surprise, he saw movement. A red oni with two broken legs, sitting by a ruined hut. The demon was in obvious pain (you could tell by the fact white bone fragments were jutting through the skin; a compound fracture, that's what it was), but he was alleviating the problem by feasting on flesh. And judging from the smirk on his face…it was happy.

"HUU…STUPID HUMANS. BROKE MY LEGS." He tore into the torso of a male human. "THE WHITE-EYED MALE WAS DELICIOUS…BUT THAT BROWN-HAIRED FEMALE WITH THE EMERALD EYES WAS TENDER."

…_Hiatari…MOM…_

Mantarou was just about to lose it. His friend from Konoha…and his mother…dead…no, not just dead…but EATEN…

The oni –groaning as he moved his arms, indicating great pain – reached for a bloodied human. A human with long blonde hair. "BUT THIS ONE'S NOT SO BAD." His fangs tore into the stomach of Uzumaki Keihan.

_"That was the straw that broke the camel's back."_

If looks could kill, Uzumaki Mantarou's hate-filled glare at the oni would've destroyed the planet. This monster had come out of nowhere…had attacked for NO REASON…and was now feasting on his friends and family…because…HE FELT LIKE IT!

**_"YOU…"_**

The oni gazed at Mantarou, slight surprise in his features. Apparently, he had not been expecting visitors. "HMM?"

"…**_DEMON!"_** The word was like a curse. Mantarou charged forward, kunai in hand. The oni was too wounded and too surprised to make an effective counter.

So he could only howl as the kunai was plunged into his left eye. "YAAAAAARGHHH!" It fell backwards.

"**_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHH!"_** shrieked Mantarou as he pulled the kunai out and stabbed the oni in the face over…and over…and over…and over again. And more…and more…and still more…

_"It felt like hours had passed to me. The demon had been dead for a long time by the time I finally tired out."_

Mantarou gasped for air. He could no longer move his arms, having tired them out after stabbing the oni's face over and over again. The head of the foul creature was unrecognizable…and its foul black blood was all over the boy's hands and torso…

But those concerns were secondary.

At least, compared to the body of his father.

Mantarou sank to his knees, staring at the lifeless eyes of his father. A strong man…a proud man…brought down in his prime. It had been like any other day…and it had all happened more quickly than anyone could have expected or predicted.

A life turned upside-down in the blink of an eye.

And yet…there were still tears. That's all the little boy of seven – a boy with the blood of a demon on his hands – could do. He only hugged the corpse of his father and cried.

_"And so I wept."_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

Naruto never thought it was possibly for a man's eyes to exhibit so many emotions in succession. During that segment of the tale, Naruto had seen anger, sadness, rage, despair, and fury…or a mixture of them all.

And yet…those eyes, so much like his own, exhibited emotions Naruto himself had felt before…

**SYMPATHIZING WITH HIM?**

_Huh?_

**FEELING FOR HIM?**

_Pfft. No way!_

**LIAR.**

On the sidelines, Jiraiya was taking this all in with an open mind. Already, what he had heard was forcing him to reevaluate his opinion of Akatsuki's Leader. Though he was curious about how he would end up founding Akatsuki…

"By the time I finished burying my family and friends, it was morning," continued Mantarou. "I left the demons' corpses to rot…and I left the Hidden Valley, my home since I was born."

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Edge of the Hidden Valley, Earth Country/

A tiny hand clasped onto the top of the cliff.

A dirty Uzumaki Mantarou – wearing black pants, a gray shirt, and blue sandals – grimaced as he pulled himself over the cliff edge. He had never been over the cliff side before; only adults – particular the former ninja of various villages – were able to scale the cliffs and hunt the wild game in the forests.

It had been a tough climb…but he had managed.

Mantarou – wearing a backpack filled with kunai, shuriken, and scrolls from his father's bookshelf – gazed once more upon his home. The footprints of oni. The destroyed homes…and the mounds that marked the graves of his family, friends, and all those who had lived in the Hidden Valley.

Mantarou then took off running, trying to ignore the tears stinging his eyes.

_"And so I ran straight through the misty wood, going in the direction I remembered Kyojini walking in…it was made easier by the trees that had been broken by the No Tail's massive feet. The fog and gnarled roots were hindrances…but I made it out in relatively one piece."_

Uzumaki Mantarou grimaced as he pulled a twig out of his hair, which had grown messy. He hadn't taken a bath in some time now…all he had done since leaving the Hidden Valley was eat, drink, sleep, study, and train.

As he finally exited the misty woods, his blue eyes widened at the sight.

A single line – comprised of large footprints – moved to the northwest. Agricultural fields had been ravaged. Smoke was rising from beyond the horizon; the sign of another village ravaged.

_"The destruction. The pointlessness of it all…to a survivor of such an attack, it was only more infuriating. My resolve was only strengthened."_

Mantarou continued onward, stopping only to feed (he tended to find a lot of food in homes that had been abandoned) and sleep. The days seemed to zoom by, but the nights always seemed to crawl. The young boy didn't really get much sleep at night; the darkness brought memories of his home's destruction.

_"I was not as fast as a ninja, nor did I have a ninja's durability…but as I continued my pursuit, I continued to train. It was nearly two weeks until I finally came to an inhabited village."_

Mantarou glanced around; the village – called Kinmachi – he was in was a good deal larger than that of the Hidden Valley's. He noticed a number of destroyed buildings, but reconstruction crews were busy rebuilding them. Kinmachi was based on the side of a mountain, built around a cave opening. The barren mountain was the home of a gold mine, which made the town an important asset for the Earth Country.

However, a few dozen townsfolk were gathered outside the mine entrance, staring fearfully into it. A couple of ninja from Iwagakure – sporting brown jumpsuits, gray Jonin vests, and Stone headband protectors – stood guard outside the mine entrance. However, their arms were bandaged; they had been in battle recently.

Mantarou paused outside the perimeter of people, looking at the nearest bystander. It was a blue-haired boy of similar height, with wide purple eyes. He wore a long-sleeved shirt of black cotton, complete with white pants. His feet were bare…but they looked surprisingly weathered and hardy for a child's feet. _He must travel a lot_, thought Mantarou. "What's going on?"

The child calmly turned to face Mantarou, speaking in a strangely hoarse voice. "A powerful demon ogre with one eye marched near Kinmachi recently, leading an army of oni and ogre demons. Some of the oni attacked this town…fortunately, a contingent of Chuunin and Jonin from Iwagakure were here at the time, inspecting the gold mine. They managed to kill most of them…but all but three of the ninja were killed. The last two oni retreated inside the gold mine to rest…as I've heard, they were quite wounded. A Chuunin has gone to Iwagakure to request reinforcements, while these two Jonin are standing guard to prevent anyone from entering…but they are wounded from battle as well, and there are no medical ninja in this town." The child's eyes became downcast. "Demons heal much faster than humans…it won't be long until those oni come out to attack again. The miners are strong, but not enough to kill an oni. Not even those Jonin will be capable of helping us in their state."

Mantarou felt bile rise up his throat. The fear in that voice…no. Not fear. DESPERATION. The child had already given up. The malaise was also present in the townsfolk, nay, in the very air. The sense of finality and impending death was suffocating everyone…and even the two Jonin standing guard looked fearful for their lives. In their tired and wounded state, they wouldn't be able to protect everyone.

_Demons…ruining everything…just like my home…!_

Uzumaki Mantarou snarled as he stomped forward. The child looked on in slight surprise as the brown-haired boy walked forward towards the cave entrance. Several of the townspeople shouted at him, telling him to get back. One of the Jonin – a man with spiky black hair and dark eyes – walked forward, frowning at the boy. "Hey now, why don't you back away? There's two ferocious oni demons in there."

Mantarou kept walking forward.

"Huh?" muttered the Jonin as he turned. The second Jonin – one with loose brown hair and shades – clutched Mantarou's shoulder. "Are you deaf?"

Mantarou said nothing.

The second Jonin scowled. "Answer me. Can you even talk?"

Mantarou glared at the elite ninja.

The brown-haired Iwa-nin suddenly gulped; he had seen enraged gazes before. He had seen angry stares, from fallen enemies who had cursed him and his fellow ninja for their deaths. It was a given, in this life.

And yet…he had never seen the eyes of a child – supposedly the purest and most innocent of all humans – exhibit such raw, unfettered **_HATRED_**. It made him pause out of fear.

The brown-haired child let his backpack drop to the ground, pulling out two kunai before entering the darkness. The pleading of the townspeople didn't reach his ears.

The first Jonin was about to pursue the kid when the hand of the second Jonin stopped him. "What, are you crazy?"

"Leave him be," muttered the ninja as he adjusted his shades. "He's decided to go to his death…besides…those eyes…how could a child have those eyes…?"

_"**RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"**_

The two Jonin and the townsfolk paled as they heard the howling of the child and the two oni demons. Flashes of blue chakra could be seen. The sound of pierced flesh echoed out of the mine.

Then, all was quiet.

The townsfolk didn't say a thing. The black-haired Iwa-nin sighed. "Idiot kid."

Then the boy walked out.

Black blood stained his body. His right arm bore bite marks, which leaked red blood. His two kunai dripped with demonic blood. And yet…the hateful look in his eyes was still there, although it was slightly alleviated by a look of…pleasure.

_"I won't lie. I delighted killing those two oni. They deserved death. And I couldn't help but feel slight satisfaction…after all, they were of the same breed that destroyed everything I cherished. But it was only temporary."_

"The oni are dead," muttered Mantarou as he picked up his backpack and walked on, ignoring the shocked stares of the townsfolk. He would need to clean the foul blood off of himself before moving on.

A frail hand clasped onto his arm.

Mantarou turned to gaze at the blue-haired boy from before. "Do you need something?"

The boy just smiled. "Come to my house. Papa will get you some new clothes and a warm bath."

Mantarou was silent. Although he hadn't had ANY human interaction within the last month, the thought of a bath appealed to him. And he had to be honest; he WAS a bit stinky. "Okay. Thank you."

The boy with purple eyes smiled even more widely. "Good. Follow me." As he led the way towards the base of the mountain, he said, "My name's Ryu, by the way."

"…I am Mantarou. Uzumaki Mantarou." The orphan ignored the stares of the townsfolk; already word was spreading of how he had slain the two oni hiding within the gold mine (then again, if he were in there position, he would certainly stare; it's not often a child slays two demons, injured though they were). "So, your papa…is he your father?"

Ryu shook his head. "No…he isn't my real father. My parents were killed by a demon a long time ago…" His purple eyes were filled with an old pain. "He took me in and helped me. I'm certain he'll help you too."

Uzumaki Mantarou nearly paused in his tracks. The boy's story…Ryu's story…sounded similar to his. Almost entirely the same. _He's like me…?_

_"A boy with a life parallel to my own. A boy who endured the horrific curse of a life destroyed by demons…and yet, entirely different…for my response to my new life was altogether different from that of Ryu's. He drifted into a life of complacency and solitude…I rose to the challenge of exacting vengeance. And I had only just begun."_

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**Three Tailed Demons; Mantarou's Trials!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: (blinks) Uh…readers? You'll have to wait for the appearance of Rin for at least one more chapter. Mantarou's backstory's proven to be more longwinded than I originally thought. Oo;

In any case, I hope it's okay so far. Give me your thoughts…but if you have any criticism, at least wait until Mantarou's done explaining. ;P

See you soon, and please review!


	24. Mantarou's Trials!

Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. YAR! (charges at the screen)

Author's Notes: It would seem that Mantarou's back story has gotten very positive ratings from the reviewers. This greatly pleases me. :D

But anyhow, Mantarou should be at Konoha by the end of this chapter…and also, apologies for the late update. I just got Kingdom Hearts II. :3

Begin!

xxxx

_**Three Tailed Demons; Mantarou's Trials!**_

xxxx

/Present Day/

/Plains, 17 Miles Northwest of Konohagakure/

Uchiha Sasuke was processing Mantarou's story in silence…because he was weighing the past of Akatsuki's Leader to his own.

His older brother, Itachi, had slaughtered the entire Uchiha clan years ago. Itachi had scarred him with the Mangekyou Sharingan's **_Tsukiyomi_** jutsu, leaving him only one message.

_"Foolish little brother. If you want to kill me…hate me. Detest me. Run…run and live like a coward…clinging to life…without honor!"_

Sasuke had proven Itachi wrong.

But the similarities between his life and Mantarou's were interesting; a horde of oni had destroyed his home and family, ruining his life forever. It seemed to lack the personal element of his own life (instead of a brother or even a close friend, it had been a bunch of demons)…but there had been no warning. No signs that something was wrong (as there had been with Itachi; even his father had thought something was wrong with Itachi before the clan had been slaughtered). And, judging from the retelling…Mantarou had been far more sheltered than Sasuke. More naïve.

In a sense, it would've explained how hard it might have hit him.

Though the paths the two had wondered were similar (at least, near the beginning)…the destinations had been completely different. Sasuke was now a ninja of Konoha…someone trying to restore the honor and name of his clan…and himself.

Mantarou was the Leader of Akatsuki…or, what was left of it (indeed, with the death of the rest of Akatsuki's figureheads and their loss at Konoha, the group was in tatters; the Leader was all that was left that was of any threat). He had a vendetta against demons…yet he had sealed four of the Ten Tailed Demons into his body. He seemingly valued human life and cared for his son…yet he had nearly killed the Kazekage and was now set on killing Naruto to get at the Nine Tails.

Sasuke would have to listen to more to get his answers. He wondered if the 'Ryu' mentioned had been to Mantarou what Naruto was to him…and if not, what was his significance?

He would have to save his thoughts until later; Mantarou was about to speak again.

"Tell me Naruto," muttered Mantarou, his blue eyes staring at his son. "Do you hate the Kyuubi?"

Naruto snorted. "Of course I do."

"Then why won't you let me take his power?"

"Because you'd have to kill me to get it!" snapped Naruto. "And I have no intention on dying anytime soon."

**THEN HOW COME THAT DESERT RAT SURVIVED?**

_Oh yeah!_ "What about Gaara? He ended up surviving!"

For the first time, Mantarou looked genuinely surprised. "Is that so?" He looked momentarily thoughtful. "Considering his wound, I did not think it possible…either the medical ninjas at the Hidden Sand are miracle-workers, or his will to live was extraordinary…still, it only proves my point." He refocused his glare. "If you relent, I'll simply take the demon from you. You have a medical ninja here with you…and one of the most accomplished in the world. If something goes awry, you'll be healed in an instant…so kneel."

For once, Naruto hesitated. Then he scowled; he didn't trust this guy at all. How could he trust him?

**YOU'RE ACTUALLY GETTING SMARTER. AMAZING.**

_Har har._

Mantarou sighed. "It is okay; I still have more to tell. You do not have to make up your mind just yet."

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Ryu's Home, Kinmachi, Earth Country/

"Welcome to my home," muttered Ryu as he opened the wooden door leading into the house's den. Mantarou quietly looked around, marveling at the size of the house. "Wow…"

_"It wasn't the biggest house in Kinmachi. However, to me, a boy who had grown amongst huts his entire life, it was like a mansion by comparison."_

The house was made of stone; the hard floors were lined with rugs of various colors (mostly mixtures of brown, red, and green; apparently, Ryu's papa didn't care for cohesion so much as he cared for just having rugs on the floor), giving warmth to bare feet. The roof was slanted at a steep angle, making the house seem smaller than it really was at first glance. Several bookshelves made of old oak lined the left wall, emanating a musty smell. On the opposite side was a gray couch, covered with dust; next to it was a door that led to a small kitchen. There was another that led out of the house's back entrance, which connected to an alleyway. The last door led to a master bedroom of sorts. A large chandelier was affixed to the ceiling (it was cheap though; made of brass and not at all intricate in design), and several light bulbs screwed into it provided light.

"So those are light bulbs," muttered Mantarou. In the Hidden Valley, there had been no electricity; though most of the people that had been there knew of technology (from rudimentary things such as the aforementioned light bulb to more modern marvels like the microwave), they had chosen a simpler life.

A life that they'd never enjoy again…because they were dead…

Mantarou felt a momentary flash of anger.

"Papa, I'm home," called out Ryu.

A gingerly old man hobbled out of the master bedroom; he wore a wrinkled white shirt and dirty pants of gray fabric, complete with wooden sandals. His mustache and beard seemed to merge together in a mass of bushy gray hair, hiding his mouth from view. His gray hair was easily just as unkempt, though (at the very least) it didn't fall over his face. His eyes were hidden behind narrow eyelids and thick eyeglasses, which barely hung on the edge of his nose. He quietly pushed the glasses further up on his nose before replying, "Welcome home boy…who's your little companion?"

"His name is Mantarou," remarked Ryu before sitting down on the couch.

Ryu's papa seemed to stare at Mantarou – body pasted with black demon's blood – with wary eyes. Finally, he asked, "May I ask why the boy over there is so filthy?"

"He killed the two oni that were hiding in the mines."

The elderly man was impossible to read. What was he thinking, eyes hidden behind those saggy eyelids?

Finally, he walked towards the door to the house's lone bedroom. "Let's get you cleaned up Mantarou."

The brown-haired orphan blinked. _That was fast._

_"The man's name was Matsuda Koshu. His relationship with Ryu would be revealed to me later…all I knew then was that he was taking me in, and he was offering me a bath. How could I refuse?"_

Mantarou sighed as he felt the warm waters cascade over him; he sat quietly in the bubbly waters of the white tub (so many bubbles!), letting Koshu wash the wound on his right arm. The man asked, "So, where do you come from?"

"A valley some ways from here…" Mantarou decided it would be best to tell this man WHY he was here. "…demons destroyed it. That's why I left."

Koshu was silent as he took a pan and doused Mantarou's head with bathwater. The orphan cherished the warmth; although it had only been a couple of weeks in reality, it had felt like an eternity since he had bathed. It was odd how the perception of time was often so radically different.

Finally, when all was said and done, Mantaoru was given some of Ryu's clothes to use, seeing as how his other clothes were dirty with blood. His arm had been bandaged, and he felt much better. Yet there was still a gaping hole in his heart.

Mantarou walked out of the bedroom – clad in a white shirt and blue shorts – to see Ryu sitting on the couch, calmly reading an old book. Koshu was right behind, saying, "So Ryu…what do you think of our young guest?"

Ryu turned his purple eyes toward the young boy whom he had seen – no less than a half hour ago – kill two oni demons. Finally, he smiled a rather interesting smile; it was a mixture of curiosity, depression, and – ever so slight – delight. "I like him. Can he stay?"

Koshu smiled. "Of course."

_"For the next few months, that little house near the outskirts of Kinmachi would be my home…"_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

"It wouldn't compare to the Hidden Valley…but it offered me much needed respite." Mantarou stared at Naruto, as if awaiting a reply.

Finally, the demon vessel incredulously asked, "You didn't even have ELECTRICITY?"

Even Mantarou couldn't help but sweatdrop at that. "Of all the questions you could have asked, and you chose that one. Interesting."

Naruto snorted. Man. _He lived WAY out there._

**NOW CALL HIM A BACKWARDS HICK. THAT SHOULD GET HIS BLOOD PUMPING.**

Naruto snarled. _NOT HELPING._

"Alas, it wasn't meant to be for long. I continued training in the Gentle Fist style, although I began to focus more and more on the chakra aspects." His orange chakra swirled around him like a whirlwind before dissipating. "In order to use the Gentle Fist style correctly, you must have control over your own chakra. However, I did not have the **_Byakugan_** to aid me, and a demon's body is different from that of a human's…so I cannot strike at a demon's **_Keirakukei_**…the Inner Coils. So I had to adapt."

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashbacks/

/Outside Kinmachi, Earth Country/

Mantarou was airborne. His fists glowed with blue chakra.

Ryu calmly brought his hands up to block. The relatively small hands caught Mantarou's glowing punches, although this caused the purple-eyed boy to wince; Mantarou had refined his chakra control since coming to Kinmachi…and it had gotten to the point where he could form deadly blades with his aura.

Like he was right now, forming energy spikes over his fists.

Ryu jumped away before the spikes could prick his palms, seemingly floating in the air as the wind blew by. Mantarou grumbled; that one quality of Ryu's was mystifying to him. Whenever he jumped, there seemed to be an almost ethereal quality to it…as if he was floating before falling. Either that, or he merely fell slower than normal. Was it some kind of special jutsu? A Bloodline Limit? He had yet to find out. They often sparred in the grassy plains right around the mountain Kinmachi stood upon…and even so, Mantarou hadn't actually been able to hit his light-footed adversary even once since their training sessions had begun.

Ryu descended, striking at Mantarou's neck with a knife hand. The young child dashed forward with a burst of chakra from his feet, dodging Ryu's attack. He swerved around, hitting Ryu in the back of the head with a roundhouse kick. The blue-haired boy winced as he flew forward, sliding across the grassy ground. _Now's my chance!_ A blade of chakra formed around his right hand and leapt at Ryu.

The purple-eyed boy blinked as Mantarou descended toward him, energy blade glimmering with power. He impulsively brought his arms over his face.

**_SWISH!_**

Mantarou stepped back, smiling. "Well…looks I win for once. I finally caught up with you."

Ryu looked up at his brown-haired friend…and blanched as his shirt split down the middle.

_"Then I got a rather rude shock."_

Uzumaki Mantarou stared at Ryu's chest in silence, his blue eyes widening out of disbelief. "…what the…?"

Ryu's entire torso was covered by a black seal, consisting of angular lines surrounding a square-shaped symbol. Inside the square – settled directly over his heart – were four curved lines of purple ink, surrounding a red dot that was centered on the boy's sternum. He almost seemed ashamed that Mantarou had seen it. "I'm sorry." He quickly ran off, holding both halves of his shirt tightly together.

Mantarou frowned. He needed to read one of his father's scrolls…just to make sure he hadn't seen what he had seen.

He burst off toward the house in Kinmachi.

_"When I got back, I immediately began my research. I had been making some progress in memorizing my father's scrolls about seals…but there was one particular subject that had my interest: demon seals."_

Mantarou plopped down onto the couch, feeling a great deal of anxiety…and disbelief.

The seal on Ryu was a demon seal.

_Unreal…how did he get a demon sealed inside him?_

"So you know."

Mantarou looked up to see Matsuda Koshu, narrow eyes peering at his scroll. The young orphan asked, "Why…why does Ryu have a demon seal on his body?"

Koshu sighed as he sat down beside Mantarou. "I was once a ninja of Iwagakure…to be specific, an **_onmitsu_**. A spy. In return for my many years of service to the Tsuchikage, I continually receive classified information, to inform me as to what goes on in the world." Koshu adjusted his glasses before continuing. "Several years ago, I learned that one of the Ten Tailed Demons had attacked the Hidden Cloud Village in the Lightning Country."

Mantarou blinked. "Huh?"

"The Ten Tailed Demons go by many names…the Great Demons. The Great Tailed Demons. The Biju. The Mightiest of all Demonkind. In any case, the giant ogre that came by here a while back – Kyojini – was the No Tail, one of the Ten." His narrowed eyes somehow managed to exhibit weariness. "The Tailed Demon that attacked Kumogakure was**_ Soraryu_**, the Three Tails…the Flying Demon Dragon."

Mantarou was silent. He briefly wondered if Soraryu had destroyed the Hidden Cloud as well.

"Ryu's parents were killed by Soraryu…and when the Three Tails was finally subdued, the Raikage wanted his power to be used to the advantage of the village and the country. So he had the weakened demon sealed away inside a child…the selected child was Ryu, ironically."

Mantarou's eyes widened. "…what?"

Koshu sighed with remorse. "It is a regrettable thing, but I must be honest. Demons possess great power…and in the constant wars between ninja villages and countries, power is something of great desire. That is why some villages have taken to trying to claim the demons and sealing them within humans, to use as living weapons. It's been the tactic of choice for the last couple of centuries, back during the first of these wars."

_"To hear the old man talk of this matter was depressing…and honestly, it infuriated me. How could anyone have the gall to use the power of demons – the very demons that killed their fellow man – to continue their fighting? It was madness."_

"Alas, something went wrong. Although Soraryu had been successfully sealed within Ryu, the demon's power had a tendency to leak out…probably due to the seal that was used to contain it. After all, the seal was put right over Ryu's heart, which probably had something to do with it. You see, whenever the boy got too emotional, he would subconsciously began using the Three Tails' power…" Koshu calmly gazed forward, as if recalling an old memory. "I don't know how long it took that boy to arrive here in Kinmachi…but all I knew was that I saw a young boy in tattered clothes and covered with the blood of ninja from Kumogakure. I took it upon myself to care for the young lad, partly because there's nothing else for an old codger like me to do anyway. I found that Ryu can keep the demon's power under control if he himself remains unemotional. I'm sure you've wondered why he's always so calm? Well…now you know."

Mantarou was silent as he digested this new information. Although Soraryu was not among those that had attacked the Hidden Valley…he was a demon nonetheless. And judging from what he had just been told, one that had wrought just as much damage as Kyojini had.

Broken homes.

Lost lives.

Existences forever altered by the havoc of a demon.

In a way, it enraged, appalled, and saddened him at the same time. He was enraged that a demon had caused so much destruction (was that all they lived to do? Cause human suffering?). He was appalled that those who had been attacked by the demon would, in turn, try and use its own power for themselves. He was saddened because the demon was sealed inside a good friend of his.

He briefly wondered what having a demon sealed in your body felt like.

Then he felt a source of chakra. It was faint and subdued…but Mantarou recognized it. He turned towards the back door to see Ryu walk in, his purple eyes dull and listless. The host of the Three Tails quietly said, "Now that you know, I assume you'll be leaving now. I know how much you hate demons…and I doubt you'll want to live with a mere _Jinchuriki_."

Mantarou was silent. Koshu merely sighed with remorse.

Finally, the brown-haired boy answered, "I…know it wasn't your fault. That you have a demon inside of you…I don't blame you. I blame those who sealed it into you…and the demon itself for attacking your old home to begin with."

Ryu looked at Mantarou, his eyes exhibiting an emotion he didn't dare exude: happiness. "So…you're…?"

Mantarou smiled sadly as he gazed up at the ceiling. "I don't have anywhere else to go…my home's gone, much like yours was Ryu. Perhaps this place might be my home…" For the first time since leaving home, Mantarou began to wonder.

Why had he pursued the No Tail and his army to begin with?

He was only a little boy…what could he do against such a power? Although he had grown remarkably in the last few months – training with his chakra, enhancing his senses, and learning more about seals from his father's scrolls – he was still a kid. What could he hope to do against a behemoth like Kyojini?

How could he avenge his family against such an overwhelming force?

_Why am I here…?_ wondered Mantarou with a frown.

_"My answer would not come until later."_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

"I was confused at the time," said Mantarou, his blue eyes never leaving Naruto. "I knew trying to fight the No Tail would be suicidal…and I came to an impasse as to what I would do next. The revelation that Ryu was a Jinchuriki was also unsettling to me…I was unable to comprehend why anyone would try to use a power of a demon in war."

"Yeah yeah, whatever," muttered Naruto, looking clearly irritated. "What the heck are you talking about? What do you mean by 'Jin-chuu-reekee'?"

**YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT TERM? MORON.**

_HEY!_

Mantarou sighed. "It is a term used to described those who are the vessels for demons. To be blunt, is the equivalent of a horrendous insult. That is why Ryu described himself as a Jinchuriki…because in his eyes, he deserved such an insult."

Naruto snorted. He had the sneaking suspicion that those who were 'Jinchuriki' (as Mantarou claimed) were doomed to live painful lives, no matter what they did.

**WHAT FLAWLESS LOGIC. GIVE THE MAN A PRIZE.**

Naruto didn't even bother with a retort. "So then what? Did you find your frickin' answer?"

Mantarou was silent.

Then, he inexplicably smiled. "Do you trust the Nine Tails?"

Naruto blinked. He finally managed to sputter, "Uh, NO? Duh."

Mantarou said, "What is the Nine Tails' name?"

"That's easy!" retorted Naruto with a snort. "It's Kyuubi."

"Wrong." Mantarou almost seemed to enjoy the look of surprise on Naruto's face. "Zerobi. Ichibi. Nibi. Sanbi. Yonbi. Gobi. Rokubi. Shichibi. Hachibi. Kyuubi. From the No Tail to the Nine Tails…those are the titles of the Ten Tailed Demons, depending on their tail number." He shot a glare at his son. "How can you expect to utilize the power of a demon that not only nearly destroyed your home…but won't even give you his true name?"

Naruto scowled. "I didn't ask for this."

**AND BESIDES, MY NAME IS UNFIT FOR YOUR EARS. MEATBAG.**

Naruto snorted, trying to stave off the slight hesitation he was now feeling.

Mantarou nearly smiled at the nigh-imperceptible shift in Naruto's aura; it had shrunk down by less than an inch. "Allow me to continue."

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Koshu's Home, Kinmachi, Earth Country/

_"It had been one week since I had discovered that Ryu was a demon vessel…and I was about to discover something that would give me the answer I was seeking."_

Koshu calmly peered out the back door into the alleyway, looking for whoever had knocked. He immediately spied a green bottle, emptied of alcohol. There was a tightly wound scroll inside it. _Ah. A new report._ He swiftly swiped the bottle and walked back inside. Ryu and Mantarou were sitting on the couch, tearing into strips of dried beef. The elderly man sat down beside the two boys, pulling the scroll out.

"What's that, Koshu-san?" asked Mantarou between bites.

"Remember how I told you that I was once an onmitsu? Well…" He unwrapped the scroll and started reading. "…this is how I get my information. It keeps me informed."

A few minutes later, his wrinkled face was set into a frown. "So…they finally caught him."

"Caught who?" asked Ryu.

"Kyojini."

The two children froze. Mantarou immediately looked at Koshu's scroll, taking immediate note of an included picture of what appeared to be a young teenager, clad in nothing. His entire body was covered with a seal of angular blue lines, stretching all over his body, coalescing around the chest.

"Another Jinchuriki," muttered Koshu with a morose tone. "They finally managed to catch Kyojini it seems…though the monster apparently eluded them for some time through a series of tunnels near Iwagakure. Explains why it took so long to corner the No Tail." It was a shame though; another life cursed to be the vessel of a Tailed Demon. He wondered how this fellow was faring.

Then he saw Mantarou staring intently at the image. "Hmm?"

"That seal…"

Ryu looked inquisitively at his friend. "What is it?"

Mantarou's mind started processing the various parts of the seal…and it occurred to him in a flash. "Why did they use this kind of seal…? It may have sealed the No Tail into his body…but these lines. They're too rigid…they would've been better off with a seal that had curvy lines. So why…?"

Matsuda Koshu calmly pushed his eyeglasses before asking, "What are you getting at?"

Uzumaki Mantarou suddenly stood up, walking into the master bedroom.

He had to get his things.

"What are you doing?" asked Koshu with a worried tone. He had his answer when Mantarou walked out, wearing the same clothes he had arrived in (cleaned and dried since then) and his backpack. His blue eyes showed his seriousness. "You're leaving, aren't you?"

Mantarou nodded.

"And what do you plan on doing?"

"I'm…not quite sure yet," admitted the young boy of only seven years. "But I have to go."

The former onmitsu of Iwagakure sighed. "I suppose there's no point in trying to dissuade you from going…but you do know you'll probably die."

"Yeah," replied Mantarou as he grabbed the scroll, displaying the information about Kyojini's capture and the demon's new vessel…and, most importantly to Mantarou, the vessel's location. "I just know that it's something I have to do…" He walked towards the door, putting his hand on the brass handle before glancing back at Ryu.

The blue-haired boy's purple eyes were staring at him silently. "You'll come back…right?"

"I don't know." Mantarou smiled. "I do know that you're still my friend. Even if you have a demon sealed inside you."

Ryu couldn't help but smile. Koshu quietly stood up, walking over to Mantarou before plucking a brown hair from his head. Before the boy could ask, Koshu tied the hair to a rusty kunai. While holding the knife, Koshu slowly performed a few hand seals. "**_Ukiyoenka no jutsu_**; Life Beacon."

The kunai suddenly glowed white. Matsuda Koshu calmly sat down, smiling lightly. "I developed this jutsu back when I was an onmitsu…so that I could keep a track of my fellows in the field during an operation. So long as you live, this kunai will glow…and so we will await your return, so long as this kunai shines."

The brown-haired orphan couldn't help but smile; it was a vote of confidence, disguised though it was. They believed that he would return…so he would his best to reward their faith in turn. "I'll be back. I promise."

Then Mantarou opened the door and walked away.

_"I still didn't quite know what I was going to do when I met the vessel of the No Tail. I couldn't kill him…for he was a human, cursed like Ryu. And yet, his body held the very demon that had caused the destruction of my home and family. I needed retribution…yet I had no idea how to carry it out."_

Uzumaki Mantarou turned around, gazing once more at Kinmachi, the town that he had called home for the last few months. The town where he had managed to find some sense of normalcy…but nothing would ever be normal anymore, would it?

What was 'normal'?

Normal was a thing of the past now.

He could only move forward.

With one last sigh, Mantarou moved on.

_"For the next couple of months, I trudged on, coming ever close to Iwagakure. As I moved on, I continued to train, refining the control over my own chakra. I could hide my presence from those who could sense chakra…and as my control became greater, my 'sense' of chakra began to grow as well. I could feel the chakra of various beings…I could 'feel' where birds and other animals were before I ever saw them. By this time, I was near the outskirts of Iwagakure."_

Mantarou, looking a bit scruffy, stared at the immense village that lay before him.

A plateau, jutting out of the earth. An entire village carved out of its innards. Stone towers stretching from its innards, piercing the sky with their image. Iwagakure, the Village Hidden in the Stone.

And that plateau was a pretty big stone.

However, Mantarou was not interested in Iwagakure itself…rather, it was one of the stone towers, which was to the rear of the Tsuchikage's Palace, teetering on the edge of a chasm within the plateau that delved deep into the ground. That tower – according to the scroll that Koshu had received – was where prisoners were held.

Right now, the Jinchuriki was being held there. According to the scroll…the vessel's name was Sagara Kozo…and the only way he could get to him would be by taking the long way around.

And so, in the dead of night, in the light of a full moon…Mantarou could be seen, scaling up the chasm. He had come into the village – drawing little attention, being seen as merely a traveler – eventually making his way to the edge of the chasm. The chasm bordered the entire village, forming a ring around Iwagakure itself. Falling in would be deadly…but thankfully, he was able to improvise.

Mantarou grimaced as he scaled the rocky walls; his hands and knees were coated with chakra, the aura itself forming barbed spikes that allowed him to scale the sides of the chasm without falling. His training had paid off…yet without the help of Hiatari, he would never have gotten this far.

He owed a lot to the Hyuga that had abandoned the Leaf for the nomad's life. _Thank you Hiatari, for this gift._

Uzumaki Mantarou was silent as he finally reached the back of the prison tower, slowly ascending towards the top floor. His goal was a single window, blocked by three bars. It let moonlight filter into a dark chamber. The pale ambience revealed a chair, in which sat a young boy, barely a few years older than Mantarou himself. He was clad in nothing, revealing a rather lanky frame and a head of black hair.

Mantarou's hand flattened, sprouting a chakra blade. He was sure that this particular cell was guarded on the outside by Jonin (at the very LEAST)…and Jonin had excellent senses for chakra.

However, even Mantarou could feel the massive amount of chakra been emitted from the teen, smothering out all other sources in its vicinity. For all intents and purposes, the young Uzumaki boy was hidden.

He quietly sliced through the bars, shifting through them as he let the metal rods drop into the chasm below. He calmly dropped down into the chamber, his body seemingly merging with the shadows themselves. Blue eyes gazed at the teen tentatively.

Finally, the vessel stirred. "…"

"Sagara Kozo."

The Jinchuriki's head tilted.

"You are the vessel of the demon known as Kyojini."

Kozo was silent.

"The seal used to entrap Kyojini within you…the demon's chakra is conflicting with yours instead of peacefully coexisting. It is a result of this seal; it was the improper variety for this…'situation'." Mantarou briefly remembered that his father had been a former ninja of Iwagakure. He wondered how they would've sealed him had they had his expertise.

Kozo didn't reply to the whispers in the dark. He was too tired to even turn his head.

"The demon sealed within you commanded a horde that destroyed my home. Killed my friends and family. I came all the way to seek revenge…but knowing that the demon's sealed within you…I can't do anything." Mantarou sighed; he couldn't think of what to do. To destroy Kyojini, he'd have to kill Kozo…and he couldn't bring himself to kill a fellow human.

Finally, Kozo muttered, "Kill me."

Mantarou stared, wide-eyed. "…what did you say?"

_"To be honest, I had been caught flat-footed. I had never heard a human wish for death before."_

"I can barely move…I feel nothing but pain…the demon's power…can't fit within me…" Kozo grimaced, his body impulsively leaking out power. "…I am…a ninja…of the Stone…but this power…will destroy all……" He finally managed to look at the darkness where Mantarou stood, his weary eyes shadowed with agony…and untold guilt. "Please…take this cursed power away…and kill me…"

Uzumaki Mantarou, for the first time in a while, hesitated. What was he supposed to do? Kill this human?

Unthinkable. Then he'd be no better than the demons he hated.

And yet…it was a demon that caused Sagara Kozo untold pain. Untold power, capable of leveling buildings…sealed improperly inside a teenager. Would killing Kozo actually be a blessing?

And what of the power of Kyojini? What of the demon's spirit, sealed within Kozo's body? Would it somehow manifest itself if he killed Kozo? He couldn't take that risk…if he were to kill Kozo…the demon would have to be sealed in someone else. But that would be passing off the burden. He couldn't do that either…

_What to do…?_ Mantarou grimaced in agony as he clutched his head, wondering what to do next. _What do I do…?_

_"So many different questions…yet, in the end, I only had one solution."_

The young brown-haired boy sighed as he pulled a scroll out of his backpack; a scroll that dealt with the matter of demon seals. His father had done a lot of research into the subject (back when he had been a ninja of Iwagakure, that is…he briefly wondered if his father ever regretted any of his actions as a Jonin)…and Mantarou found a seal that would work.

Sighing, Mantarou's left hand glowed with blue chakra, sharpening into a short spike. He kept his right hand ready…because he needed it to trace the needed lines on his left forearm. A single tear escaped his eye…but why? He had just met this teen in person no more than a few minutes ago. He held the demon that was responsible for the end of his life in the Hidden Valley. Why was he weeping for this teen?

_"Why indeed…it would not occur to me until later that I wept for that young boy, who was forced to carry a burden no one should have to carry. I cried because I knew I was ending a human life…even though it would release him from his suffering."_

Finally, Mantarou steeled himself for the coming task.

"Forgive me."

He plunged his left hand into Sagara Kozo's stomach. The teen gurgled as blood leaked from his mouth, which had (to Mantarou's everlasting shock) contorted into a smile.

Mantarou had no time to waste.

He quickly dabbed his right hand's fingers into the blood from Kozo's stomach, tracing numerous curvy lines and ornate circular symbols on his left forearm. At last, he placed his right hand on Kozo's chest and said, "**_Soudaifuu-Akumashuukan._**" The bloody lines on his left forearm glowed as he whispered, "Grand Seal – Demon Imprisonment."

The seal upon Kozo's body glowed as he groaned, his voice coming out as a whisper. Mantarou winced as he felt a tingly sensation in his hand; he had to keep connected with the host until the transfer of the No Tail's spirit was complete.

Then there was the rush of power.

Mantarou thought he was going to faint right there. The absolute rush of power through his veins was _astronomical_. His young body felt shivers, trying to grasp the energy of the demon that now belonged to him. All the while, Kozo's eyes began to droop as he slowly regained control of his body, tiredness trudging through his veins.

Finally, the middle of the seal on Mantarou's forearm shifted, transforming into the image of a demonic ogre. The blood glowed orange as the demon's spirit was fully sealed within him.

He himself was now a Jinchuriki.

The demon he had sworn to kill was now a part of him.

And it scared Mantarou on a primal level…and, deep down, he felt a horrible sense of betrayal, as if he had committed an unholy blasphemy that would damn him to the abyss. "What have…I done…?"

A hand fell on his shoulder, cold and trembling from blood loss. Sagara Kozo gazed at Uzumaki Mantarou, his pale face smiling out of…relief.

"Thanks kid."

Then he slumped out of his chair and onto the hard floor, dead and without life. The chair was pushed back as a result, clattering against the floor and sending echoes throughout the chamber.

That was what finally cued the two Iwa-nin standing guard outside that something was wrong. Numerous locks were unlocked on the metal door separating the chamber from the rest of the prison…and it swung open.

The two Jonin stared at Mantarou in silence. They saw Kozo at his feet, in a pool of his own blood. They then looked at Mantarou's left forearm, which was glowing orange in the dark.

Mantarou could only blink. "…uh oh."

The two ninja charged.

On impulse, Mantarou quickly shot out a line of chakra to his point of entry, the line forming a hook that latched into the stone. The young boy yelped as he catapulted through the window and into the air…into freedom.

Then he realized he was in the air. Over a chasm. A very deep chasm.

Mantarou could only gulp as he fell. _Oh no oh no oh no oh no what do I do whatwhatwhatohnoI'mgonnadienonononoIdon'twannadieNO-_

His brain, acting on impulse for his frozen (figuratively speaking) body, crafted a simple solution.

His chakra formed a pair of massive wings, infinitely larger than he. The sky around him seemed to glow orange from the energy, adding to the otherworldliness of what was happening. Mantarou barely managed to flap his 'wings' so that he would ascend out of the plateau, away from Iwagakure…and away from the livid Jonin who knew that they would hang for letting someone sneak in and kill Kozo.

Uzumaki Mantarou didn't register any of that. All he knew at that moment, at that singular point in time, was that he was airborne…and he wasn't falling.

_Holy crap…I'm flying…I'm really flying…!_

It shouldn't have been possible. Although he had gotten good enough at manipulating his chakra to form solid objects (like a windmill that he often used to cool himself down during hot days at Kinmachi…or a 'bottle' to hold water whenever he went out walking…among other things), he didn't even have enough to make wings of such colossal magnitude.

Then he stared at the seal on his left forearm, which had ceased glowing. In the dim light of the moon and the ambient light of his wings, he could make out the dried blood that formed the seal, bonded to his body, his very being.

The power of Kyojini was his.

Mantarou grimaced as he slowly descended, his wings shortening as he did. When he set back down, he quietly looked back at the plateau, which was already a small bump on the horizon. However, he knew that he would be pursued…would he be killed?

Fear gripped Mantarou as he ran as hard as he could, suppressing his chakra, hoping nobody would follow him.

And as he ran, another, seemingly innocuous thought occurred to him.

_Why is my chakra orange?_

"_I was filled with questions…but there was thing I was certain of…that I was a Jinchuriki…"_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

Mantarou's chakra briefly shimmered, glowing orange. "…and that I had the power of the No Tail. It was something that, at first, I was horrified of…and on some level, I still am."

Nartuo snorted, his three tails still twitching. "You sure don't seem horrified to me."

"It's been a long time boy. Over two decades since I sealed Kyojini within me. The horror may be buried, but it is there nonetheless." Mantarou lightly tapped his head. "The seal that entrapped Kyojini within me seals the demon to a particular part of my body, allowing for multiple demon seals to be put on one person. It was research my father was doing into crafting an altogether greater Jinchuriki…a vessel for multiple demons. However, when he left Iwagakure so long ago to become a nomad, he took all research into the matter with him. Only I am a living testament to his work now…in a sense, I am his legacy…just as you are the legacy of the Fourth Hokage."

"**_SHUT UP,"_** growled Naruto, his red eyes glaring daggers of pure hatred at Mantarou. "I am not his 'legacy'…I AM MY OWN PERSON!"

"And yet your fate is tied with that of the Kyuubi's…your life is entwined with the Nine Tails, which was sealed into you BY the Fourth Hokage so that Konoha could be saved. Tell me…" The blue pools that were his eyes bored into Naruto, as if prying open every layer that protected Naruto's deepest thoughts and feelings. "…what would you have done in his position?"

Naruto couldn't answer that. He probably never would…because if he did, he would've agreed with what the Fourth had done. Doing so would've meant that he, on some level, would have legitimized his fate and all the unfairness that had followed because of it…to him, that would've meant that he _deserved_ all of the abuse and discrimination he had suffered through during his life…because if agreed with the Yondaime's actions…and would've done the same in his place…what right did he have to complain about what he had endured, if he would willingly submit another person to that kind of torturous existence?

He would not, COULD not, admit that. Ever.

**I LOVE IT WHEN YOU ACTUALLY THINK FOR YOURSELF. THEN YOU START REALIZING WHAT A WORTHLESS LITTLE PEST YOU REALLY ARE.**

Naruto scowled. Mantarou saw this and sighed. "You realize it…that the existences of Jinchuriki are always destined to be painful…that you have endured as you have is commendable. But the power of the Nine Tails cannot be contained forever. Not as he is now."

Uzumaki Naruto glared. "And what makes you think you're any different?"

"Why do you think I go through the trouble of weakening and subduing the Tailed Demons before sealing them within me?" Mantarou gestured toward his left forearm. "Iwagakure sacrificed many ninja to subdue the No Tail long enough to seal it within Sagara Kozo. I imagine the same was true for Ryu when the Three Tails was sealed into him. Kozo was weak as he was, due to the seal used on him…so the will of Kyojini was already reduced. That's why I must subdue the vessels and have them expend their power…to weaken the Tailed Demons before I absorb them. THAT is why my chakra is now orange…demonic in its power, but without the malice and inherent evil that taints it as red as blood." Mantarou stopped there, saying nothing more as he stared at his son.

On the sidelines, Jiraiya was thinking. He recalled an old incident a long time ago, when he had been younger than Kakashi. The public of Iwagakure had recalled seeing a 'phoenix' rising into the sky, flying away from the Hidden Stone Village. _So he was that 'phoenix'. Hmm._ His mind went to work trying to remember other unexplainable events that might have been a result of Mantarou.

It was at that time that Mantarou flexed his neck. "In any case, I awoke the next morning, deciding to continue back to Kinmachi. I couldn't afford to stay in one place too long…lest I get tracked down. I left for Kinmachi as quickly as I could."

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Koshu's Home, Kinmachi, Earth Country/

_"I had managed to get back to Kinmachi within three weeks, more motivated in my travel than I had been on my way to Iwagakure. I wanted to get back to the place I had learned to call home…and I wanted to tell Ryu that I was also a Jinchuriki…because he didn't need to beat himself up. That's what I wanted to tell him…"_

Mantarou smiled with glee as he opened the door. "I'm home!"

His blue eyes suddenly widened as ice flooded his veins.

_"…but I never got the chance."_

Koshu was lying on the ground, blood spread out from his corpse like a spider web, long dried (he had been killed a while ago, it seems). His flesh was pale, and the distinct smell of decay was becoming prominent. His hands were clenched into fists, as if he had died…trying to fight.

And Ryu was nowhere to be found.

Mantarou knelt down beside Matsuda Koshu's body, horror gripping his heart. _No…why? Why would he be killed…?_ He noticed a slip of paper right in front of Koshu's head, sticky from all of the blood. Mantarou gingerly picked it up, realizing that there were words written…in blood.

_"Koshu had left me one last message, given to me upon his last breath."_

The young boy – now shedding silent tears – looked at the paper, trying to discern the slightly smeared words…and in the end, he managed to read it all.

xxxx

_Mantarou,_

_My time is short, so I'll be brief._

_Ninja from Kumogakure came. It seems that they had gotten a lead with the recent events in the Earth Country concerning Kyojini and the army of oni and ogres. They managed to find Ryu here. They struck me down without mercy, thinking an old man wouldn't be able to do much after getting slashed in the belly._

_They took Ryu. Back to the Hidden Cloud Village in the Lightning Country, I assume._

_It hurts me to say that I kind of expected this to happen one day…I'm only glad that you were gone. They would've killed you too._

_I don't know why…but I want you to go after him. You'll get killed, most likely…but Ryu hated his existence. It was all I could do to keep him from drowning in his sadness…but you were a big help. You gave him something I couldn't: friendship. It's hard for an old man to connect with a young boy…that's why I'm grateful to you._

_That's also why I'm asking you to follow him. You're special…in a way I can't quite define._

_There's some money under my mattress. Just so you won't go hungry…but you'd probably just hunt for your own food, wouldn't you?_

_Just please hurry…save Ryu from his existence as a Jinchuriki…an existence that would devour any light that remains in his soul. Please._

_I beg of you._

xxxx

Mantarou let the piece of paper fall to the ground, his eyes hardening. Men had come…killed an old man…and taken a child…simply because he possessed the power of a Tailed Demon. They were going to use the power of Soraryu – a demon that had killed their own! – against their fellow man.

_Why…what kind of…?_

No. They were human. They could be tempted. It was the power itself that was to blame…the demon's power. Remove it from the equation…and this wouldn't have happened, would it?

No. Remove the demons entirely…and a lot of things wouldn't have happened.

Ryu wouldn't have been taken…

Ryu wouldn't have fled his old home, forced to bury his emotions because the seal on his body allowed the demon within him to capitalize on his emotions…using them to cause chaos.

Sagara Kozo wouldn't have wished for death…and he would've been able to continue living without suffering.

Kyojini and his army wouldn't have killed so many people…

His family would've still been…alive…

_Nothing but pain._ Mantarou's hardened eyes glared at his left forearm, at the image of the demon ogre. _Nothing but anguish…that's all demons cause…nothing…but SUFFERING…_

Then, something within him snapped.

"So be it," muttered the orphan, his face contorting into a ferocious scowl, hardly befitting a seven-year old boy. "The power of the Tailed Demons is wanted for use in war…so I'll take that power…and use it against their own kin. **_I will slay them all…_**" Such raw, unfettered rage…how could a boy stomach it?

Perhaps he was no longer a boy…merely a man who looked like a boy, forced to grow up by a series of unfortunate events.

There was one thing he needed to make sure of first. He looked around, hoping to find-there. A few strands of hair, most likely torn off during the struggle. "Perfect." He took one strand, grabbing a kunai from his backpack. He tied the strand to the kunai and – recalling the few hand signs Koshu had performed (he wondered; did Koshu perform them that slowly on purpose so he could see them and memorize them?). "**_Ukiyoenka no jutsu._**"

The kunai glowed white.

Ryu was still alive.

No surprise there; the ninja of the Hidden Cloud Village wouldn't kill their 'prized Jinchuriki'. He just had to make sure…because it only reminded him of what he now had to do. He kept his thoughts to himself, even as he dug a hole in the stone floor with chakra shovels.

_Ryu…_

He pushed the dirt and rubble aside, staring at Koshu's corpse.

_I will save you from this cursed existence…_

He quietly cradled Koshu's decaying body, picking it up off of the ground.

_The burden of Soraryu's power will become my own…_

He slowly lowered the old man's body into the hole. Mantarou stared at him momentarily, realizing just how fond he had been of that man.

_I will take the power from you…_

He covered his body with one of the rugs, colored white and blue.

_And if I have to kill you to ease your suffering once and for all…_

He used his chakra shovels to finally cover the body, burying it six feet underground.

_…then so be it._

And thus was Matsuda Koshu buried in his home. In a way, that was the most fitting grave.

_"I left Kinmachi that day…and I never returned."_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

Mantarou calmly brought a hand up to his face. "Huh. Tears."

Naruto said nothing. He couldn't afford any sympathy for his mortal enemy. _Although…maybe he deserves some. Maybe a little._

**GETTING WEAKKNEED? HOW UNBECOMING.**

Naruto snarled. "Just SHUT UP, you damned fox!"

Mantarou stared silently at Naruto; the Nine Tails apparently had a very loud voice. He had never had such a problem. Even with four demons sealed within him, their voices in his mind were negligible, their voices coming somewhere in volume between a whisper and silence itself.

Perhaps it was because they had been weakened so much before being sealed within him. Or perhaps they never really bothered to talk as loud as they could, knowing Mantarou would never listen to them. In any case, it didn't matter to him. He needed to momentarily reorder his thoughts; he'd let Naruto banter with the Biju sealed inside of him.

On the sidelines…

Kibamaru growled, "Crap…this guy is confusing me. Isn't he supposed to be the bad guy?"

"I will admit, his story doesn't sound like that of the kind of villains we usually face…" said Tsunade, her eyes focused on the Leader of Akatsuki. And he was just that, too. "But remember…he's an S-Class criminal, the Leader of Akatsuki, and its creator. We can't overlook that."

"Though the question of how and why he founded Akatsuki is one I'm looking forward to him answering," admitted Jiraiya.

Sasuke and Kakashi were both silent, waiting for Mantarou to continue. They both had questions they wanted answers to; for Sasuke, it was how Mantarou ended up the way he had…and for Kakashi, it concerned Rin, his old teammate. Now that he was thinking about it, he remembered Mantarou quite well…but not as well as he should have. He also wondered how much his memory had cost them. Would they have been able to fight Mantarou better if he had just remembered him and his fighting style? He would never know.

"**OOOOOOOOOH!"** suddenly roared Lee, startling those standing near him. "His story is truly heart-breaking, the stuff of tragic heroes! And yet he is the enemy! And he broke Gai-sensei's legs!" He scratched at his head out of confusion. "So confusing!"

"I have to agree with you Lee," admitted Neji, his white eyes narrowed. Mantarou didn't sound like an enemy at all. Rather, he sounded like a very powerful man with a very tragic past. In a way, Neji could empathize with him…he knew what it meant to carry an unfair burden. However, he knew Naruto (and, perhaps, Sasuke, due to the situation with his clan) would be able to feel for Mantarou better than anyone else there.

He briefly wondered if the son would actually be able to fight the father in the end.

And all the while, Hinata never stopped worrying for the one she loved. And yet, she couldn't help but feel sorry for the man that had called himself Naruto's father. _His past sounds so awful…oh Naruto-kun, I don't know what to think…_

Finally, Mantarou cleared his throat, signaling for Naruto to stop his mental bickering with the Kyuubi. "It took me over seven months to reach Kumogakure…but I was nine by the time I was actually able to encounter Ryu again, considering how tightly under lock and key they had put him. During that time, I continued my training, gaining greater control over the chakra I had. I occasionally slew a demon or two during my travels; you'd be surprised at how often my demonic chakra attracted unwanted pests…but alas, it was time for me to reunite with my old friend."

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/30 Miles West-Southwest of Kumogakure, Lightning Country/

A red flash, followed by an explosion.

Several Kumo-nin – all Jonin – watched in silence from a distance as the Jinchuriki practiced his power on the environment. The Cloud ninja couldn't help but be impressed by the strength of the nine year old. It had taken some time to get the kid to cooperate…but now they could use a certain jutsu to cause the kid to go berserk, allowing his emotions to run rampant, thus allowing the demon to take control.

Well…not really. It was just a bluff, to coerce the kid into cooperating. And it had worked.

Today was the final field test; soon, the boy would be going on missions.

A Jonin with a black eyepatch over his right eye grinned. He was lucky; he had lost the child before…he had nearly been killed by the Raikage for 'incompetence on the job', as his superior had called it. Nevertheless, he had been given a second chance; he wasn't going to waste it.

That's when he noticed a black dot on the horizon, getting closer to the barren field, long ago rendered inhospitable by Ryu's continuous exhibitions of power. "What the?"

Ryu paused, staring at the black dot as it got closer, his aura flaring red.

It was a brown-haired boy of about his age, wearing black pants and a white shirt. The right arm was bare, as the right half of the shirt was sleeveless; in contrast, the left half was long-sleeved, hiding the seal on his left forearm. Black, fingerless gloves covered his hands, and he wore wooden sandals that made a dry 'clop clop' sound on the ground. He wore a blue vest, filled with pockets that held his scrolls and kunai. Blue eyes, exhibiting the experiences of someone older than a child, stared intently at Ryu.

It was Uzumaki Mantarou.

Ryu's purple eyes stared back at Mantarou, despair quickly filling them. He didn't want him to see…he didn't want his demonic power to be shown. Not like this. Not at him!

And yet…if he didn't…those Kumo-nin…would make him lose control…and then he'd hurt more than just Mantarou.

He was damned either way.

Ryu whispered, "I'm sorry." His chakra aura flared red. A single tail sprouted from behind him as his chakra formed draconian claws and talons around his bare hands and feet. At last, wings sprouted from his shoulder blades, made of red energy.

"Don't be," replied Mantarou, his body flaring with orange chakra.

Ryu roared as he charged, claws extended.

Mantarou spun around, his chakra aura thinning into razor-sharp whips that lashed out at Ryu.

The battle had begun.

_"We fought for thirty minutes. To me it seemed like hours. After all, I was fighting a close friend…and I found that we were evenly matched."_

Ryu flew through the air, zooming downwards to strike Mantarou in a hit-and-run attack. His shirt was torn, revealing the seal entrapping Soraryu into his body. His arms were scratched and bleeding; Mantarou had gotten him pretty good. _And to think, there was a time that he couldn't hit me at all…_

Mantaoru dove to the side, dodging Ryu as he flew past. He was in a pretty rough condition as well; his shoulders were bleeding, and his head sported a nasty bruise. His body was mostly untouched, save for a nasty-looking gash on his right arm. _He's trying his hardest not to kill me…but he can't risk losing control._

Ryu suddenly opened his mouth. "_**Kazeboufuu!**_ Wind Storm!" He then exhaled forcefully, in simultaneous cohesion with his wings, creating a tremendous gust that sent Mantarou flying.

The vessel of Kyojini growled as he sent a 'hand' of chakra towards the ground, reeling himself downward to safety. He quickly formed a massive blade, striking at the ground as hard as he could. Rock and rubble were sent into the air towards Ryu.

The vessel of Soraryu descended immediately – avoiding the attack – and charged at his old friend.

Mantarou snarled as he formed a smaller blade of chakra (looking more like a katana), blocking Ryu's advance. They came to a standstill, their bodies glowing like orange and red fire. He growled, "Ryu…I'll take your burden…kneel…"

Ryu was silent…then he bitterly chuckled. "How funny…you and Koshu gave me a will to live…and yet what reason is there to live now? To live as a weapon?" He couldn't help but laugh. "My name isn't even Ryu…my real name was lost long ago. My name comes from the dragon demon sealed in me…I used to hate it. Guess I still do."

Mantarou scowled; his friend was _suffering_. He was suffering needlessly! It wasn't right! It only hardened his resolve. "Don't worry…you won't have to worry anymore…"

All of a sudden, he shifted his weight, pressing the lighter Ryu downward with a quick thwack from a tendril of orange energy. Mantarou leapt upward, his right foot glowing with spikes of orange chakra. "RAAAAAAAAAH!"

Ryu was silent as Mantarou descended. Why was he struggling? Even if he went berserk now…what good would it do? Perhaps…perhaps he could just relent? Perhaps he could…rest? Let his worries finally fade away?

_**CHUNK.**_

Yes…yes he could. Ryu ignored the pain of Mantarou's right foot embedding itself into his stomach; it was nothing compared to the sense of utter relief that he now felt. It was so easy to just give up…and let someone else decide for him.

But he didn't care if it was the 'cowardly' way out. This is what he wanted…release from his pain.

He was quiet as Mantarou traced a seal around his right shin. He didn't hear Mantarou say '**_Soudaifuu-Akumashuukan_**'. He didn't really notice the glowing, or the fact that he suddenly felt a great deal weaker…more human, in a sense.

He was only concerned with the fact that he was free. Free of the burden.

"Thank you Mantarou…" Ryu feebly reached upward into the sky. "Papa…I'm coming…"

Then his purple eyes glazed over, his arms falling to his sides.

Mantarou was quiet as he felt the chakra of Soraryu flood through his Inner Coils; now he possessed the power of two Tailed Demons. But more than anything, he was glad that he had been able to help his friend. "Rest in peace Ryu…"

Then he turned, glaring at the Jonin of Kumogakure storming towards him, angry that their Jinchuriki had been defeated. Mantarou was sickened by their lust for the power of the demon.

Very well. He had no mercy for those who willingly used the demon's power against mankind. "You want my power? YOU'VE GOT IT!" He reached deep within, accessing a power he had only recently been able to access after much training and hard work; the Celestial Gates. The first one, at least. "First – **Initial** Gate – OPEN!"

Mantarou disappeared under a flurry of orange lines that lashed out against the Jonin.

_"I didn't kill them, in case you're curious. I merely hacked off limbs…an arm and a leg. They were of no harm after that…and yet, I'm sure that's how I became an S-Class criminal. One does not attack Jonin like that and go unnoticed afterwards."_

Mantarou – his body and soul tired and weary – gazed once more at the mound of dirt that now held Ryu's corpse. After 'disposing' of the Kumo-nin, he had given his friend a proper grave. _Ryu…rest in peace._

And so he walked on, eager to continue his crusade against demons.

_"It was soon after that that ninja began to hunt me."_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

Mantarou sighed, remembering old frustrations. "That had been a rather sore part of my life; not knowing when an ANBU unit or a group of shinobi hunter-nin would come to me in the night. As my trials continued on, my skills continued to grow. By the time I was twelve, I could already open three of the Celestial Gates…and I had killed quite a few demons as well."

"So…how did it feel when you became a criminal?" asked Naruto with a smirk (though he briefly wondered why he was saying this. Wait…why was he even wondering at all? Mantarou wasn't getting to him…was he?).

Mantarou sighed. "It was tiresome. As for my 'crimes'…well, giving two Jinchuriki the peace of death, and defending myself against the ninja sent after me. Kind of unfair, don't you think?"

Naruto bit his tongue…because he was going to agree. After all, he knew what it was like to be treated unfairly.

**HU HU HU. YOU ARE GETTING WEAKKNEED. MISSING YOUR DADDY?**

_DON'T EVEN START._

The Kyuubi chuckled, his laughter leaving echoes in Naruto's mind. The vessel of the Nine Tails wondered why he was so on edge…was it because he was split on what to do in regards to his father?

**YOU'RE EVEN THINKING OF HIM AS YOUR FATHER NOW. FOR SHAME.**

_…just shut up._

Naruto clenched his teeth out of frustration; what was he going to do when story-time was over?

Suddenly…

"The River's Rage. The Cave's Howl. The Earth's Pain. The Thundering Heavens. The Ocean's Fury."

Everyone turned toward Jiraiya, who had an odd little smirk on his face. "Those were the names given to utterly unexplainable events. Do they ring a bell?"

Uzumaki Mantarou smiled briefly. "Your title as a Legendary Leaf is well-deserved…yes. During the years I traveled, slaying demons wherever I found them, they often caused phenomena that would be rather difficult to explain. The River's Rage…took place at the Odayaka River in the River Country, where I fought a demonic water spirit – a **_kami_** corrupted by demonic power – at the head of the river. The fight caused ferocious waves further downstream."

"Very confusing for the local folk, considering that the Odayaka River got its name because it had always been 'The Gentle River'," said Jiraiya with a smirk.

"Indeed." Mantarou's eyes glittered as he thought back. "The Cave's Howl…that was near Hoshigakure, the Hidden Star Village…in the Bear Country. I fought a banshee demon inside a cave…they are rather notorious for their screams. As for the Earth's Pain…that was in the barren land that is now known as the Sound Country. I fought an Earth Golem…who caused earthquakes with every step. The Thundering Heavens…I fought a demon who could call upon the power of lightning and thunder. That had been a rather difficult battle, if only because I couldn't get near enough to strike…but eventually, I defeated him."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. _He's defeated so many demons…just how many? How many battles has he skated through…because of his power?_

"As for the Ocean's Fury…" Mantarou's blue eyes turned towards Naruto. "That was a battle that spanned an entire sea…the battle in which I fought Akudaija the Five Tails."

Everyone was silent at this revelation.

"Although some would say I had no reason to pursue a Biju now…I found something during the course of my travels. Something that motivated me to collect at least five of the Great Tailed Demons. As for what it was…" Mantarou couldn't help but smile. "You'll know soon enough."

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Hitonomi Island, Northwest of the Main Island, Water Country/

_"I was now 15…and I had grown considerably."_

Uzumaki Mantarou – now standing at 5'6" – remained silent as he stared out at the misty seas to the west. He now wore a black cloak over his body, hiding his blue shirt and black pants. As before, his left arm was covered by a long sleeve, hiding the image of Kyojini. His right shin was also hidden by his pants leg, covering the seal that held Soraryu. His body had gotten slightly muscular over the years, though it was a lean kind of musculature. He wore sandals of white leather, more durable than his old wooden sandals. His hair was still spiky as ever, and his blue eyes had only gotten colder, harder, and more distant throughout the years.

Then again, he had immersed himself in a bloody life, killing demons for no price and no fee…and killing those who pursued him, out of self-defense. It was a hard life, but it was one he had gotten used to. After all, his powers were great; he could open five of the Celestial Gates now. He had never lost a match…and he had never been hurt that badly either. Not since his battle with Ryu.

But that was the past.

Mantarou turned towards the feeble villager. They were standing on the shore of a rocky bay, which led out to the frothy seas. "You're saying you've seen a demon out there."

The old man nodded feebly, his clean-shaven face filled with worry. "All the fish that our normally in these waters have fled because of that demon…and not only that, but it keeps causing the currents to flow oddly…and angrily. All merchant traffic to this island has stopped…and none of us can leave. The sea is our life…without it, we are nothing."

Uzumaki Mantarou sighed as he stepped into a small wooden boat, which had been offered to him in return for killing the demon…if he could. The old man had doubts about that…but the kid was rather adamant.

Finally, the boy said, "Don't worry. You'll have your sea back. I've exterminated over a hundred demons in my lifetime…I am a Demon Slayer. It's what I do." Mantarou quietly formed two oars with his chakra, which he used to sail ahead with a speed and precision normal, wooden oars couldn't offer.

"Good luck!" exclaimed the old villager. "You'll need it!"

_I don't need luck_, thought Mantarou in silence as he sailed closer towards the misty seas. He pulled out a pair of white goggles – bought on the island – and snapped them onto his head. The villager had been right about one thing though; the seas were getting choppy. And there was a great power underneath these unnaturally dark waters…a power the likes of which he hadn't felt…since Kozo and Ryu.

A Tailed Demon. He was sure of it.

_After this…I'll only need two more. Then…_

He shook his head. The future could wait. He had to focus on the now.

Mantarou realized he was now past the mist, facing the wide, open sea ahead of him. The sky was dark with clouds…and the ocean seemed to carry a strange kind of…bloodlust? _The work of the demon, no doubt._

_"Then, like an angry god of the sea, he arose."_

With an earth-shattering screech, the beast arose. Mantarou was silent as he gazed at the demon, water dripping off of its slick gray skin. It was serpentine in nature, long and winding; at 500 yards long, the beast was an absolute monster. The face was narrow, complete with small red eyes that simmered with anger and rage. Its mouth was lined with teeth, each one as sharp as a fang. Its body was 200 feet in diameter at its widest, tapering down to 50 feet at the tails…and speaking of tails…there were five of them.

The Five Tails.

"You must be the Gobi. A tengu I met in the Fire Country told me that **_Akudaija_** the Five Tails was in these waters, searching for human prey to feast on." The aforementioned tengu had been killed, of course. Couldn't let any demon live, after all. "I am glad I found you. Considering that look in your eyes, I'm sure you've heard of me as well."

Akudaija snarled at the Demon Slayer.

"What? Can't talk? Or do you think I'm too 'lowly' to speak to?" Mantarou shrugged. "Doesn't matter. You're mine either way."

Akudaija howled.

Then a geyser of water – controlled by Akudaija – ripped through the boat, tearing at Mantarou. Had he not formed a shield from his aura at the last moment, he would've been skewered.

Not that it helped when one of Akudaija's tails slapped into him, sending him careening into the ocean with an almighty splash.

Akudaija growled.

Then, Mantarou emerged, his body levitating thanks to a propeller of chakra. "It'll take more than that to defeat me." He formed a tremendous fist of energy, which collided with Akudaija's face with tremendous speed. The Five Tails was sent flying, creating an enormous splash, which was followed by a mighty tidal wave. Mantarou ascended higher into the sky (avoiding the wave), watching as the Five Tails' red eyes glared at him from underwater.

Mantarou's eyes narrowed. "And I know it'll take more than that to defeat you."

He charged into the water, forming fins and drills of chakra.

_"And so our battle began. As we continually fought, we made our way westward across the sea, going at great speeds."_

One hour since the fight had begun…and already, the two were over 300 miles away from Hitonomi Island.

Mantarou – his feet embedded in chakra 'water skis' – skimmed along the water at high speed, thanks to the power of his chakra propeller that was in the water.

However, Akudaija was fast as well. The sea serpent moved through the water with a seemingly unholy grace, keeping at an even pace with Mantarou.

The Demon Slayer formed spears of chakra that flew at Akudaija. The Five Tails did not care that the projectiles pierced its skin, letting more of its black blood flow. In a way, that worried Mantarou; he had already opened the first of the Celestial Gates. He only hoped that – if it came down to it – the next four gates would be able to do it.

If not…

Akudaija howled as it used its power over the sea to create geysers that sought to eradicate Mantarou. The Demon Slayer weaved in and out, avoiding the destructive eruptions.

The Five Tails, angered by the pest that had dared to challenge it, roared as it leapt into the air, mouth opening widely. Mantarou blanched as a shadow fell over him.

_**CHOOM!**_

Mantarou had been swallowed whole.

Akudaija grunted in satisfaction as it dove into the water, letting the cold of sea numb its wounds. The human had been tenacious…but-

**RRRRRIIIP!**

The demon howled as its skin was ripped open; Mantarou had drilled his way out. Apparently, the idea of being digested wasn't appealing. He quickly swam to the surface – aided by another chakra propeller – his lungs aching for air.

He broke the surface. He gasped, letting air flood into him.

Mantarou coughed as he shook his head. Considering his lack of bruises and cuts, he had opened the second gate: **_Heal_**. His wounds were gone…but it didn't remove the inner ache or the tiredness.

And he still had a battle to finish.

He gazed down as Akudaija roared towards him, eyes burning with utter fury.

Uzumaki Mantarou snarled as he formed dozens of chakra tendrils, each one tipped with a blade. "COME AND GET ME."

_"We continued our battle. A Tailed Demon is an infinitely more difficult foe when it is without a vessel…for there is nothing whatsoever to hold it back. Despite the fact that Akudaija was a tremendous target…it could take a lot of damage. By the time another hour had passed, we had neared the shores of the Fire Country…and we were both on our last legs."_

The sky was clear. The sun was shining brightly, hanging at high noon.

Mantarou did not care. His skin was red and his eyes were blank. He had been forced to open the third, fourth, and fifth gates: **_Life_**, **_Harm_** and **_Limit_**. His right arm was bleeding profusely, his cloak was in tatters, and his right eye had been forcefully closed due to a bloody wound on his right eyebrow.

Akudaija was in an equally horrible condition. Dozens upon dozens of bloody lines crisscrossed its massive body, leaking black blood into the ocean. The demon still had a ferocious glare in its eyes…but there was a tiredness there as well. It couldn't go on much longer.

It had to get the pest off of its back now.

Speaking of Mantarou, he had latched onto Akudaija with hooks of orange chakra, continually lashing at the Five Tails with multiple blades. He had to hurry…and subdue the beast…

Akudaija inexplicably came to a sudden halt.

Mantarou, not expecting the Tailed Demon to stop so suddenly, was sent flying forward by the momentum. The Five Tails immediately took this to its advantage, opening its maw to chop Mantarou in twain with its teeth. The demon sped ahead, aiming to take out the little vermin that had nearly killed it.

The Demon Slayer whirled around as Akudaija loomed closer, mouth opening wide. On impulse, the teen quickly formed four massive hands with his chakra, which latched onto the underside of the Five Tails. Using the demon's own momentum, Mantarou was able to send Akudaija into the air. The demon snarled as it twisted and twirled in the air, separated from the sea…

_**BOOOOM!**_

…and crashed onto land, its body crushing a forest that it had landed in.

Mantarou made it to the shore as quickly as he could; he couldn't risk the Five Tails from escaping now. It thrashed and wiggled like a fish out of water, snapping and howling at anything and everything, so great was its rage.

Uzumaki Mantarou said nothing as he calmly ascended on spindly legs of chakra, coming to a stop atop the demon. Without hesitation, he jammed his left leg into a ragged wound, letting the blood onto his foot. He quickly drew the seal that he had traced twice before…except this time, the blood was black instead of red…the blood of a demon instead of a human.

It didn't matter.

"**_Soudaifuu-Akumashuukan_**; Demon Imprisonment."

With a pained wail, the Five Tails shrunk, light devouring its body as all of its power and energy was transferred into Mantarou's left shin. Within moments, the massive demon was gone…the only traces of it being on the black seal that was now on Mantarou's lower left leg, complete with the image of a sea serpent.

Akudaija was now Mantarou's.

And yet…he didn't care.

He felt really tired.

_"I was in a daze. I didn't know that our battle had ended in the Fire Country, nor did I care we had gone so far in around two hours. I was bleeding…and I didn't know where anything was. I actually felt…scared, for a change. That I would die there. I managed to trudge my way through the broken and shattered woods that Akudaija had landed on and into the untouched forest…eventually coming across a dirt path."_

Mantarou looked around, his left eye gazing at the path.

A fast-moving car, drawn by horses – a merchant from the Earth Country, perhaps? – was coming this way.

On impulse – after being hunted for so long – Mantarou hid.

As the cart moved by, Mantarou leapt out of his cover, grabbing onto the back of the cart and jumping in. The cart held bales of wheat, covered by a blue blanket. Mantarou feebly hid himself under the blanket, trying his hardest not to move. He needed medical attention…

The last thing he recalled…was darkness…

_"I don't how long it was that I slept…but I awoke to shouting."_

"**HEY!"**

Mantarou opened one eye, his body no longer hidden by the blanket. However it was still hidden by his tattered cloak…so you can forgive the driver for not seeing Mantarou's wounds and thinking of him as a hobo.

"**YOU CAN'T JUST RIDE IN MY CART YOU LAZY BUM!"**

Mantarou didn't protest – he was too weak to do so – as he was picked up by the strong man and thrown over the side of the road, sliding down the forested hillside. The driver snorted as he got back onto his cart, continuing his trip to Konohagakure.

_"The hill wasn't that large…only about two hundred feet…"_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

"But it hurt like nothing else…" Mantarou suddenly chuckled. Then he laughed.

Naruto arched an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"

Mantarou smiled as he stared at the boy. "If you ever meet that man, thank him. After all…if he hadn't thrown me off the side, I probably would have never met your mother."

Naruto blinked. "Huh?"

And meanwhile, Kakashi's eye focused; he wanted to hear this.

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Outside Konohagakure, Fire Country/

_"I tumbled over roots, rocks, and through bushes…causing more damage to my weakened body. When I came to a stop, I was laying in a pile of gathered herbs, staining them with my blood…"_

Mantarou gurgled, his left eye looking upward lazily.

_"…and standing over me was a girl."_

Mantarou could only take in a few details…dirty blonde hair, brown eyes with a hint of gold…and a face contorted into absolute shock. "Who…who are you? What happened to you?"

"…uh…" murmured Mantarou as he tried to raise a hand, only to find out he couldn't. Then his eye closed.

_"After that…there was nothing but black. But little did I know at the time that that girl would offer me one thing that I hadn't had in years: a light for my darkness."_

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**A Doomed Love…Mantarou and Rin!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: Hmm. This is the biggest chapter in Legacy so far.

Well, the last 20 pages or so done in two days…the first part taking me over a week to get through. Bleh. But it's crunch time at school…so what can you say?

And also, I have no idea what Rin's eye color is. Does anyone know for sure? If not, they shall be green. THE AUTHOR HAS SPOKEN!

Anyhow, the big mystery revolving around Naruto's birth (and how Mantarou and Rin got together to begin with) shall be revealed next chapter!

See you soon, and please review!

Also, special thanks to 'sugar high water uma' for Rin's true eye color. Thank'ee!


	25. Mantarou and Rin!

Standard Disclaimer: I own Naruto! Well, not really.

Author's Notes: Well, here's the chapter you've all been waiting for! The truth about how Naruto's parents met! How did Mantarou and Rin end up conceiving everyone's favorite ninja? Let's find out!

Begin!

xxxx

_**A Doomed Love…Mantarou and Rin!**_

xxxx

/Present Day/

/Plains, 17 Miles Northwest of Konohagakure/

It was odd.

Naruto thought he would've reacted differently. He thought that – whenever he would find out who his parents really were – he'd break down and cry, like characters did in those sappy stories Sakura used to blab about. Or he would just fall to his knees, overwhelmed with shock.

He never would've guessed that his first feeling would be a mixture of numbing confusion and subtle rage. Confusion…because his mother was apparently a former teammate of Kakashi's. Rage…because his father was the leader of Akatsuki.

It was an odd combination. And it was driving him crazy. At least, that's what one would think considering how twitchy his three tails of red chakra were acting.

**FEELING CONFUSED? YOU SHOULDN'T WORRY; YOU'RE ALWAYS CONFUSED.**

_Not. Now._

**AND SINCE WHEN DO I LISTEN TO YOU?**

"Hmm."

Naruto refocused his attention on Mantarou, who was gazing at Kakashi for some reason. The Copy Ninja stared back at Akatsuki's Leader with a strangely deadly focus.

Finally, Mantarou said, "It seems that I've come to an interesting point…"

Everyone was silent.

"Kakashi…you were also present during my time at Konoha…and there were parts of this tale that you could fill in…from your point of view." His blue irises, so similar to Naruto's, gazed at Kakashi. "I was unconscious until I was carried to Rin's residence…so there's a gap to fill in. Mind sharing?"

Hatake Kakashi hated those eyes. Eyes of a former student…eyes of a ninja he respected…eyes that now – as some kind of cosmic joke – were on an enemy.

Naruto's eyes. Mantarou's eyes. The bodies were different…but the eyes were just like mirrors.

It was horrifying in a way…to see the eyes of someone who you respected so much to belong to an enemy.

"Well?" asked Mantarou.

Finally, Kakashi growled, "I'll speak…if only because I want to find out what really happened with Rin. Now that I'm thinking back…I'm really curious as to what you did with her."

Mantarou couldn't help but chuckle at that remark. "Hmph. What I did to her? I did nothing. I only succumbed to the most human of needs: companionship. Belonging. After my hell of a life, I…" He suddenly paused. "I'm skipping ahead a bit. Kakashi…begin your account."

"Fine," snorted Kakashi.

xxxx

/Kakashi's Flashback/

/East Wall of Konohagakure, Fire Country/

The 12-year old Jonin was silent as his right eye scanned the horizon, his left eye hidden by a Leaf hitai-ate. His spiky silver hair was his identifying mark as Hatake Kakashi.

And right now, he was still in a funk.

_"It had only been a month since the mission…"_

Kakashi sighed as placed a palm over his hitai-ate, as if he were covering his left eye.

"…_where my teammate had fallen in the line of duty."_

"Obito…" murmured the young Jonin, his eye showing a distinct sadness. He had always regarded Obito as a slacker…a weakling. For an Uchiha clan member, he had showed little promise. Kakashi had been convinced that the inept ninja had nothing to offer. Even though Obito had been a year older, he had still only been a Chuunin.

And yet…Obito may have yet been a better ninja than he was…at least when it came to the proper ideals. Had he really been so wrong as to put the importance of the rules so high above the safety of his teammates? Sure, he knew it was a bad idea to put his fellows above the mission itself…that would lead to failure.

But to utterly disregard them entirely…that was also something that couldn't be done. Doing that would remove any care one had for their subordinates…that meant that, if one truly did have to save them…one wouldn't care.

Kakashi briefly thought of Rin. To be honest, he wondered if she might have been hit harder by Obito's death than he himself. After all, he couldn't exactly fathom how one might feel if you were told someone loved you AFTER that someone had died. _I hope she's okay…_

And what of the Yondaime? Their sensei had only become the Fourth Hokage recently, soon after their mission. It had coincided with the end of the Third Great Ninja War, as a matter of fact (though Kakashi knew his teacher had been a big part of helping to bring to an end.). He wondered if he was pondering over Obito's death as well.

"So confusing," mumbled Kakashi to himself as he gazed down towards the path leading to Konoha.

"_That's when I first set eyes upon you."_

Hatake Kakashi couldn't help but blink at the sight of his teammate Rin hauling a bloodied body towards the village. _Who on earth…?_ He quickly leapt down onto the dirt road, gazing at his teammate. "Who is that?"

"I don't know," muttered Rin, her body straining under the sagging weight of the unknown boy. "He just…fell down a hill and landed right in front of me."

The Jonin stared at the bloodied teen with a wary eye. _Is he a ninja? Why else would he be so injured…? What happened to him?_

"Kakashi, help me take him to my house. It's closer than the hospital, and I can at least do some healing. After that, I want you to go get the Fourth Hokage." She quickly added, "Sir." After all, Kakashi was of a higher rank.

Kakashi blinked. "The Fourth? He's not our sensei anymore." _Not technically._ "I can't just bother him. He might be in the middle of something important."

Rin smiled. "But we know what kind of man he is."

Kakashi was silent. Would the Hokage drop whatever he was doing to come see a bloodied boy who just came out of nowhere and was probably in danger of dying?

Of course.

Kakashi wrapped his arm around the unconscious teen, taking some of the weight off of Rin. "Let's go."

Rin nodded as the two dashed into Konoha.

"_My head had been swimming with questions…I knew that much. But I could barely make any sense of it all. All I knew was that I was taking this boy to Rin's home, and I had no idea who he was."_

Rin's home was a small little residence wedged between a bazaar and an antique shop. After entering the doorway, one would see the single partition separating the kitchen from the bedroom (in a way, this formed an E-shape). The kitchen floor was made of glossy marble, and there was only a refrigerator, a freezer, a sink, and a stove. Of course, there were wooden cabinets for utensils, bowls, plates, and cups…but that goes without saying. The bedroom sat beyond the partition, and the floor was covered with a tan-colored carpet that was cheap, yet soft to the feet. There was a single bed with red sheets (with one window sitting in the wall above it), a wooden rocking chair in the corner, and medicinal cabinets lining the walls.

Hey, Rin WAS a medical ninja.

Kakashi and Rin set the wounded boy on the bed, ignoring the stains he was causing on the sheets. The medical ninja immediately reached for bandages and began to methodically take his clothing off.

The Jonin was silent. There was nothing more he could do here. "I'll go get the Fourth." Kakashi bounded out of the door and into the open air, speeding towards the Hokage's Palace.

Yet…he couldn't quite shake off the odd feeling that the wounded teen had been emanating…something…deadly…

"_I shook it off. I had to get the Fourth, as Rin requested. I believe…that at the time, I was thinking that a little distraction like this would get my mind off of Obito."_

As Kakashi leapt from one roof to another, he suddenly paused.

Standing on the roof he was about to jump towards was a tall man of great stature. Although he seemed to wear a standard shinobi uniform – blue pants, green combat vest, and blue long-sleeved shirt – it was covered by a large, short-sleeved coat of red. The only exceptions were the white flames lining the bottom of the coat and the characters for 'Fourth', 'Fire' and 'Shadow'…together meaning 'Yondaime Hokage'. His spiky hair was a blazing golden color, and his piercing blue eyes complimented a gentle face.

He was Kazama Arashi.

He was Konoha's Yellow Flash.

He was the Fourth.

He smiled gently at Kakashi. "Hello Kakashi. How've you been?"

The Jonin couldn't help but stutter. "Uh…just fine." He quickly regained his composure. "If you don't mind my asking sir, how come you're out here?"

Arashi grinned. "Well…to be honest, I felt something odd enter the village. Is that why you've come to get me?"

_He already knows_, thought Kakashi with a small smirk. And why should he be surprised? This was the Fourth Hokage, the greatest ninja in the village. "Well, yes…Rin brought in a teenage boy from outside Konoha. He was heavily injured."

The Fourth was silent, as if understanding the situation already. "You know Kakashi, I don't mean to be disrespectful to your talents…but would you mind staying behind? I want to speak with this boy alone."

Before the Jonin could even protest, he was silenced by the look in the Yondaime's eyes. It instantly made him pause; that look alone was telling him to stop and leave him be. It had no killing intent whatsoever…but it froze him nonetheless. Was it because of the Fourth's tremendous power?

Needless to say, the Fourth calmly moved on towards Rin's home, leaving a slightly bewildered Kakashi behind. Who was this boy…who would even attract the attention of the Hokage?

_"I was confused. That goes without saying…"_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

"…but knowing what I now know, I'm not surprised the Fourth was intrigued by you." Kakashi shot a brief glare at Mantarou, who looked unperturbed.

The Leader of Akatsuki smiled. "So even before I told him, he knew about the demonic chakra I possessed…just by sensing it. He was indeed a powerful shinobi."

Tsunade couldn't help but raise an eyebrow out of curiosity. Mantarou had spoken with the Fourth? THAT was new. "I'm curious as to how your conversation with the Fourth went…"

"I'm sure you are," commented Mantarou, his eyes never leaving Naruto's. "Allow me to pick up where Kakashi left off."

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Rin's House, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Mantarou's eyes fluttered.

Then they opened.

Then he saw a tall man with golden blonde hair and blue eyes staring down at him. _Father…?_

No. The face was a bit smoother…and hair was spikier. Besides, the hair of his father was more blonde than gold. "Who…are you?"

"I am Kazama Arashi. You'd probably know me better as the Yondaime Hokage, the Fourth Fire Shadow." He gestured toward Mantarou's left arm. "My former student was kind enough to heal you…though she did notice something odd."

Mantarou was silent. Then what the Fourth said finally hit him.

He sat up upright, staring at his body. He had been bandaged, his wounds treated…but his left arm was bare from the elbow down, and both legs were visible. Which meant that the seals on his limbs were ALSO visible.

The teen's eyes darkened. "So…you're aware of my power."

"I'm aware of your situation," calmly retorted the Fourth. "Judging from the seals on your arms, you're the one who killed the Jinchuriki from the Earth and Lightning Countries. It got you on the private hit list of a lot of ninja. So much so that the Stone and Cloud refused to put your profile in their bingo books; they wanted you to remain under wraps. As the Hokage, I was able to find out about your criminal record…but legally, Konoha can't do anything about you."

Mantarou's nostrils flared. "And I suppose you want to hand me over to them to gain a favor…? Or perhaps you want me to stay here, to make your village stronger?"

"Nothing of the sort," remarked Kazama, his frame towering over the bedridden Mantarou. "I'd just like to know the particulars; Rin found you in a rather horrible condition. And to be honest, I'm curious as to why you've seemingly dedicated yourself to acquiring the legendary Tailed Demons. You have no alliance to any ninja village, yet you have enough power to practically become a Jonin immediately. So why?"

Mantarou gazed silently at the Hokage. Then, his eyes hardened into a glare. "I'll tell you…but you have to swear to me that you won't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you. If you say one word to anyone – and I mean ANYONE – then I will do whatever I have to to kill you. I'm on a mission, and I won't let anyone get in my way. So swear to me…swear on your **LIFE**."

The Yondaime couldn't help but feel pity for the young boy. After all, who but the truly desperate would go so far as to threaten a Kage with DEATH? Especially when he was weak and bedridden? "So young to be so untrusting…very well. I swear to you I won't tell anyone, on pain of death."

Mantarou forcefully exhaled – calming himself – before lying back down. "Okay…it all started in the Earth Country, at my home…the Hidden Valley."

"_In the span of nearly two hours, I told him everything. My life at the Hidden Valley. The coming of Kyojini and the massacre of my friends and family. My quest for revenge against the No Tail and his ogre demons. Meeting Ryu and Matsuda Koshu in Kinmachi. Journeying to Iwagakure and ending Sagara Kozo's life, so that Kyojini would be under my control. Koshu's last words to me, and my new mission to erase the existence of demons from the world. Ending Ryu's life, and taking the Three Tails from him. My life on the run, killing demons wherever I went. And finally, my battle against Akudaija."_

The Fourth cupped a hand around his chin, looking rather thoughtful. "Hmm…so that's what really happened to Hyuga Hiatari…and knowing that your father was Uzumaki Keihan makes a lot of sense. After all, it's not often one has knowledge of seals like the ones on your body…"

"So now what?" murmured Mantarou.

To the demon slayer's surprise, the Hokage turned away. "Would you like to stay here?"

The boy's surprise immediately faded, replaced by suspicion and anger. "So you DO want me to become a part of your village. Well I'll tell you that-"

"You have me wrong." The Yondaime turned his gaze to Mantarou. "You are quite wounded from your battle with the Five Tails. It wouldn't do you any good to leave as you are. You'd probably keel over without even doing anything." With that said, the Hokage left.

Uzumaki Mantarou was silent. For all intents and purposes, he had just been given free housing (or at least free travel) in Konohagakure.

So he really had only one thing to say.

"Huh."

That's when Rin walked backed into her home, treading quietly towards the bandaged teen. The medical ninja calmly sat down beside the bed, applying some tape to keep the bandages in place. "I hope your talk with Hokage-sama went well."

"It did." Mantarou stared quietly at the girl, who looked more like a young child than a 15-year old teenager (though he didn't know that, at present). "I take it you saw the three demon seals."

Rin paused. She felt a small bit of fear slowly swell within her. When she had seen the seals when treating him, she hadn't known what to think. Honestly, she had hoped that they were mere ornamentation. But that wasn't the case. They were demon seals. DEMON seals. That made him a Jinchuriki. And she could sense a strange killing intent from him…and she didn't want to risk making him angry.

What would he do now?

"Well…yes."

"Then you know that if you tell anyone else, I'll kill you." Mantarou closed his eyes to sleep; he was still weak, and the discussion with the Hokage had tired him.

Rin couldn't help but gulp. She hoped that the Hokage hadn't made a mistake by letting him stay here.

"_Hmm hmm hmm…it's funny."_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

"Looking back, I must have scared her to death…" muttered Mantarou.

"No kidding," growled Kakashi. He had not been privy to that conversation. In hindsight, he wished he had been; it might have saved them so much trouble.

Naruto snorted. "Not a lot of people skills, eh?"

"If you had denied human contact for years, the same would happen to your people skills," retorted Mantarou.

Tsunade couldn't help but comment at that. "True. Naruto's people skills are even more horrible."

**HU HU HU…SO TRUE. EXCEPT YOU HAVE NO SKILLS AT ANYTHING ELSE EITHER.**

Naruto seethed.

"Needless to say, I wasn't keen on accepting the Fourth's offer…I had to get back on the road. After all," Mantarou paused to rub his neck. "I had a mission to complete."

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Rin's House, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Nighttime.

Mantarou opened his eyes. He glanced over at the rocking chair; Rin was sitting there in silence, her eyes closed. She was asleep.

Good.

He calmly lifted the sheets and walked towards the door, tiptoeing across the floor. He was through being bedridden; he wanted to get back on the road.

The brown-haired teen calmly unlocked the door and-

"Where do you think you're going?"

He scowled out of irritation. The blasted girl had still been awake after all. He turned to see a rather cross-looking Rin standing there, eyebrow arched out of slight irritation. "What do you want?"

"You still haven't completely healed from your injuries. I may have sped the process along, but you're still too weak." Rin yawned; it was late at night, and she was tired.

Mantarou snorted. "It doesn't matter what you think."

"You're not going."

"Or what? Are you going to stop me?" Mantarou couldn't help but snicker at the thought. A mere girl standing in his way? "I've slain far greater creatures than you. I don't like taking human life…but if you stand in my way, then your life will be forfeit. Understa-?"

Rin punched him in the face. Mantarou, completely caught off-guard, was sent backwards, his head banging against the door. The girl couldn't help but smile; that had to have taken his haughty attitude down a bit. "Don't forget: I may have focused my growth on medical ninjutsu, but I AM a ninja."

Mantarou blinked, suddenly feeling woozy. That hit couldn't have done THAT much…was he really still so weak from his battle against the Five Tails? He couldn't hold out any longer. He could only murmur, "I see," before falling to the floor unconscious.

"_That's when I realized that I wasn't fully healed yet."_

Rin sighed out of annoyance. This boy was going to get himself killed…though she wondered why he was dead-set against staying. Oh well. Another question for another time.

Now she had the task of dragging him back into the bed. Joy.

"_So I was once again consigned to the darkness of sleep."_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Mantarou was interrupted by Naruto's howling laughter (which, admittedly, looked a bit odd when he is in his three-tailed form, fangs and all). He couldn't help it; the sheer idea of Akatsuki's Leader being punched out cold by a MEDICAL ninja was just so danged amusing.

**OF COURSE, YOU WOULDN'T BE LAUGHING IF YOU WERE BEING PUNCHED BY THE OLD WOMAN.**

Naruto paused. Then he remembered Tsunade's freakish strength. _Uh…yeah._

**HU HU HU. SO BRAVE. BUT AGAINST THOSE STRONGER THAN YOU, YOU ALL BUT WET YOURSELF.**

_I do not!_

**DO TO.**

_Not!_

**TO.**

_Not!_

**TO.**

_NOT!_

**TO.**

_NOTNOTNOTNOTNOOOOOT!_

**…**

_Heh. Showed you._

**THE IDIOT SAYS 'WHAT'?**

_What?_

The Kyuubi immediately started chuckling heartily. Then Naruto got the joke. "RRRRRRRRRR! YOU DAMN FOX!"

On the sidelines, Sakura couldn't help but sweatdrop. "What the heck is going on with him…?"

"One can never be too sure," admitted Jiraiya. "The private talks he has with the Nine Tails are always private. Unless the Demon Fox manifests himself on the outside as an aura."

Lee pumped his fist. "So many questions! Is Naruto-kun's father really the heartless monster that led Akatsuki and attacked Konoha? So confusing!"

"You'll just have to wait for him to finish his story Lee," commented Neji. "I have a hang of his motivations for his anti-demon crusade already…but not as to why he founded Akatsuki…"

Lee's eyes bugged out of his head. _NEJI UNDERSTANDS?_ He growled silently. _Of course; Neji is a genius! But I will understand this story!_ His eyes lit aflame with the fire of his youthful vigor. _If not, then that means my spirit is unfocused! It's the only explanation as to why I can't understand the will of another warrior! I'll have to refocus my spirit with 10,000 push-ups on each hand!_ "**OOOOOOOOOH**! THAT IS WHAT I MUST DO IF I FAIL!" shouted Lee, causing those next to him to yelp out of surprise.

Kibamaru responded by knocking Lee on the head with his furry fist. "Stop randomly shouting like that you jackass! You're gonna give us all a heart attack."

Hinata was still silent. Above all else, she was getting intrigued. She wanted to know about Naruto…so it would help if she knew more about his ancestry. Perhaps it would allow her to sympathize with him even more…? She didn't know what to think.

Sasuke calmly glanced at Kakashi, who was glaring at Mantarou with both eyes. The Sharingan was swirling, most likely trying some way – ANY way – to copy Mantarou's abilities. _But it's no use…that guy's power isn't a jutsu in and of itself…it's just the manipulation of chakra. A high degree of manipulation, but it's something almost anyone can do with practice…it's like trying to copy something you already know how to do._ Sasuke knew that Kakashi knew this already…but the Copy Ninja probably didn't care.

"Will you continue now?" asked Kakashi.

Mantarou nodded.

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Rin's House, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"_I awoke some time later…no more than a few days, I'm sure of that."_

Mantarou awoke.

Daylight.

Rin was not in the house. His arms and legs were fully bandaged, hiding the three demon seals from view.

Good.

The demon slayer calmly got to his feet and started walking. He opened the door to the home and entered the streets, not caring that people were staring at his heavily bandaged body. He had lingered long enough; it was time for him to move on. There were more demons out in the world, waiting to be slaughtered.

However, by the time he reached the gate…

"Hey."

Mantarou glanced upward. Standing atop the village wall was Hatake Kakashi…who still wasn't known as the Copy Ninja. He had only had the Sharingan for a month. He had since taken to hiding the 'Mirror Wheel' eye with his Leaf hitai-ate, leaving only his right eye visible. "Where are you going?"

"And who are you?" demanded Mantarou.

"Hatake Kakashi, Jonin of Konoha. Where are you going?"

Mantarou couldn't help but scowl out of anger. _I knew it. I knew it I knew it I KNEW it. The Fourth can't afford to let me leave…I'm too valuable._ "Hmph. So the Fourth sent you to keep an eye on me, is it? To keep me from leaving?"

Kakashi arched an eyebrow out of slight confusion. "I have no idea what you're talking about." He leapt down, landing several yards away from the wounded teen. "I'm just making sure you don't leave because you're still injured."

Mantarou said nothing.

"You see," continued Kakashi, almost in a nonchalant tone. "Rin may be a gentle person, but she prides herself on being a medical ninja. She'd get angry if one of her patients walked out on her while she went to obtain more medicinal herbs."

"And am I supposed to care?" muttered Mantarou as he continued walking.

Kakashi sighed. "You know, MOST people would wait until healing before moving around."

"I can take care of myself."

"I somehow doubt that."

"Would you like to test me?"

"I'd rather not."

"Good. I feel the same." Mantarou continued walking on.

Then Kakashi leapt in front of Mantarou. "You're not going anywhere."

Mantarou's blue eyes narrowed. "Out of my way."

Kakashi could only blink as two tendrils of orange chakra emerged from Mantarou's right hand, wrapping around his body. "What the-?"

He was tossed aside like garbage, his body slamming against the edge of Konoha's wall.

"_Remember that Kakashi?"_

"_Unfortunately."_

Mantarou sneered at the young Jonin. "Told you." He turned to continue his journey…but Rin was standing in his way, arms filled with long, green stalks and red fern leaves. "Move."

Rin stepped out of Mantarou's way. However, as he walked by, she said, "You're still not fully recovered."

"I know my limits girl," grumbled Mantarou as he took another step.

Then he promptly coughed up blood before collapsing to the ground.

"_Apparently, you didn't."_

"_Clearly."_

Rin sighed out of exasperation as he knelt beside the body of the unconscious teen. "I swear…" She looked over at Kakashi, who was scratching at his neck. "Are you okay?"

"Just fine," remarked the 12-year old Jonin. "Don't know what kind of technique he used…but if I had to guess, it was just his chakra."

Rin blinked. "He tossed you aside with his chakra?"

"As if his aura was as malleable as the earth itself." Kakashi frowned; something troubling came to mind. "I know he has a lot of chakra…I can sense it…and that 'technique' of his, if you can call it that…it can be deadly."

Rin suddenly realized what Kakashi was getting at. "Then…his injuries when I first found him…what hurt him so badly like that…?"

Kakashi wasn't sure he wanted to know. "Well…better get him back to your house…and this time, I'm binding him down."

"Just don't wrap them too tightly. You don't want to accidentally hurt him," cautioned Rin as she got a better grip on her freshly cut medicinal supplies.

"I know," muttered Kakashi as he heaved the body of the unconscious Mantarou over his shoulders. _What a pain…_

"_I ended up being bedridden again…this time for at least a week."_

Mantarou opened his eyes. It was the familiar sight of Rin's ceiling.

The only difference was that he was bound by thick leather belts and burlap straps that crossed over the bed. "Huh."

"It was a precaution."

Mantarou tilted his head to see Rin, sitting in the rocking chair. "You tried to leave twice before you were fully healed…and the last time, you bled internally from moving about too soon. The scuffle with Kakashi didn't help either…"

"So that's the name of the little runt," remarked Mantarou casually.

"_So…a 'runt', eh?"_

"_I'm telling a story here."_

"Hard to believe he's a Jonin."

Rin smiled lightly. "I told him to be careful with you. After all, can't have you accidentally getting killed."

Mantarou laughed. Then he coughed. "I've faced far worse."

"If you say so," calmly remarked Rin as she bit into an apple. In her lap was a basket filled with the red fruits. "Want one?"

"…why not." A tendril of orange chakra emerged from Mantarou's head, clutched onto an apple, and pulled it back over to Mantarou. He held it over his mouth with the chakra 'hand' and bit into it. "Juicy."

"That's a useful ability you have," commented Rin.

Mantarou swallowed before answering, "An ability I've mastered over time." He took another bite. "Though…" Chomp chomp chomp gulp. "I am curious as to why you're so dead set against me leaving." Chomp.

Rin looked at him as if he had asked a question with the most obvious answer in the world. "You're my patient. I can't let you leave until you have a clean bill of health. Silly."

Mantarou paused for a moment. Then he continued chewing. Perhaps he was unused to the idea of a human being keeping in one place for any other reason other than to stab him in his sleep. He had been on the run for a long time…no surprise, considering he was an S-Class criminal.

Rin was silent as she watched Mantarou chew at the apple. The teen was obviously powerful…and he possessed the power of three Tailed Demons (how could he have sealed three in at once?). And he had done so willingly. Yet he didn't use the power to destroy or conquer…and even though he had threatened her with death, his actions earlier with Kakashi hinted at a hesitation to kill. But he was very untrusting…he had even tried to leave Konoha TWICE, despite his injuries.

An enigma.

_Huh…odd_, thought Rin.

Then to her bewilderment, Mantarou sat up and started walking. He had sliced through the straps with his chakra. "Hold up! Where are you-?"

"Oh, I'm not leaving," muttered the teen as he bit into the apple once more. The fact that he had been stopped from leaving Konoha TWICE was a sign that enough was enough; he would wait until healing before leaving the Hidden Leaf Village. "Don't fret little girl. I just want to stretch my legs."

Rin couldn't help but huff indignantly in response. "Hmph! Well, just to let you know, I'm not a girl. I'm a teenager."

THAT caused Mantarou to chuckle. "Then how old are you?"

"15."

Mantarou paused. Then he turned around. Then he walked towards Rin, standing tall in front of her. He then held his hand above her head, brining it towards the neck. "I'm 15…yet you are eight inches shorter. That would make you…4'10"."

Rin shrugged. "So I'm short for my age. Most ninja who practice medical ninjutsu from an early age wind up becoming short, due to the constant expenditure of rejuvenating chakra. I mean, you're two inches taller than the legendary kunoichi Tsunade, and she's the best medical ninja in the history of the Leaf!"

Mantarou couldn't help but blink out of surprise. For a teenager, she was short.

No wonder he had had trouble taking her seriously.

_I'll need to rectify that_, thought Mantarou as devoured the last of his apple.

_"I suppose you could say that's where first seeds were planted…"_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

Mantarou shrugged. "But neither Rin nor I saw it back then. Not surprising, really."

Naruto wasn't listening. He was too busy realizing that he was actually taller than Tsunade. "Dang. The old hag really IS short!"

Tsunade snarled at the fox boy. "My HEIGHT is not the issue here!"

"Eh, it's to be expected," casually remarked Jiraiya. "After all, her breasts DID grow tremendously. I mean, that missing height HAD to go somewhere."

**SLAM!**

Jiraiya's face was now firmly implanted in the ground. The Fifth cracked her knuckles out of irritation.

**EVEN NOW, THAT FOOL IS A LECHER.**

_Yeah, tell me about it…_

**…HU HU HU.**

_What?_

**YOU JUST IMAGINED THAT THE PINK-HAIRED GIRL HAD BIG BREASTS. WHO'S THE LECHER NOW?**

_What! I did not!_

**FOOL. YOU'RE A HUMAN TEENAGER. HORMONES DEFINE YOU.**

_Yeah right!_

**SAYS THE ONE WHO JUST IMAGINED THE FEMALE HYUGA AS A MEDICAL NINJA…SPECIFICALLY, A NURSE.**

Naruto got the reference. He was currently damning Jiraiya for showing him that draft for a story involving hospital nurses. _This is not the time to be getting a nosebleed!_

**YOUR DISCOMFORT IS TRULY PLEASING.**

_Shut up!_

"ANYHOW," loudly said Mantarou, trying to regain everyone's attention. "One month passed."

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Bazaar, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"_And now I was able to move without being heckled…but by that time, I wasn't attempting to leave."_

Mantarou wondered – for the fifth time in the past hour – how (and why) he had become an errand boy.

Then he remembered – for the fifth time in the past hour – the answer.

His abilities allowed for extra hands.

Which explained why his aura had spawned over three-dozen arms, each one cradling a number of paper bags. Rin led the way, her arms also holding a paper bag…though it was only one compared to Mantarou's 100. Rin was on a simple C-Rank mission: obtain supplies for the Konoha Ninja Academy. Supplies included food, drinks, scrolls, ink, school crafts, etcetera…it was C-Ranked because of the sheer amount of supplies needed.

But then again, Mantarou was there.

"I hope you don't mind," remarked Rin as she glanced back at the brown-haired teen, who looked rather nonchalant. "But-"

"Don't apologize," remarked Mantarou. "It doesn't matter either way." He supposed he SHOULD have cared…after all, he was wasting time. He had demons to slay. Biju to absorb.

But nevertheless, Rin HAD nursed him back to health. And besides…he WAS fighting so that humans could live without fearing the demon scourge. Perhaps this little 'hiatus' would give him a better outlook on his whole mission.

"Well…is there anything else to get?" asked Mantarou. "Or am I going to have to sprout some new arms?" _Huh. I just told a joke._

Rin giggled at the unintentional gag. Considering Mantarou's usually dour mood, it was a welcome change of pace. Whether it was to last or not had yet to be seen. "No; I think we're done."

As the two continued on their way to the Ninja Academy, Mantarou briefly glanced upward. Standing on a rooftop was Kakashi, who quickly disappeared from sight. The brown-haired teen couldn't help but smirk.

_"How often DID you eavesdrop on me?"_

"_Discounting the time I spent on missions…nearly all the time."_

"_Oh well. After the mission ended, I would discover something Naruto likes VERY well…"_

Mantarou's nose twitched. "What's that smell?"

Rin blinked. "What smell?"

His gaze turned towards a somewhat small stand, with a sign in red. "Ichiraku Ramen…what the heck is ramen?"

"Well, it's a noodle dish, and rather…wait." Rin blinked. "You've never heard of ramen before?"

"I've been on the road most of my life; eating in a city isn't one of my priorities. Besides, it apparently wasn't a favorite dish where I grew up. Now FISH…that is truly a delicacy."

Rin added, "There are multiple varieties of ramen. Pork, beef, miso, shrimp, chicken, even fish."

"Hmm…" Mantarou arched an eyebrow out of slight curiosity. "Well…I AM slightly hungry…"

"You know, I'm kind of hungry too. I'll buy." Rin calmly led Mantarou over to the small stand, taking a seat on two stools. "Excuse me sir."

A younger Ichiraku (complete with some black hair!) stepped forward and asked, "Yes?"

"Two bowls of ramen. Miso for me, and pork for him…with some extra _katsuobushi_ (fish flakes, for the uninitiated) in the broth."

Ichiraku nodded as he turned towards the stand's small kitchen. "Daughter! We have two bowls that are needed!"

"_Minutes later, the meal was ready."_

Mantarou stared at the bowl tentatively. "Hmm…never had noodles prepared in this fashion before."

Rin silently slurped the noodles into her mouth. "You'll like it. Trust me."

For a moment, Mantarou briefly wondered if the food was poisoned. Then he wondered why he thought that. Then again, he had been on the run for over half of his life. Of course, the people here had been rather nice to him, save for the ever-watchful Kakashi. But he had been wary of everyone else for so long…on the other hand…

_Ah, screw it._

Mantarou slurped down his noodles. To his surprise, they were quite good. "Good."

Rin smiled. "Good."

And so they ate. Even as Kakashi kept his eye on the two.

"_That was a rather normal experience. Humdrum…but maybe that's why I remember it so fondly."_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

Mantarou glanced at Kakashi with a strange grin on his face. "You never did trust me back then, did you?"

"Never did," remarked Kakashi.

Naruto glanced back and forth at Mantarou and Kakashi. "Uh…can we continue the story?"

**YOU DON'T WANT TO ASK HIM ABOUT HIS APPARENT TASTE FOR RAMEN?**

_Why should I?_

**WELL, IT'S OBVIOUS YOU'VE INHERITED YOUR GROTESQUE TASTE FOR THAT ABOMINABLE DISH FROM HIM.**

_Hmph! As if! The only thing I inherited from that loser is his blood!_

**SO YOU ALREADY ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AS YOUR OLD MAN.**

_Yes, and…what? WAIT A SECOND! YOU TRICKED ME!_

**TOO EASY.**

"Of course," said Mantarou as he inhaled. "Perhaps I should move a bit further…to about four months after I had arrived in Konoha."

"Hold on," interrupted Kakashi. "This is when you went to the Honorstone for the first time, correct?" Mantarou nodded. "Then allow me."

xxxx

/Kakashi's Flashback/

/Southeast of Konohagakure, Fire Country/

It was a cloudy day. It was probably going to rain soon.

Kakashi and Rin calmly leapt over the small rive, landing in the grassy field near the Honorstone. Ever since Kazama Arashi had become the Yondaime Hokage, the two had been making trips to the Honorstone alone…to give their respects to Obito. Their comrade. Their ally.

Their friend.

"So, how have things been with Mantarou?" asked Kakashi.

"You should know Kakashi. You've been spying on him whenever you could," replied Rin.

The Jonin sighed. "You know what I'm talking about."

"You still don't trust him?"

"And you do?"

Rin was silent for a moment; DID she trust Mantarou? She knew next-to-nothing about him…all she really knew was part of his name – Mantarou – and that he was a Jinchuriki. But aside from that…she nothing about his past. He was a distant individual…but he had been lightening up in the last few months.

Basically, the big picture was that she knew little about him…but that he was slowly becoming a part of Konoha. Slowly.

"Well…so-so. Maybe. A little."

"Uh huh…" droned Kakashi with a wary eye. He didn't trust Mantarou at all. He held a lot of chakra within him for such a young man…and judging from his horrific wounds when Rin found him, he battled often. There was just something about Mantarou that didn't sit right with him.

"_And I know what it was now. I was looking at the future head of a criminal organization."_

_"May you please continue without those attempts at humor?"_

"_Fine."_

Kakashi and Rin stopped in front of the Honorstone. They both stared at the name of their teammate.

Uchiha Obito.

"It seems like such a waste now, doesn't it?" mused Kakashi. "Obito would've made a fine ninja…slacker that he was."

"You mean he WAS a fine ninja," corrected Rin, a small smile on her face.

Kakashi sighed. "Yes…" He wondered if Obito was smiling at him now. All of the times he spent looking down on the Uchiha…and he ended up being wiser than he was…as well as a better friend.

"Hello."

Kakashi and Rin turned to see Mantarou walking towards them, wearing nothing more than a long-sleeved blue shirt and black pants. The young Jonin frowned at the sight of the teen. "What brings you here?"

"Nothing in particular. Merely doing a role reversal." The smirk on Mantarou's face indicated he was enjoying tailing Kakashi for a change.

The silver-haired ninja couldn't help but groan. "I have a mission to get to…I'll see you later Rin." He leapt away, disappearing from sight.

"_If you don't mind, I'll take over from here."_

/Mantarou's Flashback/

Mantarou chuckled as Kakashi left. "I personally think he's jealous."

"He just has trouble trusting you," said Rin. She was on her knees, hands pressed together in a praying motion. "Considering that your demonic chakra, I'm sure some people with sensitive senses would get the chills standing next to you."

"You haven't TOLD him that I'm a Jinchuriki, have you?"

Rin shook her head. "No. Only I and Hokage-sama know about your demon seals." Kakashi didn't know…but not for lack of trying. Kakashi wanted to know as much as possible about Mantarou…and neither Rin nor the Yondaime were saying anything.

Their response every time?

'I made a promise not to tell.'

"Good," remarked Mantarou as he stared at the Honorstone. "I don't want to be forced to kill you."

For a moment, Rin thought of that as a small compliment. So he didn't want to kill her? She supposed that was an improvement over his first death threat. _Then again, most anything would be_, she thought with a small smile.

"So…what is this?" asked Mantarou.

Rin answered, "The Honorstone. It is a monument dedicated to those who fell in battle, giving their lives for Konoha. This is how we honor them."

Suddenly (and to Rin's great surprise), Mantarou knelt down, his eyes scanning the stone slab.

Then his eyes widened at one name.

Hyuga Hiatari.

For some reason, the demon vessel couldn't help but laugh at the inclusion of that name. Rin looked on with confusion. _Why is he laughing?_

_**BOOM…**_

The sound of rumbling thunder. Rin and Mantarou looked up to see the churning sky of dark gray, barely holding in the tremendous downpour that was about to be unleashed.

Then the first droplets came.

Mantarou quickly formed a large barrier above their heads. Moments later, the downpour began. Thousands of droplets bombarded the shield of orange chakra. The blue-eyed turned his gaze toward Rin. "I think we should head back now."

"Yes," whispered Rin as she remained close by Mantarou, his aura serving as an umbrella. "This ability of yours…it's more than just useful."

"…it is, isn't it," muttered Mantarou as the two walked along, their footsteps erased by the rain.

"_And that was that."_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

"You know, if you were anyone else, I'd say you were coming onto her," casually remarked Jiraiya.

Mantarou sighed. Would the perverted lecher EVER get his mind out of the gutter? "Your mind may entertain more perverted scenarios than I care to think about, but romance was the farthest thing from my mind back then. Friendship…perhaps. Yes…but not to the degree YOU'RE thinking of."

"Well, if you're Naruto's father," Naruto shot the Pervert-Sennin a quick glare, who continued on without delay."Then you had to have made the beast with two backs, as the phrase goes."

Tsunade's face sunk into her hand. _I can't believe he's asking this…_

Kakashi sweatdropped at his teacher's teacher. _Jiraiya…_

Naruto grumbled. _Stupid Ero-Sennin._

**INDEED.**

Jiraiya noticed that everyone was glaring at him. "Oh come now, don't tell me you're mad. I'm RESTRAINING myself."

Mantarou groaned out of distaste. "FINE. I was going to tell this anyway, but I'll go ahead and skip to it if you'll shut up."

Jiraiya nodded as he pulled out a notebook and pen. "Continue on."

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Rin's House, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"_Almost 13 months had passed since I had set foot into Konohagakure…over one year."_

Nighttime. The moonlight shined through the house's lone window.

Mantarou calmly sat on his bed, his hands clutching a small scroll. In the months since he had – more or less – 'moved in' to Konoha, he had fashioned his own bed out of trees cut down from the forest outside the village walls. One supposed it would be an odd life, living in the same home of a girl your own age…but the constant human contact had probably been a boon for the distant teen.

"_And before you say anything Jiraiya, we had not even gotten intimate by that point. So shut up."_

The Jinchuriki wore a different outfit now; he was accustomed to wearing sweatpants of dark colors (usually black, navy blue, or dark gray), and a cotton shirt with a left sleeve that always went down to his wrist. This effectively hid the demon seals from sight. And even so, he had been in an observant role for most of his time in Konoha. Sure, he occasionally partook in random jobs (farm work, heavy lifting, etcetera), and he never used his chakra to do so (couldn't risk too many people finding out about his powers…there might have been spies about.). It was body training that he was making up for; although he trained his chakra control in secret, the physical labor was a much-needed change of pace.

And he had to admit; it was nice to live in comfort.

Was he getting soft? Weak? No…he had kept up with his training. Was he losing his will then? Would he be unable to continue his mission…would he be unable to obtain the last two Biju that he needed…?

Maybe. Maybe not.

It was odd that he was entertaining these thoughts at all.

But why not? He was 16 now, and had grown a couple of inches since arriving at Konoha over a year ago. He had recently taken an interest in Rin's medical texts; learning how to heal himself with his own chakra would be a godsend; merely opening the Heal gate every time he had injuries would only tire him out more in battle, despite healing his wounds.

He had been in Konoha for so long now…he almost considered it a home.

Almost.

The door opened.

Mantarou raised his head to see Rin walk into her small home. She had also grown a couple of inches in the past several months…and her clothing was a bit less conservative than before. Not by much though; it wasn't as revealing as Tsunade's, to say the least. Crisscrossing strips of green cloth – stitched together to form a tank top – covered her upper body. She wore white pants with slits in the sides, revealing her skin. A number of pouches lined her pants, filled with scrolls, herbs, and medicinal remedies. Her dirty blonde hair had grown about an inch, coming down to her collarbone. The orange markings on the side of her face – ornamentation of sorts – had also been washed away. "Was your mission a success?"

Rin sighed as she sat down on her bed, sitting on the opposite side of the room from Mantarou. "Yes…Kakashi and I were partnered up with Mitarashi Anko and Hizashi of the Hyuga Clan. Both of them were helpful during our mission at the Hidden Waterfall…but Anko was creepy."

Mantarou recognized those names. Since he had relegated himself to merely 'observe', he had noticed a lot of things…of course, many of them were public happenings. He just happened to keep his eyes and ears open.

Mitarashi Anko: former student of Orochimaru, a Legendary Sennin that had betrayed the Leaf and fled a few months ago. Anko had been his student. Apparently, Orochimaru had done something to screw with her…and she hadn't taken it kindly, it seemed. It only further cemented the notion that some humans were utterly horrific, living only to prey on others. _And some use the power of demons to prey on the weak…_

Hyuga Hizashi: brother to the Hyuga Clan Elder. Mantarou was personally interested in the happenings of the Hyuga clan, seeing as how he had been taught by one of their own: Hiatari. The inner politics of the Hyuga clan were a bit of a puzzle…a puzzle he wisely stood out of. "Did you meet with the Fourth afterwards?"

Rin shook her head. "No. He's been busy up north, dealing with a trade dispute between the Fire Country and the Lightning Country."

"Hmm."

Rin arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean by 'hmm'?"

"The Fourth Hokage never struck me as the diplomatic type…more like one who takes action," casually remarked Mantarou as he continued reading the scroll.

Rin shrugged. "That is true…but as the Hokage, he has multiple responsibilities. Some of them require restraint." She couldn't help but giggle. "Of course, he IS receiving advice from the Third on this matter."

Mantarou nodded as the Third Hokage came to mind. Sarutobi, the Sandaime. He had heard many stories about the man, just by eavesdropping. Apparently, he was known as the 'God of Shinobi'…a very lofty title. _He must be powerful to merit such a claim._ "Oddly enough, I haven't met him yet."

Rin shrugged again. "Since the Yondaime is the current Hokage, the Sandaime has retired. He lives quietly now, up on top of the mountain range in the middle of the village."

Mantarou chuckled. The mountain range always made him laugh; the notion of immortalizing one's leaders by chiseling their face on a mountain just tickled at him. He respected the idea that they wanted to honor their fallen leaders…but he thought of the whole mountain part to be a bit overboard.

Rin suddenly asked, "You've been here for a long time now."

"Mm-hmm," agreed Mantarou.

"And…I was wondering if you'd like to become a ninja-"

"No."

"Why not?"

Mantarou rolled the scroll up, sighing out of irritation. "Because I do not want to ally myself to any one village. I have one purpose in life, and alliances tend to be a bit messy." Then why had he remained in Konoha?

Rin's eyes became downcast. "It would help if I knew what that purpose is?"

Mantarou replied, "The only other one who knows is the Yondaime…speaking of which, has anyone else discovered my demon seals?"

Rin shook her head. "The answer is still the same. No."

"Good."

"…how come you don't want anyone to learn anything about you?"

Mantarou couldn't help but grin. Whether it was bitter or sardonic, one couldn't tell. "I am an S-Class criminal because I am a Jinchuriki. The more people that find out, the more likelihood I'll be discovered by my enemies. I'm not going to risk THAT."

Rin supposed she should've been surprised. But it really didn't. Why?

He was too enigmatic to be a stereotypical S-Class criminal. He was distant, observant, and powerful…yet he did not go on killing sprees (he actually tried to avoid getting in any altercations with humans). He did not plot evil schemes. He did possess the power of three mighty demons…but he obtained them willingly. He willingly became a Jinchuriki.

Who does that? Really; who willlingly becomes a demon vessel?

"So…I've never asked before out of courtesy, but I'd like to know about Uchiha Obito." Rin blinked as she stared at Mantarou, who continued to speak. "I'm just curious."

"_I'm sure you were."_

"_Quiet."_

Rin gulped as her mind flashed back to those old days…when they had still been a team.

Kakashi, the boy who became a Jonin at the age of 12.

Obito, a 13-year old Chuunin of the prestigious Uchiha Clan…and a slacker.

Rin, a medical ninja who hadn't graduated from the ninja academy until the age of 14 due to her extra medical training.

Finally, Arashi…Konoha's Yellow Flash…and the future Hokage.

Rin couldn't help but smile. Those had been some good times. "We were only together for a year…Team Four, that is. Kakashi was so serious and stern back then…and he never resisted the chance to put Obito down. I swear, those two were quite the pair…"

"You sound like you admired them."

"Well…yeah," replied Rin with a smile. "I always admired Kakashi for his dedication to the mission and his strength. I kind of always told him that, trying to impress him…I guess you could say I had a crush on him. But Obito…I admired him because he always tried. No matter how much Kakashi put him down – and no matter how many times he was late for a team meeting – he gave everything his all."

Mantarou was silent. Finally, he asked, "So what happened? How'd he die?"

Rin's eyes became downcast. Could she tell this without crying? Fellow ninja died in battle all the time…but it always hurt more when that 'fellow ninja' had been a close friend. "During the last Great Ninja War, we were tasked with a mission to blow up a bridge…to prevent forces from Iwagakure from crossing over into the Grass Country to the west. Our sensei went on ahead to the front line of the battle, while we would attack the bridge. During that mission, I was captured by the enemy…but my teammates came to rescue me." She paused to compose herself. "When they arrived, I discovered that Kakashi had lost his left eye. We were immediately attacked by the enemy…and a boulder crushed Obito after he pushed Kakashi out of the way." She paused again. "Obito told me to give his left eye to Kakashi before he died…as a gift for becoming a Jonin. That's why Kakashi has the Sharingan eye, which is a Bloodline Limit for the Uchiha Clan."

Mantarou was silent as he soaked this all in. "So Obito sacrificed himself for Kakashi," he stated calmly.

Rin nodded. It always hurt her to know that Obito had had a crush on her…it always hurt because she hadn't realized it until after she died. She wondered how Obito had felt when watching her pine over Kakashi, ignoring him entirely. She hadn't meant to…she had regarded Obito as a dear friend.

But she just hadn't felt for Obito that way…

She could've told him. So that he could've died without any regrets…but then again, who can truly die without regrets?

"_I hadn't meant to open up old wounds. She told me, even though doing so would hurt her. In my mind, it was only fair if I did her a favor in return…Jiraiya, stop wiggling your eyebrows like that. That's not the kind of favor I had in mind."_

Mantarou stood up and sat down beside Rin on her bed. He then said, "You didn't have to say anything…even though you knew it might've opened up some unfortunate wounds. But…you did so anyway." He inhaled deeply; he wasn't sure if he should do this.

But this was Rin he was talking about; she had proven to be a kind and compassionate person. And she would keep a secret if he asked. She was kind like that.

"In return, I'll tell you everything."

Those words made Rin's eyes widen out of shock. Had she heard correctly? "…what?"

Mantarou interlaced his fingers, his eyes staring ahead at the wall. "My full name is Uzumaki Mantarou…and this is my story."

"_So I told her. I told her everything. Everything I told the Yondaime, I told Rin. Like the previous time, I took nearly two hours to tell my tale…it was around midnight by the time I was done."_

Mantarou turned towards Rin upon finishing his story.

Considering her kind nature, he honestly had expected her to cry.

That wasn't the case. Instead, her eyes were downcast, and her hands were clutching tightly onto the fabric of her pants. However, the sorrow – and pity – in her golden brown irises was palpable.

"How long…do you intend to keep fighting?" asked Rin.

Mantarou said nothing as he unlocked his hands. It wasn't until a few seconds had passed that he finally replied, "Until either all demons are dead…or until I'm dead."

That answer served to only make Rin sadder. "But…that is a life drenched in blood…more so than the life of most ninja. That would only make you more lonely…more isolated…and more cold."

"It doesn't matter. I know that the human lives I've ended are only icing on the cake…" He gazed at his legs and left arm. "The power of the demons I wield…no human was meant to use such power. I've already consigned myself to the abyss…but for the sake of humanity's freedom from the demonic scourge, I'd do anything."

Rin's hand clutched his.

Mantarou turned to stare at the medical ninja. "No human such as yourself should be so burdened. You don't deserve it." She paused for a moment, gazing at their clutching hands. "You're still hurting, aren't you?"

The Jinchuriki said nothing.

"Treading onward through your bloody existence, fighting and fighting…killing all the demons you can, living as an outcast of human society…" She raised her head to stare at Mantarou's face. "Did you ever stop to rest after Ryu's death? Did you ever stop to give your mind, your SOUL, any rest? Any rest at all?"

"No. There was no reason to," replied Mantarou. And yet, the appeal of it was appealing…was that he had remained in Konoha so long? To rest his aching body, mind, and soul?

It made sense.

Rin placed her hand on Mantarou's cheek, gazing at those blue eyes that, deep down, screamed for a release. A release for anything. Anything to get away from the self-imposed hardness and coldness of Mantarou's chosen life. "Well…I helped nurse you back to health. Perhaps…you still need to be healed."

"…maybe," admitted Mantarou as he raised his right hand to clutch Rin's palm. "Maybe."

Then they kissed.

That was the point of no return. For teenagers, whose bodies are undergoing heavy changes…one spark can be all it takes. One spark to set off flames of passion, no matter the person.

Their minds – and hearts – became aflutter. They lost track of everything…the last thing Mantarou could recall was that he was on top of Rin, his bare arms feverishly caressing her naked body…

"_And, as I've said before, that was that."_

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

**_Night of the Nine Tails; Kyuubi's Deadly Rampage!_**

xxxx

Author's Notes: Bah. I don't know why it took me so long to write this chapter. Probably because I was continually growing dismayed at how long it was getting. Finally, I just said 'screw it', and decided to split this chapter of Mantarou's past into two parts.

It's probably the lack of action. Next chapter has some in it…but we won't dive into the real knitty-gritty until after the next two chapters, where the battle between Mantarou and Naruto resumes.

Anyhow, just to note some things (this includes some retcons. Please forgive me.)…

Kakashi was 12 when he became a Jonin, not 13.

Rin, due to her extra training as a medical ninja, didn't graduate from the Ninja Academy until she was 14. She was 15 at the start of this chapter, and by its end, had turned 16. Thankfully, her age was never clarified, so it isn't technically a retcon to begin with. :P

And just to remind people, Orochimaru left Konoha shortly after Kazama Arashi became the Fourth Hokage.

And yeah, I gave the Fourth Hokage a name. It basically means (roughly) 'fiery appearance of a storm'. Roughly. Anyhow, I HAD to give him a name. It just wouldn't make much sense for a stranger who didn't respect authority that much to respectfully call the Yondaime by his title…and he needed a name anyway.

Also, some notes about previous chapters in regards to some goofs.

It is actually '**_Hiraishin no jutsu_**' instead of '**_Shunshin no jutsu_**'. And I need to replace 'Kinzoku' and 'Uddo' with 'Kinton' and 'Mokuton' respectively. By the time the next chapter is out, those goofs will have been fixed.

Anyhow, next chapter details the aftermath of Rin and Mantarou's night together, eventually leading up to the defining event: Kyuubi's attack on Konoha and the birth of Naruto…

See you soon, and please review!


	26. The Birth of Uzumaki Naruto!

Standard Disclaimer: I own Mantarou. But that doesn't sound as good as a title as 'Naruto'…so yeah.

Author's Notes: I just have one thing to say.

Rin x Mantarou 4eva! (shotshotshot)

Also, for those concerned that I'll go the same route as Sasuke with Mantarou (as in, people forgive him despite his wrongdoings), I just have to say…are you flippin' crazy? This guy created AKATSUKI, a criminal organization that's the Narutoverse's equivalent of the Mafia, the Yakuza, or the Cartel! Not only did he send a bunch of Nukenin to Konoha just to stall for time, but he killed Anko! He'll get his dues. Eventually. Maybe. I don't know. C.C (runs)

Oh, and there's been a slight title change for this chapter.

Begin!

xxxx

_**Night of the Nine Tails; The Birth of Uzumaki Naruto!**_

xxxx

/Present Day/

/Plains, 17 Miles Northwest of Konohagakure/

Mantarou paused for a moment to stare at Naruto. "That was the night where you were conceived, son."

Just like that. Answers to questions Naruto had long thought of…questions long dreamt of…and they had been answered. Just like that.

Answered by the leader of Akatsuki, one of their deadliest enemies…and to be honest, Naruto didn't much like it. It was just too offsetting. "So…I was conceived by accident then?"

Mantarou sighed. "If you want to be literal, then yes. You were not planned for…so yes, you ARE an accident. That night itself was an accident…but it was a GOOD accident, make no mistake."

Naruto snorted.

**ACCIDENTS USUALLY END UP BEING FORGOTTEN.**

_This isn't a good time. I'm trying to think._

**'ACCIDENT' PERFECTLY DESCRIBES YOU AND YOUR LIFE.**

_I'm THINKING._

**LIKE I'D LET YOU.**

_Hmph._

"So, is that all there is to tell?" asked Jiraiya, hurryingly writing notes in a small pocketbook.

Mantarou unexpectedly snarled. Moments later, an orange chakra spike erupted from underneath the ground, stopping a mere inch away from Jiraiya's groin. "I'm tired of your perversions. The particular details of what happened that night will REMAIN a secret, a secret that I'll only tell to me, myself, and I. Now be quiet…or else you'll be looking into a career as a eunuch."

"Fine," grumbled Jiraiya as he put away the notebook. The chakra spike retreated into the ground.

Tsunade, of course, had to chew him out for this. "What are you DOING?" Her voice barely came above a whisper. "This is Rin, your student's student we're talking about here! Save your perversions for some other unfortunate victim!"

The Toad Hermit chuckled as a strange glint came to his eyes. "But I'm just trying to see if there's anything else to the story…nothing more."

Tsunade recognized that look in Jiraiya's eyes. He was trying to upset Mantarou to the point where he might reveal something he wouldn't want to reveal, even though he was telling them a lot already. She crossed her arms and huffed, "You could choose a different method."

"And where's the fun in that?" joked Jiraiya.

Sasuke was silent as he stared at Naruto, who was still in his three-tailed form. The Uchiha found himself rather fascinated by this little tale of Mantarou's…and it was actually giving him some new insights into Naruto's life as well. _Never knew his parents…but it turns out that one of them was the teammate of our sensei…and the other was a Jinchuriki who would eventually become the founder of Akatsuki._ Sasuke couldn't help but chuckle. _Sounds crummy._

"In any case…" Mantarou kept his gaze on Naruto. "Morning came."

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

_This bed is too small for two people_, thought Mantarou, an oddly bemused look on his face. His blue eyes gazed upward towards the house's only window, taking in the rays of the morning sun.

Then his eyes drifted downward.

He was lying next to a naked girl, his right arm splayed across her bare chest. The girl was lying on her back, her right arm lazily clutching to his own…and her left arm was resting against the pillow. Their bodies were covered from the waist-down by the blankets…and the sun's morning rays lanced across their exposed bodies.

Mantarou stared at Rin's face for a few moments. Had he been THIS attracted to the young medical ninja? Perhaps he had…had he really not known this whole time? Or had he been deluding himself on purpose? Or…

The Jinchuriki paused as he turned his gaze to the ceiling. The full implications of what had happened last night finally hit him.

He had made love with someone.

He had made love.

_Why am I finding this so hard to believe? Have I really become THIS unaccustomed to normal human behavior?_ After all, it was how humans reproduced…it was what husbands and wives did. It was what his mother and father had done to conceive him…

Conception…was it possible that-?

Rin suddenly sat up, her eyes surprisingly clear considering the early hour. Mantarou gazed at those brown irises with silence, waiting for her to speak first.

Finally, she muttered, "I made a mistake."

"_Needless to say, that wasn't the first question I had expected."_

Mantarou arched an eyebrow out of curiosity. "How so?"

Rin's lip trembled as she clutched at the blankets pulling them over her naked form; it was as though she was trying to hide herself (her shame, maybe?). Finally, she stuttered, "I…I am…a ninja of Konoha. I can't be doing this sort of thing at my age…not when I can still fight…"

The demon vessel briefly contemplated the words. She did have a point; ninja were expected to serve their village. For years. And she wasn't even in her physical prime yet; there was still a long way for her to go. From what he had gathered over his time spent here in Konoha, ninja that wanted families waited until 'retirement' before pursuing them. The earliest age at which the average ninja usually retired was around their late 30s. 16 was a fair time away from that.

Family.

Mantarou sat up, his eyes drifting to the seal on his left arm. The seal of Kyojini. "…"

Was the life he had chosen the correct one? A life to kill all demons, to erase their very existence?

Yes. He hadn't chosen wrong. He didn't regret his choice.

But…perhaps he could make another choice…?

"We won't know if you're pregnant for a little while…until then, just act normally." Mantarou got out of the bed, reaching for his pants. "I'll know if you are pregnant."

Rin blinked as she watched Mantarou – hey, his body looked kind of nice… - put his clothes back on. "How?"

"I just will." Mantarou scratched at his hair before taking a few steps toward the door…then he stopped. "Rin."

"Yes?"

_I can't believe I'm about to ask this_, thought Mantarou with an odd look on his face. "Was…that your first time?"

Rin blushed out of embarrassment. That was an ODD question to ask. And yet, she answered. "Um…yes."

For some reason that Mantarou couldn't quite finger…he was glad. He quietly replied, "Well…I'm glad."

"About what?"

"That my first time was with you." _I guess._ He needed time to sort these tumultuous emotions out.

As Mantarou walked away, he didn't see Rin's face. It was probably redder than a tomato.

"_I believe roughly…24 days passed until I spoke with her about that night again."_

Rin sighed as she walked into her house, feeling rather beat. The day had been tiresome; a part of the wall had been structurally unsound, falling down upon some unsuspecting farmers. Fortunately, nobody had been killed…but she had expended a lot of chakra that day to heal wounds and mend broken bones. "I need to sleep…"

"Rin, you're pregnant."

"AH!" yelped Rin, caught off-guard by Mantarou's sudden words. He was sitting on his bed, eyes staring at her stomach. "Uh…huu…um…how do you know?"

"Chakra." He stood up, slowly walking toward the medical ninja. "I can sense…two distinct chakras. Yours…and that of the child growing within your belly."

Rin was silent.

Then she walked over to her bed and sat down, resting her head in her hands. Her mood had just taken a definite downturn. "So…I'm pregnant, huh? And on my first time too…"

"You say it like it's a bad thing," stated Mantarou.

Rin sighed, staring at her belly…which, she now knew, was going to become rather plump in the next few months. It would be impossible to hide her unborn child…and people would judge her accordingly, whether she liked it or not. Rumors would circulate. People would guess about who the father was. If she was lucky, she'd only be called a whore maybe once or twice.

That's prejudice for you.

She sighed again, leaning back against the wall, slight pain in her eyes. "…mmm…what to do, what to do…?"

Mantarou said nothing as he sat down on his own bed, staring at Rin from across the small room. Finally – with great difficulty – he said, "Would it be possible to surgically remove the child?" There was faint, nearly imperceptible hint of malice and anger to his voice; the idea of destroying an unborn child just because the boy – or girl – would be inconvenient did NOT sit well with him.

"No. I'm a medical ninja. Preserving life is what I do." She looked at Mantarou with an odd look in her eyes. "To destroy this baby would be hypocritical…but still…" The pain returned. "…it's not going to be easy."

Uzumaki Mantarou was silent, staring at Rin, yet not looking at her. He was focusing on something else; what was needed now was a plan. He had revealed himself to only two people since his stay in the village…the Yondaime…and Rin. And he had connected with Rin in a way he had never thought possible.

Then the answer came.

"We'll speak with the Fourth Hokage."

Rin looked up at Mantarou. "Hmm?"

"He's the only other person in this village who knows everything about me. Also, he was your former sensei. He'll be more understanding…he might even have a solution." Mantarou stood up, offering his hand to the medical ninja. "Shall we go?"

Rin, at first, didn't say anything. For a moment, she wondered if she could even FACE the Yondaime…if anything, her shame might be even GREATER when facing him. And yet, he was the Hokage…a powerful, yet kind Hokage. He would be understanding to her.

The answer was clear.

"Okay."

She grabbed the boy's hand, and they left.

"_All the while, I was thinking of a solution on my own…and it was finalized in my mind by the time we reached the Hokage's Palace."_

The doors creaked open. Mantarou and Rin slowly walked inside.

The room was rather small considering whose office it was; then again, it DID have a very nice view of the village. Near the windows was a wooden desk – ornately crafted and designed – that was littered with paperwork on one side. Apparently, being a Hokage meant being more than just the village's greatest ninja.

However, the Fourth, instead of finishing the paperwork, was reading a small book titled _Icha Icha Paradise._ An odd grin was on his face as he read.

Mantarou arched an eyebrow. "What book is that?"

Kazama Arashi glanced at the two over the top of the book's rim. "Oh. It's a book written by my former sensei. Not for kids though." He quickly hid it in his desk drawer before saying, "So…how long?"

Rin blinked. "How long?"

The Yondaime suddenly grinned. "How long until you give birth?"

A lightning bolt of shock ran through Mantarou and Rin. "You…figured it out?" murmured the medical ninja.

"I can sense the baby's chakra. It's not that hard to do," remarked the Yondaime.

_Not that hard?_ thought Mantarou with a wry grin on his face. To sense the chakra of a baby – and it wasn't a LARGE amount of chakra to begin with. It was downright puny! – your senses would have to be able to sift through the chakra of the mother. Not anyone could do it; you had to have finely honed senses in order to do it. _This man truly is exceptional…_

"And I assume you are the father?" asked the Fourth as he stared at Mantarou.

The boy nodded.

Yondaime sighed. "I see…" He stood up, glancing out his large windows at the village below. "It's not often a case like this happens…where a ninja becomes impregnated. After all, they're usually disciplined enough to not let this happen to them…"

Rin gulped as her head tilted downward, her heart starting to tremble with shame. Mantarou, as odd as he found it, was starting to feel a little…_angry_. "You weren't there. What happened happened. There's nothing else to say…but don't get angry at her."

"Oh, I'm not angry. Just a little shocked. I mean…come on. Rin getting in the sack," He pointed at Mantarou. "With _you?_ Definitely unexpected."

Rin blushed. Mantarou ignored his embarrassment and said, "Does it matter?"

The Yondaime shrugged. "I suppose not. How DID it happen though? You two weren't doing anything _naughty_ that might've led up to the 'main event', so to speak?"

Rin shook her head. "No…we were just…talking. Mantarou told me…everything. And after that…it just…happened."

"Everything?" The Hokage suddenly blinked out of realization. "You told her about your past?"

Mantarou nodded.

"So you trust her?"

"…I've been here for quite a while…and I know the kind of person Rin is. She isn't the kind to reveal secrets…or to break promises."

The Fourth smiled. "Is that so?"

Mantarou nodded.

The Fourth leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers together. "Interesting…very very interesting…but it still doesn't change the fact that, for the next nine months, Rin will not be able to serve as a ninja…and probably for even longer than that. After all, a baby has its needs. And we'll be short one ninja…and she still has planned missions to go on." A sigh. "What to do, what to do…"

"_The solution that I had thought of…it was time for me to implement it."_

"Then…I'll serve in her place."

Rin's eyes widened as her head turned towards her lover. Had she heard him right?

The Yondaime slightly smiled before looking at the Jinchuriki. "Really?"

"Yes."

"But I thought you didn't WANT to become tied to one particular village."

"That's what I had said, yes…" Mantarou sighed inwardly. This was proving to be rather hard to say. After all, he was essentially ending his mission – which he had spent half his life carrying out – voluntarily before it was complete. The Tailed Demons still weren't his. Demons still EXISTED. Why was he stopping now? Why?

Because of a girl. A girl that he loved. And the child that she now carried.

A child. His child. _Their_ child.

His father – Uzumaki Keihan – had abandoned his life as a ninja…because of a love for a woman…and for his child. As such, he abandoned Iwagakure for a simpler life.

And now he – Uzumaki Mantarou – would abandon his mission…a mission that had consumed his whole life…all because of a love for a woman…and for his child.

That was his choice. And he would stick to it.

"…but this is my choice." He calmly stood up and walked towards Rin, pulling off the Leaf headband protector wrapped around her forehead. He glanced at the symbol on the metal plate. The symbol that he would now be swearing allegiance to.

He wrapped the hitai-ate around his forehead. "In Rin's stead, I will serve as a ninja to Konohagakure."

The Yondaime Hokage smiled. "Very well then. For Rin's sake, she will stay here at the palace in a special room starting next month, before her body starts changing physically. On the outside that is. This way, Rin can avoid any unpleasantries…and it'll give me some time to come up with an excuse as to why she'll be in hiding for the next several months."

"_And so that's how it happened."_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

"In Rin's place, I would serve in her stead. I would serve as a ninja of Konohagakure." Mantarou finished by reaching into his cloak…and pulling out a Leaf hitai-ate. Unlike the rest of Akatsuki, it was not slashed across. "The reason I never slashed my hitai-ate like the rest of Akatsuki…was because I never abandoned Konoha to begin with."

"**BULL,"** growled Naruto, his three tails twitching with rage. "Didn't abandon Konoha? YOU CREATED AKATSUKI!"

Mantarou was silent.

Kibamaru grinned. "You tell him Naruto!"

Kakashi's eye narrowed. Something else just came to mind. "Hmph…Mantarou. You remember?"

Mantarou looked at Kakashi…and he suddenly remembered. "Ah…you're talking about the confrontation five months later?"

"Yes."

Jiraiya blinked. "What confrontation?"

Mantarou answered, "A battle between myself and Kakashi…apparently, he was none too happy when he discovered Rin was pregnant…"

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Southeast of Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"_It was five months after I became a Konoha-nin…with only four months left until Naruto's birth."_

Uzumaki Mantarou stared at the Honorstone in silence, staring at the name of Hyuga Hiatari. It was a cold day, so he wore a black cotton vest over his long-sleeved blue shirt and black pants. His demon seals, like always, were hidden. "I suppose it's odd that I'm even talking like this to you…" _After all, you left Konoha. And I swore allegiance to Konoha. How odd things are…_

"_In the five months since I had become a Konoha-nin, the Hokage had sent me only on secret, solo missions. All of them had been B-Rank missions, due to my abilities. All of them had been successful. And I had never taken a human life. After all, I didn't like to take human life."_

Mantarou's ear twitched. Then he glanced over at the trees.

Kakashi was standing there, reading the Yondaime's old copy of _Icha Icha Paradise._

"Hello Hatake Kakashi," remarked Mantarou.

"Hello Mantarou," remarked Kakashi, his lone eye staring at the pages of the booklet, which had been a present from the Yondaime (Jiraiya: Model perverts after my own heart!). "How unfortunate that I don't even know the rest of your name yet."

Mantarou replied, "You'll never find out." _At least, not for now._

Kakashi focused on the hitai-ate on Mantarou's forehead. "So…rumors have been going around that you're a Leaf ninja now…which I find odd. I'm a Jonin, so I have access to classified records…but you're not listed in any of them. No name. No birthdate. No home village. No nothing. You're still a blank, just as you were when you arrived."

"So what if I am?" remarked Mantarou.

"_Although Kakashi did not know, there was a reason that Yondaime kept me hidden. I was still listed as an S-Class criminal in the Earth and Lightning Countries. Spies and informants would be able to find my public records…and then things would have gotten messy. That's why I was hidden…both to the public eye and to the paper records."_

"Not only that…but I haven't seen Rin in the past few months. She hasn't gone to her house…I was told that she had gone on a long mission of good will, to heal the wounded and deliver humanitarian aid overseas." Kakashi's eye suddenly narrowed. "It was only by sheer chance that I ran into her at the Hokage's Palace…and imagine my surprise when I saw her belly."

Mantarou said nothing.

Then, he smiled slightly. "Well congratulations. You just bore witness to my future child."

Kakashi's hitai-ate was practically thrown off; his Sharingan swirled rapidly as the Jonin leapt straight at Mantarou.

The Jinchuriki, his mind immediately reacting to the charge, quickly utilized his chakra aura. Kakashi's body was grabbed by the aura and tossed aside. The Jonin landed on his feet, performing hand signs as he did. "**_Doton; Doryuudan no jutsu!_**"

An earthen dragon suddenly erupted from the ground, charging at Mantarou. The teen said nothing as his aura pierced through the dragon, obliterating it.

Kakashi had been right behind it, his right hand charged with electricity. Although Mantarou didn't know it, that was the Jonin's infamous **_Chidori_**.

Mantarou solidified his aura, thickening it as much as he could.

The energies met, and a crackling sound echoed through the air. The two glared at each other, neither of them moving an inch.

Mantarou growled, "What's your deal with me? Why do you hate me?"

Kakashi growled back. "Because of your power. Because of your mystery. You suddenly come out of nowhere one day, and you're too damn secretive for anyone to trust. And yet, you end up impregnating my teammate, and you've somehow convinced the Fourth to cover for you! And you expect me to **NOT** be angry?" Kakashi pressed forth with even more power. "For God's sake…I don't even know your full name! AND YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR OVER A YEAR!"

Mantarou was silent.

Then he grinned. "I have my reasons. **Initial **Gate, OPEN!"

Then, Mantarou came forth with more power, pushing Kakashi away. The Jonin landed on his feet, coming to a stop several yards away.

Finally, the brown-haired teen said, "I'm sorry if I seem so secretive. But let's just say my past has some rather unsavory ghosts…and I'm not quite ready to face them yet. And this is not just for my sake…it's for Konoha's sake as well. If you knew everything about me…then you'd understand why I'm so secretive."

Kakashi frowned. "Then why not tell me then?"

"Because I don't trust you yet." Mantarou calmly rubbed his neck, walking away. "But don't worry…I'm not going to betray you or anything. I wouldn't be wearing this headband otherwise."

Kakashi said nothing as Mantarou walked back towards the village.

"_Of course, that turned out to be one big lie, didn't it?"_

xxxx

/Present Day/

Mantarou sighed with annoyance as he glanced at Kakashi. "Do you always have to interrupt?"

"He has a point though," remarked Tsunade. "You said you wouldn't betray Konoha. And yet here you are, fighting us, as Akatsuki's Leader."

"I gave you all a choice. You chose to stand by Naruto's side. That was your folly, and yours alone."

That's when Naruto snapped back. "Just shut up. I'm tired of all the stupid crap that doesn't mean anything…I mean, why are you wasting time talking about a worthless fight with Kakashi? I don't wanna hear about that! Just get to the important stuff."

"…of course. My apologies." Mantarou sighed as he kept his gaze on his son. "Now we fast forward to the day where everything changed yet again…I'm sure the demon fox knows this time well…for it was the day he struck Konoha."

Everyone was silent.

**I LIKE THIS PART.**

_Shut up!_

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Rooftop Balcony, Hokage's Palace, Konohagakure/

Rin stared at the sky quietly. The sun was now rising over the horizon, and it was a rather chilly day.

She glanced down at her belly, which had become considerably more rotund in the past several months. Her breasts had also swelled, filled with the nourishment that her baby would need. To compensate for her figure, she now wore a green XXXL T-shirt and gray sweatpants. Not very womanly clothing…but hey, she was pregnant. What are you going to do?

The medical ninja smiled as she rubbed her bulbous stomach; the baby was only two weeks away from birth…the thought of it was exciting now. Though she WAS getting tired of the odd hunger cravings (miso soup…mixed with crackers, milk, and diced beets? Weird.).

Suddenly, Mantarou clambered onto the balcony, using chakra tendrils to traverse the wall. His appearance had once again changed; his feet were adorned by black boots, which fit in well with his dark blue pants and white T-shirt. His left arm was bandaged – to hide the Kyojini seal, of course – and he wore a black cloak (complete with a hood) to hide his body. All in all, it was perfect attire for his next mission.

His next mission was important. For not only was it his first A-Rank mission…but it would be his last secret mission. After this, he would finally go public as a ninja of Konohagakure…and it would no longer matter what the response of the Hidden Cloud or the Hidden Stone would be. He and the Leaf would face it head-on.

In a way, it was exhilarating. He was now ready to fight for the Leaf…for his home.

His home.

He hadn't considered any place to be his home…since the Hidden Valley.

Things were different now.

"I'll be heading to the River Country tonight," said Mantarou as he stood in front of Rin. "There's a group of Nukenin that have been smuggling soldier pills…soldier pills that have been 'enhanced', so to speak. These new pills have been mixed in with the regular supply, and they have some side-effects."

"I know," remarked Rin. She had been privy to the medical reports of some unfortunate ninja that had used these illegal pills. The results had not been pleasant. "It's an effective way of crippling a village's ninja force."

"It won't be around by tomorrow." Mantarou calmly pulled out two kunai from the inside of his cloak, plucking a hair off of both his head and Rin's head. He then tied one hair strand to each kunai and performed an old, familiar jutsu. "**_Ukiyoenka no jutsu_**; Life Beacon."

Rin marveled as the kunai began glowing white. Mantarou explained, "The kunai serves as a medium between the genetic material attached to it and the person who possesses said genetic material. So long as a chakra link is maintained – essentially, as long as one lives – the kunai will continue to glow." He handed the kunai with his hair strand to Rin. "This way, you'll know that I'm still alive…" He then pocketed the kunai with Rin's hair. "And I'll know that you're still alive."

"You could just have faith."

Mantarou smiled. "It is faith. Just with a little insurance."

"There."

Mantarou blinked. "Hmm?"

"You smiled."

"…and?"

"…that was the first time I've ever seen you really smile." Rin smiled in return. "I like it when you smile."

Mantarou was struck silent by Rin's words. He couldn't help but grin in reply. "The last time I ever smiled was at home…and now Konoha is my home."

Home. Where he belonged.

Yes…home.

A home with a woman. His lover.

A home with a child. His child.

He was going to be a father.

Oh God…he was going to be a father.

He knelt down, placing his forehead against Rin's stomach. "You behave…okay son? Or daughter…whichever one you happen to be. We'll know in a couple of weeks." He stood back up, staring into Rin's eyes.

They shared one more kiss. One more embrace.

Mantarou separated, a small smile on his face. "See you tomorrow." As he pulled the hood over his head, he leapt over the side of the balcony, his body spawning four orange chakra tentacles that carried him at high speed from rooftop to rooftop, over the village wall, and finally into the western forests beyond.

_"Little did I know then…that that would be the last time I would be able to kiss her…"_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

The look of slight fondness on Mantarou's face immediately faded as a pained scowl came to mind. "Because that was the night when it all ended."

Everyone else was silent. No one dared to say a word.

Suddenly, someone spoke. That someone, oddly enough, was Sasuke. "One question…if you were away during the night when the Nine Tailed Demon Fox struck Konoha…then how would you know how the events transpired?"

"That's a good question." Mantarou reached into his black-and-red cloud cloak. "One that I think will be sufficiently answered by this."

He pulled out a scroll. A large scroll. On the outer layer of the old paper were two symbols. Two characters.

Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Tsunade paled at the sight of those characters. Those were the characters for 'Yellow Flash'.

"That's…the Yondaime's personal journal," muttered Jiraiya with a low growl. "We never found it after the Nine Tails' attack…we always assumed it had been destroyed. Where did you get it?"

"Even back then, Orochimaru had his spies and agents in Konoha." Mantarou pocketed the journal scroll once more. "During the Kyuubi's attack, one of his agents used it as an opportunity to obtain very important documents. The Yondaime's scroll was among them…"

"And what about it…?" asked Naruto.

Mantarou sighed, his eyes showing…sadness. "The Yondaime, before he sealed the Nine Tails within your body, wrote down a personal account of what happened before…including the event of your birth. This is how it happened."

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback (Well, technically it's the Yondaime's…)/

/Hokage's Palace, Konohagakure/

Nighttime.

A bright moon.

A clear sky.

And a deadly roar.

The Yondaime grimaced as the walls shook. The Kyuubi was causing earthquakes now; parts of Konoha had already collapsed…and he had no doubt that more buildings would be joining them. _Bad…bad bad bad bad…!_

"_According to the Yondaime's account, the Kyuubi had emerged near the Hidden Grass Village in the Grass Country, north of the River Country…which was why I had no knowledge of the event. I was too busy dealing with my mission and the Nukenin…and I had no idea that the Kyuubi had been slowly making his way to the Hidden Leaf."_

The Yondaime swung around the corner, his feet moving at full speed. He had to make sure everyone had evacuated; several of the supporting beams to the palace had already broken under the strain of the fox-induced earthquakes, and he had no intention of letting anyone being around if the building did end up collapsing.

_Rin. Gotta check on her. She's pregnant after all!_ He quickly dashed toward her private room, opening the door…

And he got a rather nasty shock.

Rin was lying there, on a makeshift cot. Three nurses were tending to her.

The Yondaime muttered, "Uh…Rin?"

Rin grimaced as she managed to choke out, "I've…been in labor for a while…the baby's coming…"

The Yondaime paled. "WHAT! But the baby was due in two weeks!"

Rin, in a fit of anger due to her own great pain, loudly roared, **_"WELL THE BABY SAYS IT WANTS TO COME OUT NOW!"_**

"Eep," murmured the Yondaime with a scared look in his eye.

_"The Fourth was quite descriptive about that particular outburst…"_

"AAAH!" shrieked Rin as more pain gripped her. The contractions had gotten worse by this point. "Ah…ah…AAAAAH!"

The Yondaime sweatdropped, now feeling rather out of place. "…uh…"

"The head!" yelled a nurse.

The Hokage quickly stepped to the side, watching as a baby slowly started to emerge from the vagina (well, it wasn't like he hadn't seen one before; he could thank the picture-edition of Jiraiya's second _Icha Icha Paradise_ volume for that!). Although he couldn't offer any medical assistance…he could offer support. "Come on Rin…you can do it! Push!"

The Yondaime sweatdropped. _A Biju is attacking Konoha, and I'm here watching my former student give birth?_ The absurdity of it all struck him as odd.

Moments later, Rin's piercing wail split the air.

The last push.

Crying.

A scalpel slicing through the umbilical cord.

Crying.

"It's a boy," muttered the nurse.

The Hokage was silent as he heard the baby cry. For a moment, he briefly forgot about the attack of the Nine Tails.

A new life had come into the world.

But then reality knocked back with a sledgehammer, so to speak.

For another earthquake struck.

The floor splintered and cracked.

"**THE BABY!"** shrieked Rin, ignoring her pain.

The Hokage impulsively grabbed the young boy as the floor gave way. He leapt back as it shattered and fell.

"Oh no…" muttered the Hokage as he hopped down. The three nurses were buried under a pile of rubble; their frail bodies had been crushed.

Rin had been luckier – she had landed on top of the pile – but she had a wooden fragment impaled in her stomach.

The Hokage froze at the sight of the blood leaking from the wound. "Rin…hold on, let me-"

"Hokage-sama…I'm too tired from childbirth…to heal myself…" Her tone was one of…acceptance.

She knew she was destined to die. She had known the moment the floor gave way.

"No…we can still get you to the hospital, and-!"

"I'll be dead by then anyway…and the demon fox is attacking, right? You need to go." If only Mantarou had been there; he was the most capable person in Konoha when it came to fighting demons. _Oh Mantarou…I'm sorry…_

The Yondaime clenched his teeth out of anger. It wasn't fair. Why had the Nine Tails decided to attack Konoha? Why? What was the point? And now…Rin… "Damn it. DAMN IT."

"…Hokage…" Rin coughed; blood was starting to trickle out of her mouth. "Can you stop the Kyuubi…?"

"…I don't know. It's more powerful than anything else I've ever faced." The Yondaime, however, had one trick up his sleeve. "I do have the **_Fuuinjutsu Shiki Fuujin_**…but who would let me seal the demon inside them…?"

Rin was silent.

Then, she uttered, "My son…use my son."

The Yondaime was silent.

Finally, the Hokage said, "You know what you're asking for…right?"

Rin barely nodded. "I know…that this seems like a horrible decision…that I'm cursing my child…but…" She coughed again. "His father…he is also a Jinchuriki…" She smiled bitterly, her eyes drifting to a shelf on the wall; the kunai with Mantarou's hair strand continued to glow. "He will know how my son will feel…more than anyone else in this village. He will take care of him."

The Fourth frowned, sorrow evident in his features. "…are you sure?"

"I am…" She gingerly reached for her baby boy; the Yondaime relented, letting her hold him for the last time. The young boy continued to cry, his head of blonde hair – the hair of his grandfather, Uzumaki Keihan – was wet, and his face bore marks shaped liked whiskers; perhaps it was the influence of the demonic energy that filled his father's genes?

Either way…he was going to grow up…without her. Without a mother.

It just wasn't fair.

"Oh my boy…my sweet little boy…" She started to cry, thinking of the name that she and Mantarou had agreed to call him, should the child be a boy. "…my dear **_Naruto_**…you will be a hero to this village…I'm sorry…I'm sorry…so sorry…"

Then the roof began to creak.

The Yondaime hurriedly took the baby from Rin.

**CRASH!**

Then she was buried in the rubble.

And she moved no more.

The Fourth's lip trembled as Naruto started to wail even louder.

There was no time to mourn. He had a mission now. To stop the Kyuubi.

"_Rin died…and Naruto lived."_

The Yondaime quickly dashed out of the palace, heading towards the place where he knew Sarutobi was. He needed to look something up real quickly before employing the Demonic Soul Seal technique…

He found the old man atop the village wall, staring to the northwest. The Kyuubi could be seen, wreaking havoc upon the ninja fighting against it. "Sarutobi!"

The former Hokage turned toward the Fourth. His eyes fell upon the blonde boy in his arms. "Who is that?"

"Uzumaki Naruto. His mother died…she told me to use him as a vessel for the Kyuubi."

The Third arched an eyebrow. "Who's the father?"

_"Unfortunately, the Yondaime had never revealed my existence to the Third…"_

"There's no time to explain!" The Yondaime handed Naruto to the Third. "I want you to put a **_Hakke no Fuin Shiki_** seal and two **_Shisho Fuin_** seals around Naruto's navel! I'll be right back!"

The Third blinked. Then realization hit him. "I see…then hurry."

The Yondaime quickly dashed back to the palace.

"_Two **Shisho Fuin**…Four Symbol Seals. Those would seal the Kyuubi into Naruto…while the **Hakke no Fuin Shiki**…the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style…would leak the Kyuubi's chakra back into Naruto's own. It was done under the pretense that one day, Naruto would be able to utilize the Nine Tails' chakra, to help him…"_

Inside the Yondaime's office, Kazama Arashi quickly wrote down the details of what had just happened in his journal. This way, a written record of what had happened would remain. People would know of how Rin sacrificed her son for Konoha…and how her son would be remembered as a hero. A hero that would live as a Jinchuriki.

He recited his own words to himself. "And so…Uzumaki Naruto…will be remembered…as a hero. Kazama Arashi, the Fourth Hokage." The golden-haired man calmly rolled up his scroll, putting it within his desk. He quickly looked back over the scroll detailing how to perform the Demonic Soul Seal, which would call upon the God of Death…and in exchange for his own life, the Kyuubi would be sealed within Naruto. The Four Symbol Seals would actually **keep** the Kyuubi sealed inside Naruto…while the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style would eventually allow the chakra of the demon and the boy to slowly fuse in a symbiotic fashion.

The Yondaime was ready.

He calmly left his palace…to personally face the Kyuubi for the first and final time.

Minutes later, a shinobi in black calmly entered the office, scouring over the papers and documents, taking anything of value. The Yondaime's journal was one of them. "Orochimaru-sama will be pleased…"

Earthquakes. The palace rattled.

The shinobi cursed as he jumped out the window, moments before over half of the palace collapsed upon itself.

And with that, the spy left Konoha.

"_You know what happened after that…everyone does."_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

"The Yondaime Hokage called upon the God of Death to seal the Nine Tailed Demon Fox into Naruto…his life was lost, and he become immortalized as a result. He will always be remembered as the one who saved Konoha…yet no one would remember the girl who asked him…" Mantarou paused to stare at Naruto. Pain was evident in both of their eyes.

Naruto's pain was one of anger and sorrow.

Mantarou's pain was one of loss and regret. "…the girl who asked him to use her own son as a vessel…so Konoha would be saved. She asked him that he be remembered as a hero…but no one listened." He stared at Naruto. "That is the fate of all Jinchuriki…the demons within us…the very power we possess…we are cursed by it. We are destined to always be alone…and any happiness we manage to find…is torn away."

Naruto said nothing.

**AH…SO LOVELY. GETS YOU ALL MISTY-EYED DOESN'T IT?**

Naruto suddenly burst. **"Shut UP you frickin' fox! _ShutupshutupshutupshutupshutupSHUTUPSHUTUP!_ Keep your damn mouth shut, and _STOP TALKING TO ME!_"**

The outburst silenced everyone. Even Mantarou couldn't help but stare.

**THINK THEY HEARD YOU?**

…_just shut up._ Naruto scowled bitterly; all of this information was proving to be too much. Now it appeared that his own mother – his freaking MOTHER – was the one who basically said 'here's my son. Seal that pesky fox inside him!'?

He supposed it wasn't fair to judge Rin so harshly…but damn it all, how much crap was he supposed to endure in his life?

From the sidelines, Rock Lee kept clenching and unclenching his fists. "What sorrow. What loss. I truly do not know what to think anymore."

"I do," muttered Kakashi, his eye still glaring at Mantarou.

Hinata, meanwhile, was focusing on Naruto. His body was shivering…his eyes...they were aching…even though turned red by the demon's power, they showed such sorrow. _Naruto-kun…_

Sasuke, however, was calm and collected. He asked, "So…what happened to prevent you from raising Naruto? Surely your mission didn't end badly for someone of your caliber."

Mantarou replied, "You are correct. It was actually quite easy."

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Warehouse, Outside Sawagakure, River Country/

A warehouse. It stood on the outskirts of the Hidden Marsh Village…and it served as a meeting place and storage facility for the pill smugglers.

Right now, the bodies of fifty Nukenin were strewn about inside the warehouse, which now was without a roof. The worst of the injuries came in the form of missing limbs. No deaths. All wounded and unconscious.

And authorities from Sawagakure were in the warehouse now, looking at the carnage. The supply of enhanced soldier pills had already been obliterated. Taped to the wall was a list of clients.

In one right, the whole pill-smuggling ring had been shattered.

Mantarou smiled; he was at least four miles away from the warehouse now, heading back to Konoha. The mission had been rather easy. Sure, the Jonin-level missing-nin with a taste for Metal element techniques had been SOME trouble…but all in all, it had proceeded flawlessly.

_Now to just head home._ He casually took out the kunai with Rin's hair on it.

IT WASN'T GLOWING.

"_I felt fear for the first time in a long time. Before I knew it, I was racing back to Konoha as fast as I could."_

Uzumaki Mantarou panted heavily as his legs moved as fast as they could. His mind was in such a frenzy that he didn't even think about using his chakra to increase the length of his stride. His crazed and hurried thoughts were dedicated to Rin.

_What happened? Why isn't the kunai glowing? Is she dead? She CAN'T be dead. How? Why? There's no way she died. Something else must've happened. Something. Anything. Notdeadnotdeadnotdeadnotdeadnotdeadnotdeadnotdead…no. NO. NO! She's not dead. CAN'T be dead. She gave me everything. She gave me happiness. Light. Comfort. Love. Everything. All. Can't be dead. NO. Our child. Oh God, **OUR CHILD.** Is he dead? Or is it a she? NO. Not dead. We were happy. Our child is going to be born in two weeks. A matter of DAYS. I'll be a father. Keihan was my father. Yonagi was my mother. Both great parents. I want to be a parent. I'll be a GREAT parent. So will Rin. Because she's alive. NOT dead. NononononononoNONONONONONO. Not dead. Not dead. CAN'T BE DEAD. **NO**. I won't believe it. I performed the jutsu wrong. I had to. I did. It's been years since I used it. YEARS. I did it incorrectly. Of course. It's obvious. Because she's not dead. She can't be dead. She's alive. ALIVE…oh God she's dead…NO. **SHE CAN'T BE DEAD!** **NONONONONONONONONONONO!** Not dead. NOT dead. Oh God what's happening to me I need to calm down and think rationally she's not dead of course she's not dead I'mjustoverreactingandpanickingthere'snowaythatRinisdead-_

Mantarou cleared the hills to the west of Konoha.

He thought his feet had frozen in place.

A good portion of Konoha's wall had fallen. Buildings had collapsed upon each other. Half of the Hokage's Palace was in ruins. A path of destruction was visible, leading all the way to the Grass Country.

_What…what happened?_

His frenzied pace turned into a slow walk, his legs moving slowly as he strolled into Konoha. His face was hidden by the hood…but his ears picked up everything the people were saying.

"Such a horrible attack…"

"…why…?"

"-stop moving him around! He's got internal bleeding!"

"The Nine Tailed Demon Fox destroyed my entire farm…"

"…where's mommy? Where is she?"

"-the Hyuga have lost at least thirty-"

"-why? Why did we have to lose the Fourth?"

"The Fourth sacrificed himself to destroy the Kyuubi…"

"Damn it all. DAMN THAT MONSTER!"

"Why?"

"The Nine Tailed Demon Fox deserves to rot wherever it is-"

Mantarou ignored the words. He kept going on towards the palace.

"_The Third Hokage hadn't revealed the truth about the fate of the Nine Tails to the village populace yet…that wouldn't happen until two days after the attack."_

"_Let me finish Kakashi."_

Mantarou paused at the sight of the palace. Half of it had collapsed, with nothing remaining but rubble and ruin. _The Fourth Hokage is dead…then the only one let in this village who truly knows me is Rin…oh God, she can't be dead…NO. SHE'S NOT DEAD._

Then his eyes fell upon a body bag being zipped up.

Just before it was closed, he saw the face.

The face belonged to Rin.

Rin's face.

RIN.

A tired man calmly hefted up the body bag and tossed it with a group of others, his hands returning to the rubble to find the bodies of the dead.

Mantarou had already turned away, fleeing as if his life depended on it.

"_My mind became an utter blank. I only wanted to get away from Konoha…I just wanted to get away…"_

Uzumaki Mantarou kept running. He was at least twenty miles away from Konohagakure by now. His legs screamed for rest. He didn't care.

Then they cramped up.

**SLAM!**

The Jinchuriki fell on his face.

And for the first time, his mind stopped running.

He thought about everything.

Rin was dead. And with her, their unborn child.

_"I didn't know that you had been born Naruto…I didn't know at all…so I sank into despair…"_

Mantarou couldn't help but cry. His home was gone. The Yondaime Hokage, an understanding and respectable man, was dead. Rin…

_Oh God, Rin…_

Dead. Gone. His lover…his happiness…the bright light that warded off the darkness of his blood-soaked past…GONE.

And why?

Because…of a DEMON…

_Nine Tailed Demon Fox. Kyuubi. The Biju. Demon Fox. Demon. Nine Tails. Nine Tails Nine Tails Nine Tails Nine Tails Nine Tails Nine Tails **NINE TAILS…**_

Mantarou's fists clenched. He raised his head from the dirt.

His face…was contorted into an expression of absolute fury. Fury he hadn't felt to such a degree…since Kyojini and his army of ogres had attacked the Hidden Valley.

"I faltered…I got sidetracked from my mission…and because of it…my loved ones…my family…they're dead…AGAIN…" Uzumaki Mantarou snarled as he willed himself to his feet.

Kyojini the No Tail had attacked the Hidden Valley. He had ended the lives of his family and friends. He had destroyed his home…and had ultimately put him on the path to destroying all demons.

Kyuubi…the Nine Tails…had attacked Konohagakure. He had ended the lives of his family and friends. He had destroyed his home…and now, had ultimately put him back on the path to destroying all demons.

"_I swore from there on that I would continue my mission. I would succeed. I would do whatever it took to eliminate those monsters and all of their kin. I didn't what depths I had to sink to…from that point on, I swore that I would do what whatever it took…to do what had to be done."_

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**Mantarou's Descent; The Rise and Fall of Akatsuki!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: Next chapter is the last of the Mantarou flashback chapters. Promise.

And be honest…did anyone cry when reading this chapter? Be honest.

See you soon, and please review!


	27. The Rise and Fall of Akatsuki!

Standard Disclaimer: I created Akatsuki. Therefore, don't you dare try to sue me. Because I don't own my son. (stomps away)

Author's Notes: (walks in) Apparently, Mantarou took over the disclaimer. Oo

Ah well. The final chapter of Mantarou's past! We look into the creation of Akatsuki, and its subsequent fall.

And now…for the tale of Akatsuki…

Begin!

xxxx

_**Mantarou's Descent; The Rise and Fall of Akatsuki!**_

xxxx

/Present Day/

/Plains, 17 Miles Northwest of Konohagakure/

**COME ON. YOU KNOW YOU'RE FEELING SORRY FOR HIM.**

_No I'm not._

**YOU ARE.**

_Am NOT._

**IT'S BECAUSE YOU HAD A HARD LIFE TOO. JUST LIKE THE FOOL FROM THE SAND.**

_It doesn't MATTER. What's he done…THERE CAN BE NO FORGIVENESS!_

**THAT BOY HAS KILLED MANY. HE WAS AN ALLY OF THE SNAKE AND ATTACKED YOUR HOME. YET YOU FORGAVE HIM.**

Naruto grit his teeth. _That's different! Gaara…he didn't choose that life. But that man…HE did! He chose to become a demon vessel…he chose to become the Leader of Akatsuki! Nothing will ever make me forgive him! EVER!_

The Nine Tails chuckled. **HU HU HU HU HU HU……YOUR HATRED IS DELICIOUS.**

Naruto snarled.

Mantarou watched Naruto's changing facial expressions. With the demonic chakra emanating from his body and his three tails…he nearly looked like a demon. "Just don't go so deep that you lose all reason."

"Shut up," grumbled Naruto as his eyes drifted to the others. His allies. His friends. His peers.

His fellow Leafs.

This man, despite his Leaf hitai-ate, was not one of them. In Naruto's eyes, he never would be. Not after what he had done. "Tell me…about Akatsuki."

"Very well," said Mantarou, his blue eyes betraying nothing. "After fleeing from Konoha, I came to the conclusion that I needed to obtain allies and resources to find other Tailed Demons. Due to my status as an S-Class criminal within the countries of Earth and Lightning, I needed to find allies of the criminal element. Allies from the underworld, you might say." His blue eyes caught a small garden snake slithering through the tall grass; his chakra formed a small blade and lopped its head off. "The first criminal that I wanted as an ally had to be one with tremendous resources…and I found one in Orochimaru."

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Outside Bar, Tandokuno Trail/

"_Two months after the night of the Nine Tails' attack on Konoha, I found myself heading to a bar on Tandokuno Trail, which was a path linking the Fire Country and the Lightning Country together. This bar was located in the unclaimed land that would eventually become the Sound Country."_

Mantarou was silent as he entered the relatively small bar. Few people were in here at this time at night; those there were still in this musty place were sitting far away from the longhaired man sitting in a stool. He was quietly sipping sake from a cup, looking rather relaxed.

Mantarou knew better. From what he had learned – from criminals that he had interrogated in towns on the Fire Country's northern border – this man often came here to drink sake. Usually four times a month.

This man would be a prime ally. Especially considering who he was.

"I wonder why someone of your stature would visit a humdrum place like this…Orochimaru."

The few people in the bar froze; that brown-haired fool was addressing that creepy, evil man. He was far more courageous than they were…or far more foolish. After all, the longhaired man with such pale skin emitted a feeling of…pure evil…

The longhaired man stopped drinking, smiling an odd smile in the dimly lit bar. "My current place of residence is not privy to good sake…and this is the closest place where I can obtain it." He paused, taking another sip. "…and considering the demonic aura I am sensing from you, I suppose it wouldn't be incorrect to assume that you're the S-Class Criminal Mantarou?"

Mantarou tried to hide his surprise. He failed. "And you know of this…how?"

The pale man grinned. "I have a great deal of resources. Spies, agents, loyal followers…it is not so difficult for one of the Sannin to find what is hidden…and the Hidden Cloud and the Hidden Stone tried very hard to hide you."

Mantarou was silent. _He knows so much already. His reputation has been understated._ "Truly, you are skilled to know who I am without even looking around…and I have to be honest: I did not expect you to know who I am."

Orochimaru chuckled. "Do you really think my eyes would not notice your arrival? A bloodied boy who never officially existed in Konoha's records…such things are quite eye-catching to men like me. But your clan name was not included, unfortunately. That particular bit of information is jealously guarded somewhere."

"I would suppose so," said Mantarou, noting Orochimaru's odd smile (considering Keihan's connection with Iwagakure, along with the relationship between the Stone and an S-Class criminal like Mantarou, it was no surprise that any possible link between himself and the name of Uzumaki was kept so close. If word got out, Iwa would be heavily suspected by other countries of possessing a Jinchuriki with THREE Biju. Even Orochimaru would be hardpressed to discover his whole name.). He had to tread on careful ground here; Orochimaru was strong; one of the Three Legendary Leafs. His skill was immense. He had been considered for the position of Hokage…and he probably would have gotten it, had his own personal beliefs and ambitions not been so twisted (or it might have been that Kazama Arashi was that much greater a shinobi. Mantarou would not be surprised if that had been the case.).

However…he himself was also strong. He was a Jinchuriki, who possessed three Tailed Demons. His own skill was immense.

He would press forward, regrets be damned.

"I have a proposition for you, Orochimaru."

The Sannin was silent. Suddenly, the other people in the bar decided to leave; they did not want to be privy to the affairs of such powerful, frightening men. Once everyone had left, he asked, "Continue on."

"I am creating an organization of criminals. S-Class criminals…criminals who know things. And you qualify. I need your resources to find Tailed Demons. Two of them. Granted, Biju are of high value…so they may have been sealed into vessels. I only need two…and nothing more. However, I am a wanted man by the Cloud and the Stone…though, I'm sure you know of this."

Orochimaru chuckled. "Indeed I do. Though, I am curious as to what the point of this alliance would be."

"You said it yourself: spies, agents, loyal followers…your intelligence network would be a great asset to me."

"I know that much without being told." He finally turned for the first time, his yellow eyes meeting Mantarou's blue. "I am curious as to how this alliance would be of benefit to ME."

_He is no fool_, thought Mantarou. _But neither am I_. He had anticipated this reaction. "In this criminal underworld, where the darkest of humankind reside, power is everything. Power defines the criminal. A crime lord is a crime lord, because he has power. Be it his power of knowledge…power of cruelty…or simply power of strength, so great that he can crush anyone, no matter who it is." Now was the time to be aggressive. "And I would wager that in terms of power, I outclass you."

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, ever so slightly. That was good enough for Mantarou; that meant Orochimaru recognized his challenge…and was unwilling to fight. That was a good sign; it meant that his own power was greater than the Sannin's. _This gives me more options._ "Now imagine how those in the criminal underworld will react if they were to find out that you have me as an ally: an S-Class criminal with THREE Tailed Demons at his disposal."

Orochimaru said nothing. If anything, he looked thoughtful. And yet, he also looked ready to kill at a moment's notice; it was a test. A test of Mantarou's own fortitude.

For several minutes, both men stared at each other, saying nothing.

Finally, Orochimaru grinned. "Very well. I don't see the downside to such an alliance…so I suppose I'll join this organization you plan to create."

"Very well…but there is one thing left to say." He had to say this now; he had to solidify their positions within this organization that had yet to be created. "In this organization, I am the one who will make the decisions. I will give the orders. I will be its Leader, no questions asked. Understand?"

Orochimaru's eyes hardened, forming a subtle glare. Mantarou could tell that he had angered the older man…after all, who likes being ordered around by someone who, despite being younger than yourself, possessed greater power?

Finally, Orochimaru stood, sighing slightly. He had accepted the terms. "Very well."

"Then the first task I have for you is to give me a list. A list of S-Class criminals, Nukenin, and ninja that are MIA."

Orochimaru chuckled. "Ku ku ku…you don't waste any time."

"Time is a precious thing. There are better things to do with it," replied Mantarou.

Orochimaru chuckled again. "I will come back here within a week. Midnight. I will have your list. Searching for potential members, I take it?"

Mantarou merely smiled in response. It was a cold smile, one that showed he acknowledged Orochimaru's ability. "You ARE smart."

Orochimaru chuckled once more in his strange way, walking out of the bar and into the night. Mantarou did not turn to look after him; it would show that he couldn't trust Orochimaru enough to merely walk away behind his back. Such a deadly game he had to play now…but he didn't care.

He would do anything to complete his mission.

"_And so my alliance with Orochimaru was sealed."_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

"That was how Akatsuki began…although the organization had no name at the time." Mantarou glanced over at Tsunade and Jiraiya, the other two Sennin.

Tsunade frowned, her eyes filled with disbelief. "I never knew Orochimaru was such a drinker."

"Tell me about it," said Jiraiya with a chuckle. "I only managed to convince him to come with me to a bar once; he left about seven hours before I did."

Kakashi sweatdropped. _He just can't resist getting in a wisecrack, can he…_

"Well, Orochimaru WAS an S-Class criminal back then, and the Sound Country was not very fertile; even he would need some comforts. After all, he was looking for methods to destroy Konoha. To do that, he needed to solidify his base of power. The Sound Country and Otogakure ended up becoming that base of power. To create that base of power, he would utilize my organization as a way to increase his reputation in the criminal underworld. The alliance was beneficial to both sides." Mantarou stared at Naruto; his glare was becoming even more deadly in its killing intent. "You seem angry."

Naruto scoffed. "Yeah. I'm watching the Leader of Akatsuki explaining how he created Akatsuki. And he's showing no regret. **_OF COURSE I'M ANGRY!_**"

_His hatred for me is unrelenting_, thought Mantarou. "I'm sure you are…but permit me to continue."

Naruto snorted, saying nothing.

"In any case…a week passed, and I obtained the list from Orochimaru. It contained over 2,000 names…so I had a lot of ground to cover."

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Pathway to Kagesui Waterfall, Water Country/

Mantarou's eyebrows arched at the sight of the man sitting in the midst of the river. He was unmoving, despite the speed of the current and its pull. The waterfall roared, shrouding the afternoon sky with a cloudy mist. The man that was sitting in the waterfall possessed dark blue hair that was wet with liquid…and his skin was of a paler shade of blue. _So…it seems the rumors are true._ His green eyes – he had now started to wear colored contact lenses as a precaution – narrowed. _Are those…gills?_

"_Three months had passed since my meeting with Orochimaru. My travels had brought me to one of the fabled Seven Swordsmen of the Mist."_

The blue-skinned man suddenly pulled his right hand out of the river. In his palm was a large blade, wrapped in white bandages. The swordsman growled, "What's your business?"

Mantarou stopped. "Hoshigaki Kisame?"

"Answer the question."

_Not one to play around._ "I'll be short and to the point; I'm looking for members for my organization. I'm looking for criminals, to be blunt…and you've recently become an S-Class criminal after your attempted coup."

Kisame snorted. "It was that damned Goukamaru's fault, not mine." Goukamaru had also been one of the Seven Swordsmen; going by the name of the Double-Blade, he wielded two swords in combat: Mugenjin of the Blood Flame and Chaketsu the Chakra Blade. Despite Goukamaru's own followers, the coup had failed. And Kisame had left, branded an S-Class criminal. "I tried to tell him that he didn't have enough manpower…but nooooo…and it ruined my rep too."

"Your reputation was hardly better. You assassinated various lords and noblemen, including the ruler of the Water Country. Also, judging from what I've heard, you had a tendency to slice your comrades in two."

Kisame suddenly grinned, revealing sharp teeth…like those of a shark. "Well, those who fell to my blade were fools to begin with."

Mantarou felt an odd shiver run down his spine. He ignored it; he could worry about his own conscience when he had the time. "Even so, you were one of the Seven Mist Swordsmen. Your knowledge of the Hidden Mist and the Water Country is paramount…and I'm sure you still have contacts. I could use those contacts."

"So that's it, eh?" Kisame grinned as he stood; he was bare from the waist up, wearing only black pants. His body was lined with muscles. "You just want a little power buddy…well what do YOU have to offer? Money? Influence?" He paused. "You know…JUST SHOW ME!" He leapt forward at high speed.

One second was all it would've taken to eviscerate Mantarou from head-to-toe.

Mantarou was still faster.

"I offer you the guarantee that I won't kill you." Twenty chakra tendrils had emerged from his body, wrapping around the limbs of Kisame. His blade was in midair, still in mid-swing. "But it would be wise not to do that again."

Kisame visibly paled. "…what the…?"

"I possess three Biju. I'm sure even you have heard of them." Mantarou calmly let the befuddled Kisame down, speaking as he did. "I need two more…and then my plan to cleanse this world will be complete."

"Cleansing, eh?" repeated Kisame, now starting to sound a bit interested. "Well…that sounds like a lot of fun. This place has become boring anyway." He ran a hand through his slick, dark blue hair, droplets dripping down his body.

Mantarou quickly asked, "What's with your body?"

The swordsman grinned a wicked grin. "Well…got badly wounded during my escape from the Mist. I summoned a shark demon who owed me a few favors…so he sacrificed himself to merge his spirit with my body, turning me into this blue beasty you see here." He then hefted up his blade. "I took the skin off his dead corpse, dried it, and wrapped it around my blade. I call it Samehada…Shark Skin."

Mantarou briefly felt the urge to slice Kisame from head to toe. _So he's merged himself with a demon…hmph._ He controlled himself. It wouldn't do him any good to fight now. "Then let us go. I have a list of potential members that I still need to go through."

As the two walked on, Kisame asked, "What's the name of your organization?"

"Haven't quite thought of one yet; I'll have to ask Orochimaru if he's gotten any ideas since I last saw him."

Kisame blinked. "Orochimaru? One of those Legendary Sannin from the Hidden Leaf?" His grin morphed into a larger one. "Well…this IS interesting…"

"_And that's how it happened. Hoshigaki Kisame became a member of Akatsuki. I found two more afterwards…and it was two months later when all members held our first meeting…"_

A cave in the River Country. Its entrance was sealed by a gigantic boulder.

Inside sat five people.

Mantarou. Orochimaru. Kisame. Kakuzu. Hidan.

"Welcome," said Mantarou, his body hidden in the darkness. They sat around a round table, carved from the hard rock in the dark cavern. "Orochimaru of the Leaf. Kisame of the Mist. Kakuzu of the Waterfall. Hidan of the Grass."

Kisame chuckled. "Pretty dark, don't you think?"

A small tendril of chakra slithered from Mantarou, its tip widening into a large sphere. The entire cavern was eliminated…and it could be seen that all five men were wearing black cloaks, with red clouds on them.

"Versatile," muttered Kakuzu, his deep and throaty voice sounding distinctive in the dimness. With the cloak – along with the white hood and Waterfall hitai-ate – only his eyes and nose could be seen. And in the darkness, it was hard to make out those oddly colored eyes.

"Interesting new clothes," remarked Hidan, his neatly combed silver hair and red eyes standing out against his black-and-red cloud cloak.

"I've finally come up with a name. Orochimaru commissioned someone in the nearest town to make these." Mantarou glanced at the yellow-eyed Sannin briefly. "I'm sure you all know now of this organization's goal."

The other four were silent. They all knew what the goal was. They had all seen the statue of the golem in that dark, deep cave in the Fire Country. They all knew what it was for.

A ritual. It possessed five eyes. Five eyes for five Biju.

The Leader would sacrifice himself to the statue, releasing the five demons he would have sealed within him. Their power combined would unleash itself across the world, unleashing a cataclysm of mythic proportions…and then the five demons themselves would be unleashed…and they would no longer be able to be bound within a vessel, due to the ritual.

The five Biju would destroy the world in fire…and the darkness of humanity would be wiped away…for mankind would have to unite to save themselves and the world. To destroy the five Tailed Demons, they would have to unite their strength to kill them.

A cleansing, of sorts. A chance to start over.

That was their goal.

"Then there are no objections?"

There was no answer.

_Good_, thought Mantarou with a smile, his blue eyes glimmering in the dark. "Then it is done. To find the two Great Tailed Demons that we need, we must grow…this organization must spread itself farther. We must have people searching high and low…and once all five are gathered, the world shall be born anew through the blood of the old…and we will bring about that world's dawn…for we are **_Akatsuki_**."

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

"And that is how Akatsuki was born," said Mantarou.

Silence. Overwhelming silence.

And, in the case of Uzumaki Naruto, unbelievable rage. "That's….that's…THAT'S…your BIG PLAN? **TO KILL EVERYTHING?**" The anger in Naruto vaulted to even greater heights. All that pain – stupid sob story; he bet Mantarou lied about the whole thing – for THIS? "You…how dare you…HOW DARE-!"

An orange fist slammed into his face. It was fast, and unexpected. It had little force; it was more akin to a slap in its power. If anything, it only made Naruto confused.

Mantarou sighed. "The plan I told them was a lie."

Naruto and the others blinked.

"My REAL plan…well, you'll find out about it soon enough." Mantarou sighed as the orange fist receded into his aura. "I had to lie to them. My real plan is a bit more…'high-risk'…and 'selfish', you might say. I had to give them something that would appeal to them…my real plan either wouldn't appeal to them, or it would appeal to them TOO MUCH. It was a delicate balancing act that I had to play, all those years…carefully hiding the truth, yet acting as if the lie was reality…" He briefly chuckled. "It's no surprise Orochimaru left Akatsuki ten months after its creation…to be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if he already knew the truth when I spoke to him, and just didn't care."

"That sounds like him," muttered Jiraiya. It definitely would not have been surprising if Orochimaru had willingly joined Akatsuki just for the funds and notoriety it would bring him in the criminal underworld. It certainly allowed him a lot more leeway in terms of getting his 'Sound Country' recognized…after all, who wants to mess with someone who had a connection with Akatsuki?

Naruto snorted. _Power-hungry monster…he's not a father._

**LIKE YOU WOULD KNOW. YOU NEVER GREW UP WITH ONE.**

_Exactly my point!_

**YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ORPHAN. BESIDES, I'M JUST TICKLED BY THIS FELLOW.**

_How come?_

**NO REASON. BUT HE IS MAKING YOU ANGRY. THAT ALONE IS ENOUGH.**

Naruto ignored the fox, hardening his gaze at Mantarou. "Keep going."

"Very well." Mantarou sighed as he thought back. "Orochimaru had left out of the blue; I couldn't afford to let my hold over the organization seem lax…so I put a death notice on Orochimaru's head. Should he ever be seen, he was to be killed. Over the next two years, two more members joined us: Koumorimaru and Yagami Hiroto. It was in the third year of Akatsuki's existence that Toya Shuu joined our ranks, bringing the grand total up to seven full-time members…but that was also the year where I had to make…an example…"

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Secret Cavern, River Country/

Uzumaki Mantarou sat quietly in the darkness, his mind poring over the details of Akatsuki's operations. Kisame was seeing to a soldier pill smuggling ring (how ironic) in the Lightning Country, making sure the funds went to the right place and the right people. Koumorimaru and Yagami Hiroto were currently escorting Toya Shuu to this cavern, so that he could meet the Leader face-to-face. As for Kakuzu and Hidan…

Mantarou frowned. Those two were becoming a problem.

"_It had come to my attention that Kakuzu had too much of a taste for money…and Hidan was rather crazy. He apparently was a member of a religion called Jashin…and it had become apparent that he was far too 'zealous'."_

The Leader sighed, his thoughts briefly becoming jumbled. Such a dark side humanity possessed…and often, he felt as if he had been cutting himself, merely by association. But he had no choice.

He might not survive another confrontation with a Tailed Demon that had not been placed in a vessel…and he had to be blunt; eventually, had he continued on as he had, he would've encountered a number of ANBU or Hunter-nin…eventually.

He couldn't risk it. He couldn't risk falling to death until his mission was complete.

Then his eyes – colored brown by contact lenses – fell upon Kakuzu and Hidan. "Hello there."

"You wanted to speak to us?" asked Kakuzu.

Mantarou stood up; in the darkness of the cavern, the three were little more than silhouettes. "Yes…Kakuzu, why have you been siphoning funds away from our operations?"

Kakuzu blinked. "Hmm?"

"Don't play dumb," muttered Mantarou, a low growl in his voice. "I know that you've been divvying up the money we've been raising with our smuggling, money-laundering, and weapon-supplying operations, among other things. I don't take kindly to someone using Akatsuki for their own selfish needs. You had no intention of searching for Biju at all…correct?"

Kakuzu snorted. "And even so?"

Mantarou turned his gaze to Hidan. "As for you…I'm tiring of you altogether."

The silver-haired man frowned. "How come?"

"Whenever you go out on a mission…or ANY assignment for that matter…people wind up dead."

"So?" Hidan snorted. "Don't tell me our dear Leader is averse to killing."

"Not at all," remarked Mantarou. "I just get disturbed when I find out that when I send you out on a mission to eradicate a rival gang in Kumogakure, an entire city block ends up being annihilated. Then I start getting angry when I find out that instead of gleaning intelligence about Sawagakure's top-secret 'rifle' weaponry, civilians are massacred. Then…when I discover an entire hospital of wounded and dying people is utterly erased…during the pursuit of an informant…I just get furious."

Kakuzu and Hidan were silent. The frustration and killing intent was evident in their eyes.

Mantarou sighed as his aura began to grow. "I will not tolerate people like you. Orochimaru escaped without warning…which is why he still lives. But you two won't be so lucky."

Hidan quietly pulled his trademark weapon out of his cloak: a three-bladed scythe. Kakuzu merely punched a stalagmite, shattering it into dust. Out of all of Akatsuki, Kakuzu's physical strength was the greatest. There was also his special technique: a Bloodline Limit that enabled him to take the hearts out of fallen shinobi to use their elemental alignment to his advantage.

"So you intend to fight for your lives…" Mantarou sighed as the two charged, knowing that they would die if they fled…so they gambled their chances on battle. "This is going to get messy."

"_Thirty minutes later, Koumorimaru and Hiroto arrived with our newest member."_

The sealed boulder was rolled away as Koumorimaru and Hiroto calmly floated inside on a canoe. Toya Shuu – his body seemingly merged with a giant Venus' flytrap – stood behind them. "So this is your headquarters…?"

"Yes," remarked Hiroto. "There was an older base in the Fire Country, but we have been using this one since before I and Koumorimaru even joined."

"I see…" whispered Toya Shuu. He was eager to see this 'Leader'…

As the boulder closed behind them, the smell of blood suddenly assaulted their noses. Orange light suddenly emerged in the cavern.

Mantarou stood there. He was doing far better than the two piles of blood and flesh that lay near him. They had been completely shredded into pieces. Blood stained the Leader's cloak: the blood of Kakuzu and Hidan.

Koumorimaru blanched. "What the…?"

"This is the fate of those whose interests clash with those of Akatsuki. Orochimaru fled before I could make an example of him…so Hidan and Kakuzu had to learn the hard way." He glared at the three S-Class criminals. "I will not suffer those whose goal does not fall in line with Akatsuki's goal. Understand?"

Silence. Koumorimaru and Yagami Hiroto were shocked into silence. Not since they had first met the Leader – and had bore witness to the three demon seals and the massive power it gave him – had the felt such fear.

Oddly enough, it was Ogi-Daimyou who broke the silence. **"One who does not permit fools…one who does not permit insubordinates…that's practical. Pragmatic. I like this man Shuu."**

"Especially considering his goal," muttered Shuu in a whispery tone.

Mantarou looked at Toya Shuu…along with the Plant Lord merged with his body. "So you are the new member from the Hidden Grass?"

Shuu nodded.

"I'll speak with you once I get this mess cleaned up."

"**Allow us to take care of that,"** said Ogi-Daimyou as Shuu stepped forward. Mantarou was silent as he watched the two.

Then he blinked when he saw what happened next. _Huh. So Shuu's twist is cannibalism…_

Once again, his soul was feeling inklings of being overwhelmed by the darkness he was submerging himself in.

He ignored it.

"_That's how Toya Shuu joined the group…and how I solidified my position as Leader."_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

"Sometimes I wondered how things would have ended up, had I killed Orochimaru back then…" He sighed. "Oh well. Wondering about how things could have been is a waste of time."

Naruto arched an eyebrow. That was one of his hobbies…thinking. At least, when it came to his life. He often dreamt about how things might have changed…had things been different…

How things might have ended up had he stopped Sasuke from leaving…

How life might've changed had he noticed Hinata earlier…

How everything…would've been different, if the Kyuubi wasn't around…

**FOOL. YOU'LL NEVER BE RID OF ME.**

Naruto bitterly smirked. _Heh…I thought you hated my guts. I thought you wanted freedom._

**YES AND YES. BUT IF I'M FATED TO REMAIN WITH YOU, THEN I'LL MAKE A LIVING BY TORMENTING YOU.**

Naruto snorted. _Whatever. Doesn't matter now._ He turned his hard eyes back towards Mantarou. "Is that so?"

Mantarou nodded. "Because life is one-way. Ninja know this more than anything else…dwelling on past mistakes…and past sins…only because you want to change yourself more than anything else…is a waste. We are who we are…and all we can do is learn from the past. Nothing more."

His family's death.

Rin's death.

His decision to flee Konoha…thinking his child was dead…

No. NO.

He couldn't think back now, about how things might have been different. There was only now, the present.

But it DID remind him of something…

"I'm sure you're curious as to how I learned that you still lived Naruto." Mantarou briefly glanced at the others. Their eyes were focused. They were listening intently, soaking up every word. "It was five years ago. By that time, Deidara of the Hidden Stone, Sasori of the Hidden Sand, and Akira of the Hidden Waterfall had become members of Akatsuki. It was on that day that we obtained a new member…Uchiha Itachi."

Sasuke's eyes suddenly focused even more.

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Secret Cavern, River Country/

Akatsuki's Leader was afraid of very little. The only thing he feared was to lose more of his loved ones.

A hard fear to be exploited when all of your loved ones were dead.

But he was almost willing to put red eyes on his list of fears.

Itachi's eyes were cold and soulless. Empty. There was nothing there, other than an internal drive to grow stronger…for no other reason other than to BE strong.

Mantarou recalled that this boy was only 13. How old was he now? _Ten years since I left Konoha…so I'm 26. Or was it 27?_

How funny. He'd forgotten his own birthday.

"Well Mantarou, what do you think?" asked Kisame. Standing beside Itachi were Kisame and Fujiwara Akira, trying his best to read _Icha Icha Paradise_ in the dim light that Mantarou's aura was providing. "He's quite skilled…extremely so. Took out his whole damn clan in one night."

Mantarou's eyes narrowed.

"There was one left," corrected Itachi.

Mantarou was silent.

"Crap it all, can't even read the friggin' text," grumbled Akira as he pocketed the book. "Yeah, anyhow…scary red Sharingan, clan-killer, creepy kid, yadda yadda etcetera etcetera. Summarized in whole. Can we go now? I want to start the mission and get it over with."

Mantarou was silent. The mission.

"_All of our hard work over the years was finally getting somewhere. Our intelligence network had become vast…and it had led us to a Jinchuriki in the Hidden Cloud. Apparently, the Cloud was determined to not let the same thing happen to her what had happened to Ryu."_

"Yes…" Mantarou looked at Itachi quietly, asking, "You have been made aware of Akatsuki's goal, I presume?"

"Yes…" Itachi answered calmly. "I am aware of your goal."

Mantarou was silent. Very silent.

Then, he said, "Good. Kisame, Akira…go get him his new wardrobe and meet at the designated place. I'll be there shortly."

The three members of Akatsuki calmly turned away, leaving Mantarou alone in the dark. After a few minutes passed, Mantarou sighed. "Itachi is frightening…he already knows that my real goal is different than what has been said…those eyes can see deeply…can't they Orochimaru?"

Silence.

Then chuckling.

"Ku ku ku ku ku…" The pale-faced Sannin smiled as he stepped out from the shadows, yellow eyes peering at Mantarou. "How'd you guess?"

"Even though you suppressed your chakra…you're too close. I managed to sense you…and I wouldn't be surprised if Itachi knew you were here as well."

Orochimaru grinned. "I know. He is quite talented…very talented…which is why I'm here. I'm in need of a new body, and his will be quite…suitable for me."

Mantarou nearly snorted; Orochimaru's lust for immortality was disgusting. What was the point of life if it never ended? What was the point if you would end up outlasting the ones closest to you? Mantarou's eyes narrowed at the sight of Orochimaru's Akatsuki cloak. "You still have that cloak, even after you abandoned Akatsuki?"

"I'd like to think that I was just on an extended leave," replied Orochimaru with a twisted smirk. "I was never aware my membership had an expiration date. Besides, I have returned to this organization for one reason only."

"To obatin Itachi's body under the guise of an equally-ranked member of Akatsuki, correct?" Mentally, the Leader cursed; he hadn't gone over past members and the current rank structure with Itachi yet. For all he knew, Orochimaru would pass himself off as a member who had just returned from a mission of great importance, all for the sake of Itachi's body.

He didn't feel like figuring out Orochimaru's individual twists. He didn't have the stomach for it.

"Exactly. But just to let you know…I'm here for something else too."

Mantarou arched an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"I take it you are about to make a move against the vessel of Yonbi no Jaitaka, correct?" asked Orochimaru. "Well…I'm here to make sure you don't make any moves against Ichibi no Shukaku."

Mantarou frowned. "You must mean Gaara, the vessel of the One Tail. Why?"

Orochimaru smiled slyly. "I have plans involving that boy that come to fruition in about, oh, say…two years. I don't want him to meet any unfortunate 'accidents', until then."

The message had been sent; Orochimaru was obviously ready to begin his takeover of Konoha. With the help of Akatsuki so many years ago, Orochimaru had gotten enough of a boost to completely legitimize both Otogakure and the Sound Country within the eyes of other nations. And it was all just a ploy to eventually conquer and destroy Konoha.

Konoha.

Mantarou's thoughts hadn't drifted to Konoha in some time. And for good reason.

He briefly considered stopping Orochimaru in his ambitions. Stopping him from destroying Konoha, his second home.

Then he wondered what was left of his second home. There was no one there that would make it his home. The Yondaime. Rin. His child.

Mantarou snorted, bringing his mind back to the present. "And if I refuse?"

"I thought you'd say that…" Orochimaru pulled out two objects from his large, flowing sleeves.

A scroll, bearing the characters for 'Yellow Flash'.

And several papers stapled together, looking decidedly fresher than the scroll.

Mantarou blinked. "What the-?"

"These papers describe the Jinchuriki that the Leaf possesses," said Orochimaru. "And the scroll…details how that Jinchuriki came to be."

Mantarou felt an odd sense of foreboding. A Jinchuriki? From Konoha? He had seen no reports of a demon there…and the last demon that had attacked was the Nine Tails…

"In return for these items, you won't lay a hand on the brat from the Sand for at least two years. After that, I don't care what happens to him." Orochimaru grinned, his yellow eyes gleaming in the dim light of Mantarou's aura. "So…what will it be?"

Mantarou, feeling curious for the first time in a long time, merely nodded.

"I'll take that as a yes." Orochimaru tossed the two items to Mantarou. The Leader casually brightened his aura, looking at the first page of the documents. He saw a picture of someone…with blonde hair and blue eyes!

His eyes bugged out. _FATHER?_

No…not father. The hair was too short. And the person was just a boy…but the hair…and the EYES…they looked so alike…

Then he saw the name under the picture.

**UZUMAKI NARUTO**

"Uzumaki Naruto…?" The color drained from Mantarou's face. "How…HOW…?"

"Uzumaki Keihan," said Orochimaru, out of the blue. "Arguably the ninja with the most knowledge of seals in the world. And of course, there's Uzumaki Naruto, whose mother and father are – officially, mind you – unknown…considering the three Tailed Demons sealed in your body, your tremendous knowledge of seals, Naruto's uncanny resemblance to Keihan, and the fact that you were in Konoha shortly before the boy's birth…it wasn't hard to connect the dots."

"_Orochimaru had figured it out. He had figured out my whole name…probably long before. Probably before I even met him face to face…"_

Orochimaru chuckled as Mantarou kept reading. "I think I'll take my leave now…and see if Itachi wishes to join me. Have fun. Ku ku ku…" The snake-esque Sannin continued to chuckle as he walked away, leaving the Leader of Akatsuki alone.

The Leader continued to read, his eyes slowly widening with each page turned. Pain gripped his heart as he read about the public's perception of this boy. _They…detest him…they see him as the demon…_

And the fact that the Nine Tailed Demon Fox was the demon in question…was a horrendous blow. Not only had the demon not been killed as he had thought (and really, he shouldn't have been surprised; a Great Tailed Demon being killed was unheard of…but being sealed? Definitely.)…but he had left Konoha, thinking that his child had died with Rin…but no. That wasn't how it happened…

_He was alive…_

Mantarou's teeth clenched as he read the Fourth's journal. His account of how Naruto was born…and what Rin had said…

_Rin cursed him to a life as a Jinchuriki…_

His blue eyes started to dilate.

…_because she thought I would be there for him…_

A lone tear came down from his right eye. A tear? Was he, the Leader of Akatsuki, **CRYING?**

…_but I wasn't there…_

He was. Because he had been made aware…of something horrible.

…_I wasn't there for him…_

His son was alive. His son was a Jinchuriki…

…_I wasn't there…!_

…and that meant that, one day…he would be forced into conflict with him. **_With his own son._**

_I WASN'T THERE!_

Then, Mantarou's world vanished in a flash of rage and sorrow. A flash of orange.

"_When I next became aware of myself…the entire cavern had been incinerated. And Sasori and Deidara had come to check out the disturbance."_

"Leader."

Mantarou raised his head. The sky was suddenly visible…and the entire cavern was gone. So was the mountain it was in. Deidara and Sasori were both standing in front of him, looking rather perturbed.

"The two of us were heading for the designated place for the mission when we saw this upsurge of orange chakra coming from the hideout," said Sasori. "Deidara and I came to investigate."

"Heh…looks like a tornado came through…yeah." The white-haired woman glanced at their Leader. "So…what's the deal?"

Mantarou was silent. Then he calmly pocketed both the scroll and the papers within his cloak. "We'll need to relocate to our old base in the Fire Country after this mission." He said nothing else, walking past the two confused members.

But judging by the look of anger on his face, it would be wise not to upset him further.

_"I tried to push the thoughts of my son out of my head as the nine of us journeyed toward the Lightning Country. There was a Tailed Demon to procure."_

In the Lightning Country, the nine members of Akatsuki quietly stood within the wet forest. A thick blanket of mist was already hanging in the air; it was a result of Hoshigaki Kisame's **_Kirigakure no jutsu_**.

Mantarou glanced at Yagami Hiroto and Koumorimaru. They had already transformed into their altered forms of rock and bat, respectively.

He glanced at Toya Shuu. He – with the aid of Ogi-Daimyou, had already merged with the vegetation. It was a distinctive ability of his; Ogi-Daimyou could literally meld with the soil and leap from plant to plant, one cell at a time. The trick was that the soil had to be fertile and full of nutrients, otherwise he would wither away during the process (either that, or only if the plants in question were physically touching each other). The black-and-white face of Shuu peered out from a thick tree trunk. "I've already scouted ahead. Along with the Jinchuriki, there are at least fifteen Jonin. All of them are ANBU."

Akira chuckled. "Fifteen, eh? Might be tight."

"They're not going to make the same mistakes as last time," stated Mantarou as he stared at Deidara and Akasun Sasori. The former was feeding clay into the mouths in her palms, while the latter had taken off his cloak, revealing his massively altered (one could say 'puppified') body.

Akira couldn't help himself. "Eeeeew."

Sasori and Deidara snorted. _What a child_, they thought simultaneously.

Mantarou glanced at Kisame and Itachi. The former held the grip of Samehada tightly. The latter had already called upon the Sharingan.

They were ready.

"Let us proceed," remarked Mantarou as the nine disappeared.

Minutes passed. Sixteen people passed through the now-misty forest. Fifteen Kumo-nin, all Jonin. All of them wearing the distinctive mask of an ANBU soldier.

And one Jinchuriki, a girl no older than 18. She was the vessel of Jaitaka, the Four Tails.

In one instant, hidden by the blanket of mist, an ANBU was beheaded by a blade of steam. Blood gushed from his neck.

"Ooh. Nice touch."

With Akira's sarcastic remark, the other eight S-Class criminals leapt into action. The fourteen remaining ANBU and the Jinchuriki impulsively leapt into battle.

The sounds of struggle lasted for the better part of the day, and it ended up stretching over ten miles.

_"For all the fighting we did…"_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

"…it was all for naught." Mantarou grinned bitterly. "That fool…the Jinchuriki ended up releasing the Four Tails before she could be caught."

A wave of shock went through the ninja gathered around. A demon vessel that had freed the demon within!

"Jaitaka. The Giant Falcon Demon. He escaped back to his own realm, moving beyond our grasp. All that preparation, and that foolish girl releases the Tailed Demon back into the world." He briefly snorted. Such stupidity. Such foolishness.

**NOW THAT GIRL HAD SENSE. WHY CAN'T YOU BE MORE LIKE HER AND SET ME FREE?**

_Feh._ That was Naruto's only response. Because he was too busy thinking about Mantarou's response to when he had found out about the fact that his son was still alive.

If so…then why? Why continue on being Akatsuki's Leader? Why not just drop it all…and come back?

"Why?"

Everyone turned to look at Naruto, his demonic face clenched into an expression of confusion and frustration. "Why didn't you just drop Akatsuki? Why not come back? It would've made a difference…if you had come back…things…might have been better…"

Mantarou was silent. Once again, his heart wrenched with compassion for his son's suffering. Suffering he too had endured.

But he couldn't give in. He could not…and he would not.

"Because I was afraid."

Everyone paused at the odd smile on Mantarou's face. It was odd, in the sense that it shouldn't have existed. He was smiling when he had no reason to.

"I was afraid of how you would react…of how I would react. I wondered whether I would be able to face you, knowing you were a Jinchuriki…so I chose the most logical course of action. To simply not take a chance." Mantarou sighed. "Understand that I have lived the life of a demon slayer that knows the taint of demons. I know the suffering of what Jinchuriki go through…which is why I always feel compelled to kill them, to end their suffering once and for all."

Naruto snorted angrily at his 'father'. "So what? Life ALWAYS has suffering. We make bad choices, we suffer for it. But that's what life is! To endure suffering and become stronger for it! Ask Kakashi-sensei, Tsunade-sama, Bushy-Brows, Neji-san, Hinata-chan…heck, ask Sasuke-dumbass!"

"Hey now," grumbled Sasuke with a frown. "Watch who you're calling a dumbass, dumbass."

"Whatever Sasuke-nimrod, but my point still stands!" Naruto clenched his fist, his three tails and red aura flaring brightly. "We ninja…we shinobi suffer too. We get honed in fire, and we become stronger for it. We don't back down from challenges…because that's the way of the ninja. _And that's **MY** ninja way!_"

Jiraiya grinned. _That idiot sure knows how to talk._

Tsunade smirked. She had been right to give him the amulet of the Shodai Hokage.

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. The blonde loudmouth had come a long way since his days as a Genin of Team Seven. _Though, he is 'technically' still a Genin._ The Jonin sweatdropped at that; _How unfortunate._

Kibamaru snorted out of respect. "And to think that dope was once dead last in class…"

"**OOOOOOOOOOOOOH!"** roared Rock Lee. "NARUTO-KUN, YOUR YOUTHFUL SPIRIT IS LIKE A BLOOMING FLOWER IN THE INFERNO! A FLOWER THAT STANDS DESPITE THE FLAMES!"

Neji glanced at his teammate. _Why must he be so overdramatic?_

Hinata smiled at Naruto's words. Even now, despite all of the revelations of Akatsuki's Leader…despite all of the old wounds that were being opened up (and, in some cases, new wounds being made), he still stood strong. He still stood high. Despite his 'curse'…he still stood tall. _I once called you a proud failure…Naruto-kun, you can hardly be considered a failure now, can you…?_

Uzumaki Mantarou stared at the people supporting his son. _Naruto must have done something big to make so many allies…so many friends._

It was a shame he would probably end up extinguishing Naruto's 'inferno', as the oddly dressed Chuunin had put it. "That may be so…but some sufferings…some pains…were not meant to be experienced…by the living, or the dead."

Naruto didn't have an answer to that.

**HE'S RIGHT YOU KNOW.**

_Eh? Don't tell me you agree with him!_

**OF COURSE. AFTER ALL, HAVING YOU AS A VESSEL IS A PUNISHMENT BEFITTING OF NO ONE. IT'S FAR TOO HARSH FOR A MERE DEMON FOX.**

_HEY!_

**HU HU HU.**

"In any case…" Mantarou continued on. "After the failure with the Four Tails, I realized that we would have to set things on our terms…to help ensure a successful capture. So I traveled to a volcano in the Water Country, obtaining large amounts of obsidian with the aid of Hiroto and Kisame. I'm sure you know what I ended up using it for."

"The Obsidian Seal," remarked Sasuke.

Mantarou nodded. "The obsidian was crunched together and shaved into a circular sheet that was over two hundred feet in diameter. I then used red dye to draw a seal on there of my own design…the **_Koukisoutei Seishoufuu_**: Final Binding Energy Seal. As long as chakra was supplied to it, it would hold prisoner the two bound within its center. Those two, I have to say, ended up becoming Gaara and Naruto…or so we had hoped. The seal would have reacted to the light of a solar eclipse, breaking the seals upon Gaara and Naruto's bodies. The spirits of the Kyuubi and the Ichibi would have been ripe for the taking."

"Cept' there was one problem. **_YOU WEREN'T EVEN FRICKEN THERE!_**" roared Naruto.

"Ah yes…that day." Mantarou thought back to the day when Akatsuki had departed on their mission…three days before the Kazekage was kidnapped by Deidara…"

xxxx

/Mantarou's Flashback/

/Secret Cavern, Fire Country/

Mantarou calmly stared at the massive statue of the golem. It was the final key to his plan. The sound of rushing water – coming from an underground river that ran all the way to the ocean to the east – filtered through a tremendous tunnel in the cavern.

"I discovered this so long ago…" muttered Mantarou. "To think it's finally about to come true…"

_"I had discovered that statue years ago, when I was a mere lad of eleven…that was the time when my plan came to mind…when it gave me a mission to claim five Tailed Demons…"_

Mantarou's aura widened, passing through the eight S-Class criminals gathered before him. The entire cavern was lit.

Hoshigaki Kisame.

Koumorimaru.

Yagami Hiroto.

Toya Shuu.

Fujiwara Akira.

Deidara.

Akasun Sasori.

Uchiha Itachi.

"Do I REALLY have to carry this whole thing?" grumbled Akira, his sweat glands having sprouted multiple arms to carry the Obsidian Seal.

"Stop complaining you lecher," grumbled Koumorimaru.

"Awww, don't be so harsh," replied Akira.

"Everyone."

The eight became silent, staring at their Leader.

"We have been patient for five years, training and becoming stronger for this day. Orochimaru failed with his invasion of Konoha, but the vessel of the One Tail still survived…he has since become close friends with the vessel of the Nine Tails. It should only take a mere note to lure the Yondaime's Legacy to Sunagakure."

The eight nodded.

"It should take you no more than three days to reach the Hidden Sand's outskirts. Deidara will then proceed to capture the Kazekage; her talents will be best suited for this endeavor." Mantarou momentarily paused as the white-haired woman grinned. "Akira will then erect a barrier over Sunagakure to prevent any assistance from arriving from the Sand. At the same time, the strongest Nukenin under our command will attack Konoha, to prevent any assistance from arriving from the Leaf." The Leader turned his back towards the eight, staring at the statue. "I will complete the preparations for the Konoha assault on my own. I should be there by the time the Kyuubi's vessel arrives."

He turned back towards them. "The world will soon be cleansed. This is what we've all been working for. Now let us prepare for the dawning of a new world."

The eight nodded. The other members of Akatsuki began walking away, the light becoming dimmer all the while as Mantarou's aura receded.

Finally, everything was dark, save for Mantarou himself.

Then, he asked, "Something else, Itachi?"

"Your real plan. Tell me."

The Leader sighed. "You want to know now, is that it?"

"You intended to kill us all once you gathered all five, correct?"

"Correct. I have no need for Akatsuki once I gain the last two. Hiroto, Koumorimaru, and Shuu were probably the only members of Akatsuki who I could sympathize with most…after all, they truly want a world where darkness does not reign. But striking at humanity will not be the final answer. The final answer is the destruction of all demons…that is my true plan."

Itachi is silent. "Tell me the specifics."

Mantarou was silent. Then, he relented. "Very well."

"_So I told him."_

Uchiha Itachi quietly glanced down at the ground. Then, he raised his head. "I will not tell the others. In exchange-"

"I know," interrupted Mantarou. "You do not have to say. I know you continually seek to test your power…going so far as to kill all but one of your kin. It always mystified me as to why."

Uchiha Itachi answered without hesitation. "I killed them all to test myself. I left my little brother alive because he's the only one who can kill me. Simple as that."

Mantarou arched an eyebrow. _Twisted logic._

Itachi calmly tossed Mantarou a small scroll. "Read it and you'll know who it's for." The Uchiha calmly walked away to join the other eight, speaking as he strode. "I'll be seeing you soon."

Uzumaki Mantarou was silent. Then he read the scroll.

And he understood. The words were not specific, and they were not for him.

But he could see underneath the underneath.

"Hmm." He rolled it up and pocketed it. "The twists to madmen are often so simple…truly a shame for such a child to endure that." But then again, it seemed as though children suffered all the time in the world.

His plan would seek to mitigate that suffering.

Without saying another word, Mantarou plucked at the strands of hair gathered by his chakra aura when it had expanded to light the room (it had been tricky with Hiroto, considering his baldness, but he still had hairs on the arms and legs. It had been simple to wiggle a tiny strand into the clothing and pluck one out.). He pulled out eight kunai knives.

He performed **_Ukiyoenka no jutsu_** on each one. One for each of the eight.

They shined brightly.

Then he spent the next two days preparing the Nukenin assault.

Then he returned to the secret cavern…and waited. He stared at the eight kunai intently, forgetting about the green contact lenses he had placed in his eyes.

He could've been at the Sand by now. His talents could've allowed him to make gigantic legs…legs with a stride that would've traversed miles in seconds.

But no…he decided to wait. He decided to procrastinate.

Because he was uncertain.

He was uncertain of how he would react around Naruto.

So he spent the next four days waiting…and waiting…and waiting…mentally weighing the pros and cons of going.

Then, on the sixth day, Kisame's kunai went dull.

Uzumaki Mantarou paused. A member of Akatsuki had fallen. _But to who?_

Next was Sasori. Then Deidara.

Hiroto. Shuu. Koumorimaru.

Only Akira and Itachi were left.

_How?_ Mantarou was utterly flabbergasted. Even if – and this was assuming that Gaara had even managed to escape! – their foes were two Jinchuriki, this was Akatsuki! Eight S-Class criminals!

And all but two were dead.

Mantarou stared at the two knives. It was almost sundown. The eclipse would occur soon. He had to be there for the event…otherwise, the Obsidian Seal would be useless. He would be unable to seal the two Biju's spirits into his body.

He frowned. Going at maximum stride, he could make it to Sunagakure in less than two hours.

He should go. He SHOULD go.

But he didn't.

He just couldn't.

And eventually, the kunai of both Itachi and Akira were snuffed out.

"…so Akatsuki has fallen." Mantarou merely sighed. Over a decade of work…only to have it all unravel in a day.

_"But it wasn't so bad…"_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Present Day/

"The battle against Akatsuki was a hidden blessing in disguise. Their deaths served one unseen purpose…" He glanced at Naruto. "They weakened you. Shukaku and Gaara were not at full strength when they fought me. Even now, the Kyuubi has yet to recover fully from the battle with Akatsuki. Same for you, Naruto."

**HMPH. ARROGANT FOOL. THINKS HE KNOWS EVERYTHING.**

_For once, I agree with you._ Naruto bared his teeth at the brown-haired man. "All the work going into Akatsuki…Akatsuki caused a lot of suffering, you know."

"I'm aware. That is only another burden on my shoulders." The Leader clenched his fists. "I fight, knowing that I'm damned. I live, knowing that I am damned. In the end, when I die…oblivion awaits me. No peaceful afterlife. You may revile, but for the future, I bleed. For the future, I plunge myself into darkness, affecting the present. A harsh price…but it's one I'm willing to pay."

No one said a word.

Suddenly, Mantarou reached into his cloak, pulling out the scroll Itachi had given him. "For you." He tossed it at Sasuke, who caught it in one hand. "It might enlighten you as to your brother's motivations."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. _Motivations?_ Now his curiosity was piqued. Infinitely. He would have to read this once he got back to Konoha. _But what would Itachi have to say to me?_

Uzumaki Mantarou sighed as he flexed his arms. He had closed the Initial Gate since the pause in the battle, to give his body time to relax. He needed every single moment he could get. "That's all there is to say. You know the rest…and you should know that I don't want to kill you. I managed to obtain Shukaku without killing Gaara…the same could be done for you. If you just give up…and let me take the Kyuubi. Please…don't make me kill you."

**HU HU HU. THAT FOOL THINKS WE'RE GULLIBLE.**

Naruto snorted, feeling his anger mount once more. Anger…hatred…because this man…WAS AKATSUKI'S LEADER!

"Stupid idiot."

Mantarou blinked.

"I don't buy a word of it…for one, I still don't know what the heck your true plan is. I'm still convinced that you're just some evil creep who wants the Tailed Demons to take over the world or some crap like that. You criminals seem to like that shtick…" Naruto grinned a feral grin, his canines looking sharp and absolutely deadly. "You? My father? No way. Not a chance. I don't buy it. I'll NEVER buy it.."

_He's in denial_, thought Kakashi with a frown. _Mantarou speaks the truth…but then again, in his position, I'd probably act the same._

Akatsuki's Leader sighed. It was sigh of regret…and of irritation. "Son-"

"_**DON'T CALL ME THAT!"**_

Naruto's roar was absolutely deadly in its ferocity and its intent to kill. "…Naruto…believe me or don't believe me. I don't care. But know this…my mission to save the world from the dark clutches of demonkind takes priority over everything else…and I mean EVERYTHING. If it comes down to it…**_I will not hesitate to kill you._**"

And the threat was made.

It made Naruto chuckle bitterly. "And that's precisely why…I don't believe you…" Red chakra began swirling around him as his anger soared. **_"BECAUSE A REAL FATHER DOESN'T TALK TO HIS SON LIKE THAT!"_**

Mantarou blinked as a shockwave slammed into him. The others flinched. Jiraiya could only frown. _Oh boy…here we go…_

In Naruto's mind, all was calm. _Hey. Damn fox._

**WHAT NOW?**

_Give me another tail._

**FOOL. YOU USED ALL NINE OF MY TAILS AGAINST AKATSUKI'S PERVERT. IT DIDN'T HELP. JUST SUMMON ME. IT'LL SAVE TIME.**

_No._

**HMM?**

_You…were holding back. You see…I can feel the power now…it's as much as I had at my disposal when I went all 'nine tails' on Akira. Pfft…you can't fool a prankster like me: you made the three tails look like nine. You were holding back just so I could summon you. Right?_

**…HU HU HU…SMART. A FOOL, BUT SMART ONCE IN A WHILE.**

Naruto grinned as he felt more power being supplied to his body. _Thanks…you throw rug._

**OH, DON'T THANK ME…I'LL BE CONTENT WITH WATCHING.**

Before Naruto could process the Kyuubi's statement, his mind was awash with power.

Another shockwave. Stronger. A miniature explosion.

Mantarou flinched as his senses tingled. _He's using another tail…_

When the smoke cleared, everyone blanched. Save for Jiraiya…because he had seen this before.

A body hunched over on all fours, covered in dark red fur the color of blood. Sharp black claws coming from paw-shaped feet and hands. Long, fox-like ears. Empty eyes, and a fanged maw. Also…four twitching tails. Unlike the last form…these were flesh and blood. And fur.

Mantarou frowned as he closed his eyes. "So this is what you choose…this is your choice…"

Naruto growled at Mantarou…then he leapt.

Mantarou's eyes snapped open. Any concern and worry was gone. Only cold-hearted rage and anger remained. **"THEN SO BE IT!"**

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**A High Stakes Battle; How Far Will Naruto Go?**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: And that's the last of the flashback chapters. Hope you all enjoyed the backstory (and the brief return of Akira. :P ), but now it's time for action! And shorter chapters. I hope you all took note of Kakuzu and Hidan's cameo from the manga. Just my way of acknowledging them. ;P

Anyhow, what do you all think of Mantarou so far?

See you soon, and please review!


	28. How Far Will Naruto Go?

Standard Disclaimer: The first…Disclaimer Gate…OPEN! I do not own Naruto!

Author's Notes: The battle between Naruto and Mantarou is about to reach its climax!

I have to say that despite the length of Mantarou's Tale, I'm glad I wrote it. It's important to pin down a villain's motivations, personality, and psychology. Especially when it's a 'big' villain like the Leader of Akatsuki.

I have to say that a deeper look at Mantarou's psychology (concerning his motivations, his own reasons for doing/not doing things, and even his outburst against Jiraiya's perverted comment about his night with Rin) will come up within the next few chapters, courtesy of our two favorite Sennin: the pervert and the Godaime.

In any case, I have this one thing to say (kudos to Neir for mentioning Mantarou being 'broken', as that's what I was going for); Mantarou is loco. I mean, he would be considered mentally disturbed on a tremendous level by most psychologists and psychiatrists. After all, he created a criminal organization on par with the real-life Mafia just because he didn't want to die against a Tailed Demon, thus risking an end to his 'mission'. That's a kind of crazy, when you think about it.

In any case, it's time to continue!

One last side note; I've come up with a perfect theme for Mantarou; 'Organization XIII' from Kingdom Hearts II. It's a somber and sorrowful tone, contains a foreboding element, and the underlying current of a menacing threat that _should not_ exist.

And also, I fixed something back in chapter 13; Gogyouarashi (Element Storm) should have shot out SEVEN elements (Earth, Water, Fire, Metal, Wood, Wind, and Lightning) instead of just the first five. At the time of Legacy's beginning, for elemental jutsu styles, I used the five elements from Chinese mythology. It was made clear in recent manga chapters, however, that the five elements in the Narutoverse are Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Lightning. And YET, Wood Element techniques have been used, so I have decided to use the two elements unique to Chinese mythology (Metal and Wood) along with the five canon elements. Just clarifying.

Make sre to read my reviewer replies in my forums. I have some answers for a lot of your major questions.

http(colon)/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/fr/74952/14/28/1/#794957

Begin!

xxxx

_**A High Stakes Battle; How Far Will Naruto Go?**_

xxxx

/Hospital, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Haruno Sakura looked at her childhood friend with worry. "Ino you porker…when are you going to wake up…?"

Yamanaka Ino remained silent, her eyes closed, her hair undone. She looked like just a normal girl, sleeping soundly…but she had seen something. Something horrible. Her **_Shintenshin no jutsu_** had caused her to see something that had been…inhuman.

Sakura wouldn't have been surprised; Akatsuki's Leader was bound to be inhuman (imagine if she had known the tale of Mantarou…).

Tsunade's apprentice quietly left Ino's side, heading for Akimichi Chouji's room. She looked inside, seeing Nara Shikamaru and Sarutobi Asuma beside him. The shock from his horrendous wounds was starting to subside (judging by the fact that he was asking Asuma for three steak dinners), but he would require some rest; it would take time for his body to replace the blood that had been lost.

Sakura walked further down the sterling white halls of the hospital, heading for the next room. TenTen had yet to awaken, due to the anesthetics she had been injected with; the blow to her torso from Mantarou's chakra battering ram had actually caused some internal bleeding. According to the initial diagnostic, some of her internal organs had shifted positions, and her stomach lining was on the verge of rupturing. It would take some surgery to realign her organs, and a large dose of healing chakra in order to heal her stomach lining. She was currently being watched over by Yuhi Kurenai, in place of Maito Gai.

Speaking of Maito Gai…

The pink-haired Chuunin walked down the hall again, walking up to the OR floor. She entered the viewing room, which was filled with two occupants: Shizune and Aburame Shino. They were staring through the large glass panel, examining the operation.

Matio Gai – out cold due to anesthetics – was lying prone on a table, his naked body surrounded by two medical ninja and three surgeons. Gai's legs – positioned and held sturdy by metal struts and braces - were straightened out and delicately sliced open; the surgeons were going through the painstaking process of maneuvering each shard of bone back into its normal position, with the medical ninja speeding up the healing process by fusing the bone shards together with their chakra. However, it was a long and involved process. And even so, it might not end up working.

It was a one in a million chance that the operation would succeed.

_Then again, the same was said about Lee_, thought Sakura with a hidden smile. And everyone knew how that had turned out.

Nevertheless, it was a big blow; four ninja were out of commission for the time being (with Gai set to be out for a good long while)…and one ninja was out of commission for good.

Mitarashi Anko. Jonin. KIA.

Sakura sighed with remorse; she had never really gotten to know the Jonin that well. She had known from the Fifth Hokage about her past – being a student and test subject of Orochimaru – and it hadn't been pleasant. Needless to say, Sakura had felt some measure of anguish; she knew what Orochimaru could do to people. Sasuke was a living testament to that.

"Akatsuki's Leader did a lot of damage today," muttered Shizune, her eyes fixated upon Gai. "I can only hope the others can stop him."

"It might be tricky," muttered Aburame Shino, his face hidden by his hood and sunglasses. "Akatsuki's Leader has proven to be more problematic than initially thought."

Shizune and Sakura stared at Shino oddly.

The male Aburame quietly pulled off his glasses; his eyes were nonexistent. After all, bugs connected to his Inner Coils system served as his eyes instead…what good were two human eyes when you had thousands of bug eyes? It was a trait prevalent within the Aburame clan…and this trait was what made ninja from the Aburame clan effective scouts.

Their eyes could literally go long-distance.

"You've been watching?" asked Sakura, only mildly crept out (you should've seen her when Shino had demonstrated his 'talent' during one mission. She had nearly alerted the enemy to their position.) by Shino's 'eyes'.

"I have…unfortunately, I can't hear anything. I can only hope that the bugs I sent there will survive," muttered Shino as he put his shades back on. "The past few hours have been used by Mantarou…to talk. What he's talking about, I do not know…but I can only say this: Naruto is tapping into more of the Kyuubi's power."

Sakura and Shizune were silent.

Finally, Tsunade's first apprentice said, "I hope Naruto makes him pay."

Tsunade's second apprentice whispered, "I hope Naruto doesn't lose control…" (Inner Sakura: That's like asking for the sun not to shine!)

Shino was merely silent. He was curious about the particulars of that conversation…if only because it would give him an idea as to why Naruto seemed to get angrier and angrier as time went by…

xxxx

/Plains, 17 Miles Northwest of Konohagakure/

The flying beetles that served as Shino's 'eyes' began to quietly back away out of instinct. After all, animals usually fled certain areas before catastrophe struck.

The conflict about to occur between Naruto and Mantarou would definitely be considered a catastrophe.

"**_RAAAAAR!"_** roared Naruto as his body glowed with demonic red chakra, his four tails quivering in the wind as he charged at Mantarou. With each step he took, the grass was set aflame by his burning fur.

Mantaoru sent out four blades towards Naruto, aiming them for his forehead.

Naruto charged right through them, his own chakra aura slicing through Mantarou's. **_"RAAAR!"_**

The Leader blinked as Naruto slammed into him; he had barely managed to thicken his aura before the four-tailed boy had sent him flying. Naruto snarled, not even pausing; he was going all-out, not intending to stop until he won.

But Mantarou would not stop either.

For emerging from the dust cloud was a red-skinned Mantarou. He had opened up three of the Celestial Gates: **Initial**, **Heal**, and **Life**. "HOOOOOH!" A multitude of fists stretched out from Mantarou's brighter aura, striking at Naruto.

The four-tailed boy snarled as he continued charging, ignoring the blows to his body.

Then, one orange hand erupted from the ground below, crunching Naruto in its grasp.

Moments later, Naruto burst out from the fist, howling at Mantarou.

The Leader jumped backwards, sending out a dozen small balls as he did. These balls were condensed chakra…grenades, essentially.

_CHOOMCHOOMCHOOMCHOOM!_

Naruto did not care about the pain that wracked his body. He just cared about killing Mantarou.

The four tails arched forward, pointing toward his open maw. An orb of pure energy began to coagulate in his mouth.

Mantarou grimaced as he increased the distance between himself and Naruto, opening the fourth Celestial Gate: the **Harm** Gate. Mantarou's red skin and blank eyes made him look like the very demons he hated…the very demons he sought to kill.

It would have been ironic, had Mantarou not considered his life forfeit.

On the sidelines, Jiraiya was frowning. "This is not good…"

Tsunade turned to her old teammate. "Explain."

"Naruto's utilizing four of the demon fox's nine tails. He's only done this once before, during the three-year interval in which we trained together." The Ero-Sennin frowned as he thought back to that day, when Naruto had tried the next step in his continued training. "During this state, he cannot distinguish between friend and foe. His chakra aura is so great that it permeates his fur coating, physically burning anything he touches. Pure instinct is all that drives him now."

The other Konoha-nin were silent at this revelation. Sasuke kept his eyes focused upon the two Uzumaki. _Mantarou has total control, even now…while with Naruto…the more chakra he utilizes, the more the psyche of the Nine Tails begins to take over…_

"Everyone, prepare yourself!" yelled Neji as Naruto prepared to fire.

Mantarou's chakra suddenly began to shift into something different, preparing for Naruto's attack.

Naruto swallowed the orb, his body expanding…just before he expelled the ball at Mantarou, the shockwave nearly blowing everyone way.

"USELESS EFFORT!" roared Mantarou as he formulated a chakra tube, using his well-honed talents to send the ball of high-density chakra back at the Nine Tails' vessel. A tremendous explosion resulted, causing yet another shockwave.

_Such power!_ thought Kakashi with a shocked look.

_Naruto-kun!_ Hinata nearly screamed out of fear…was Naruto…?

In the end, she needn't have worried.

For when the smoke cleared…five tails were visible.

He also possessed red eyes. His body was slightly stockier and more husky…and he now possessed a black, button-like nose.

Naruto snarled at Mantarou; he was now utilizing another part of the Kyuubi's power. "K……K….Kill…"

Mantarou arched an eyebrow, his blank eyes staring quietly at Naruto. "…"

"KILL…!" Naruto howled as he slammed his fists into the ground, causing the ground to shatter. **_"KILL!"_**

**GOOD**, eagerly said the Kyuubi inside Naruto's mind. **KILL THE FOOL.**

_Kill him…_

**HE CREATED AKATSUKI.**

_Kill!_

**HE HAS ATTACKED YOUR FELLOW MEATBAGS.**

_KILL!_

**NOW HE'S AFTER YOU.**

_KILL, KILL, KILL!_

**AND…HE'S YOUR OLD MAN. FUNNY HOW THAT WORKS, EH?**

"**_KIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLL!"_** howled Naruto, his mind dedicated to one thing and one thing only: Mantarou's death. His arms suddenly extended through the ground, reaching for the Leader from below.

Mantarou propelled himself upward with two tendrils of orange chakra, avoiding the dark-red hands as they reached up for him. The Leader then sent out two large pistons – gigantic, cylindrical columns – towards both the five-tailed boy and his hands.

**SMASH!**

The land shattered in two different spots as Naruto AND his hands were crushed by the sheer force behind Mantarou's attack. The Leader slowly descended, his blank eyes taking in the damage.

Then, Naruto leapt into the air, howling at Mantarou. His body was now several feet longer and taller; his fingers and toes sported longer claws of black; his face now had a three-inch long snout; and he had six tails.

The Konoha-nin watched silently on the sidelines. _The more tails he calls upon, the more like the demon fox he becomes_, thought Kakashi with a worried frown.

"**KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!"**

Naruto howled as his six tails stabbed at the ground, the fur on them shifting to form finger-like digits. Large rocks were grabbed by the six tails…and Naruto promptly threw them at Mantarou.

Orange blades sliced through them, turning the boulders into pebbles.

Naruto was _right there_.

Mantarou solidified his aura moments before Naruto's upward swipe sent him flying upward into the sky, beyond the clouds. Naruto snorted as his six tails arched upward, the tips glowing with red energy.

_**CHOOOOOOM!**_

Six streams of red chakra erupted from the tails, zooming into the sky. They exploded upon contact with Mantarou, the only visual cue of this being a massive red flash that briefly tinted the sky with the color of blood.

"Is he…?" asked Hinata, leaving the sentence unfinished.

Sniff. Sniff. "No…" Kibamaru frowned as he growled, his fangs baring themselves. "I can still smell that guy…he hasn't been destroyed…but is he still alive…?"

…_he is_, thought Neji with a stunned frown as he looked up in the sky, his Byakugan eyes seeing the chakra of Akatsuki's Leader. Then he saw something that made him pale. "He's opening two more of the Celestial Gates!"

Mantarou suddenly rocketed downward, his aura forming a spinning drill in front of him. The Leader slowed his descent with wings made of chakra, letting the spinning drill loose like a projectile. It slammed into Naruto, a flash of orange accompanying the explosion. The father of Naruto quietly set down on the ground; his Inner Coils were now visible, showing the orange chakra that circulated within him.

And he looked mad.

"YOU WILL FALL!" Multiple hands clutched at the ground, flipping the earth over. The fire from Naruto's fur had started to spread throughout the grassy fields, delivering smoke unto the sky. As the ground Naruto stood on suffered an upheaval of tremendous proportions, chakra buzz saws began to chase after the six-tailed boy.

Naruto roared, ignoring the pain as the super-sharp buzz saws tore through his skin, causing red blood to flow. His mind no longer recognized any pain…all he cared about now was killing Mantarou.

That was all he cared about.

"_**RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!"**_

The sound of Naruto's howl actually liquefied the wall of earth that threatened to crush him. The fire that had threatened to spread was snuffed out.

Mantarou was blown back, his aura sprouting tentacles that latched onto the soil in numerous spots. _That fool…I will stop him before he goes too far!_

The six tails arched forward, glowing red.

Mantarou grimaced, his eyes closing.

He needed to advance further.

"The Seventh – **Wonder** Gate – OPEN!"

His skin returned to its normal hue. He opened his eyes, revealing blue irises.

And his once orange chakra glowed with all the colors of the rainbow. His aura was considerably larger, and his visible veins were of a similar multi-colored nature.

Jiraiya frowned at the sight. _The seventh Celestial Gate…how far will Mantarou go? Will he be forced to open the final gate…?_

"Now…**_I_** take the offensive."

Mantarou's words were followed by three pairs of chakra blades, worming at high speed towards Naruto.

_**SLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASH!**_

Two pairs of diagonal slashes. One pair of vertical slashes.

Naruto yelped as six bloody lines were etched onto his body and face. His concentration suddenly wavered, his mind unable to ignore the pain of THIS attack…

Mantarou then took the opportunity to wrap multiple tendrils around Naruto, swinging him around – building up centrifugal force – before slamming into the ground with all the strength and speed he could muster.

_KRACKOOM!_

Dust and rubble shot up over two hundred feet into the air. Mantarou panted quietly, his blue eyes glaring at the spot where Naruto had fallen. _It's not over yet…_

The debris suddenly shot outward, forced away by the presence inhabiting the crater in the ground.

A body that was fifty feet long and forty feet high. His hands and feet had morphed into paws, and his formerly dark red fur was now blood red. His eyes were now slanted, no longer orb-like in shape like a human's. His pupils were thin like a fox's…but even so, the irises were still the same. Still human. Though colored red with anger and demonic power, they were still Naruto's eyes.

Finally…like the previous times, he had a new tail. Seven in all.

Naruto bared his fangs, roaring out words the sounded vaguely familiar to Sasuke and Jiraiya.

"**_Butaitosshin…"_** Naruto's maw opened up as his seven tails latched into the ground. "Element Rush…rrrrraaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!"

A stream of earth, fire, water, and wind erupted from Naruto's maw, zooming towards Mantarou.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. _Just like Tenshiarashi…though it does not possess all of the seven prime elements._

_A less powerful technique_, pondered Jiraiya. _Not surprising…but in any case, will it be enough to overwhelm Mantarou?_

The answer was no.

Against the quadruple-element technique, Mantarou's rainbow-colored aura pushed forward as a cylindrical ram, managing to slowly drive the elemental stream back towards Naruto.

Suddenly, an eighth tail grew.

He grew even larger, looking exactly like the Nine Tails of the horror stories told at nights to Konoha's children. The only exceptions were his size – about half the size of Kyuubi – and his eyes.

Those red eyes, still looking human.

And with the extra power, Naruto poured more chakra into the **_Butaitosshin_** technique, stopping the advance of Mantarou's aura.

They were at a standstill.

Tsunade grumbled. "Idiot. He's too impatient."

Rock Lee looked quizzically at the Fifth. "Hmm?"

Kakashi concurred. "Indeed."

"Huh?"

Neji squinted as he spoke (the sheer amount of chakra between the two was nearly blinding to his Byakugan). "He shouldn't be so hasty to attack…"

"What are you all talking about?" asked a confused Lee.

"Naruto's anger is driving him to attack Mantarou…and only Mantarou," answered Sasuke. "He'll do whatever it takes to destroy the Leader of Akatsuki. To that end, he'll use all of the Nine Tails' power, even if it turns him into this stupid beast that only uses instinct in battle. As such…every time Mantarou ends up outdoing him in battle, he calls upon another tail to up the ante."

Kakashi nodded. "Very good Sasuke."

"But that guy's doing the same thing!" protested Kibamaru.

"He has control over himself…total control over his power," said Jiraiya with a hidden frown. "That idiot, on the other hand…"

The answer hung in the air like a heavy blanket.

Finally, Hinata – of all people – asked, "Naruto-kun…will be okay, right? Even if…he uses the ninth tail? Will he still be…the Naruto-kun we know?" _And love_, added Hinata mentally. Her face blushed even at that simple thought.

"No one knows," replied Neji.

Tsunade nodded. "We're in new territory here; we have no idea how things will proceed should Naruto utilize the ninth tail. All we can do in this clash of titans is to hope for the best."

And hope they did.

Uzumaki Naruto. Jinchuriki. Vessel of the Kyuubi. Ninja of Konoha. Future Hokage (or so the boy hoped.)

Uzumaki Mantarou. Jinchuriki. Vessel of the Zerobi, Ichibi, Sanbi, and Gobi. Founder and Leader of Akatsuki.

These two, so far, had proven to be equal opponents.

But it was clear that each of them had yet to utilize everything they had.

They still had aces up their sleeves.

And…as four rainbow spikes erupted from the ground, skewering Naruto's shoulders…as a giant foot of rainbow chakra erupted from underground…as the giant foot connected to Naruto's chin, sending him flying…it became clear.

_**CRAAAASH!**_

It became clear that things were about to become more chaotic than ever before.

Mantarou was silent as he looked around at the plains. Grass had been burnt, and the land had been upturned. The battlefield looked as though it had become a barren wasteland, unfit for any life.

_This whole farce could've been avoided had Naruto just surrendered_, thought Mantarou with a frown. He looked straight at the eight-tailed demon his son had become.

That demon was getting to its feet, growling angrily.

Mantarou prepared to the next attack.

What happened next, though…could be considered unexpected.

xxxx

/Naruto's Soul Room/

Uzumaki Naruto stood there in silence, his true form of a human boy looking decidedly out of place. Especially considering his red eyes and that eight red tails sprouted from the seat of his pants.

He stared at the gigantic gate separating him from the Kyuubi.

"Give me your power," said Naruto, his voice laced with anger.

**"HU HU HU. YOUR ANGER HAS MADE YOU CALL UPON MY POWER IN A WAY YOU NEVER HAVE. THIS PLEASES ME."**

"No time for talk. Give me your chakra."

The Kyuubi smirked behind his prison. **"AND YET YOU USE IT WASTEFULLY. I WOULD'VE WON BY NOW. AND I WOULD'VE BEEN OFF TO PLUNDER, PILLAGE, AND OTHERWISE DESTROY EVERYTHING YOU HOLD DEAR."**

"Enough sarcasm," growled Naruto, his eyes filled with unquenchable rage. "That man…that MONSTER…he calls himself my father. The Leader of Akatsuki…calling himself my _FATHER?_ How dare he…_how dare he…!_"

**"DENIAL MUCH? YOU KNOW IT'S TRUE."**

"I'll deny it until I die. There's no way it can be true." Unshed tears were visible in those pained red eyes. There was just no way…that his father was that man. There was just no way. "No way it can be true."

The demon fox sneered. **"WHAT A PATHETIC WISHY-WASHY BRAT."**

"Enough talk," grumbled Naruto, his tone showing his intent to kill. "Now…give me your power. _ALL OF IT._"

For a moment, the Kyuubi was silent.

Then, he answered.

**"NO."**

Naruto blinked. "Why…NOT?"

"**MY NINTH TAIL…THE REST OF MY GREAT POWER…IT CAN'T JUST BE GIVEN AWAY."** His face turned away…and the large red tail of a kitsune wormed out of the cage, stopping inches away from Naruto. **"YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT."**

Naruto was momentarily bewildered. "I have to take it…?"

**"YES. TAKE IT. REACH DEEP INTO YOUR SOUL. GRAB MY POWER WITH ALL THE FORCE YOU CAN MUSTER…AND PULL IT TO THE SURFACE. AFTER ALL, YOU ARE THE VESSEL; IF YOU DIE, I DIE. AND I SURE DON'T WANT TO BECOME PART OF THAT MAN."**

Naruto was quiet, grinning briefly. "That's right…it's time to pay the rest of the rent."

And so he reached for the ninth tail, grabbing with his right hand.

At that moment, Naruto felt his insides squirm. A sudden sense of something filled him; it was a something he couldn't quite describe, but it was a mixture of foreboding, confusion, and sheer _dread_.

It was the feeling someone got when they did something wrong…yet didn't know what it was they had done.

Naruto was experiencing that feeling in droves.

The Kyuubi's laughter began to echo through the soul room before he spoke again. **"WRONG. THIS TIME…IT'S _YOUR_ TURN TO PAY THE RENT."**

The paper tag – which displayed the kanji for 'Seal' – that bound the gate shut was vaporized.

Naruto suddenly realized what had just happened.

And before he could scream, before he could roar out of anger, before he could damn the fox for tricking him, the gate blew open with a thunderous sound. A ferocious gust blew from within, roaring with all the force of a hurricane, overwhelming everything else.

Everything else except the darkness of the Kyuubi's prison.

The darkness which Uzumaki Naruto suddenly found himself submerged in.

And all the while, the Kyuubi continued to laugh.

xxxx

/Plains, 17 Miles Northwest of Konohagakure/

Naruto suddenly glowed with red energy, his body growing in size almost immediately. The sheer upswing in power – sheer power, capable of crushing mountains and bringing forth typhoons – startled and frightened everyone in the area. Even, to some extent, Mantarou.

Because he knew what was happening.

_Oh Naruto…you fool._ His teeth clenched together out of anger and rage. _I warned you…I WARNED you…!_

A ninth tail grew from the back of the quadruped.

And then the glow faded, revealing a sight that made everyone pause out of shock, terror, or disbelief.

Those long ears. Those demonic red eyes, lacking the sparkle and depth of a human's eyes, holding nothing but tremendous bloodlust. That blood-red fur, tinged with orange. That body, taller than the greatest of trees. Those four limbs. Those claws.

Those nine tails.

The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox looked around.

And he smiled.

"**HU HU HU…I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW EASY IT WAS."** The Kyuubi looked down at the humans with a satisfied look in his eyes. **"THE POSITIONS ARE NOW SWITCHED. NOW I AM THE VESSEL…AND HE IS THE PRISONER."**

Those words suddenly solidified the reality.

The nightmare of Konoha had returned at last.

The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox was free.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**Mantarou's Last Chance! The Battle Concludes at Last!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUN!

The Kyuubi is now free.

How will the battle with Akatsuki's Leader conclude?

Well…I'm not going to say.

In any case, college comes soon. My next chapter might not be out until September (goodness, I hope not).

See you soon, and please review!


	29. The Battle Concludes At Last!

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Kyuubi. But I do own Kyojini! And Soraryu! And Akudaija! So HAH!

Author's Notes: Well folks, it's been a while since a chapter's excited me enough to make me break out of my normal writing/updating schedule.

But hey, this chapter REALLY excites me. Really.

Because I know that I will surprise a LOT of you. Count on it.

Now…BEGIN…

xxxx

_**Mantarou's Last Chance! The Battle Concludes At Last!**_

xxxx

/Konohagakure/

Some things…you just never forget.

Things that stick in your mind, clawing their way to a deep, dark spot filled with memories. Memories that you can't help but remember, whether you want to or not.

Things like the laughter of your child. The death of your wife. Your first kiss. The loss of a favorite pet. Your favorite food as a kid. Seeing a slip of paper delivered by a Jonin, showing that your son was killed in action.

Often, those things are of dark and twisted nature…so in many ways, you remember things you don't want to remember.

If there was one thing anyone in Konohagakure could attest to, was that they remembered the Nine Tailed Demon Fox.

They remembered the Kyuubi. The devastation. The destruction. The death. The loss.

They remembered it all. Every detail, every facet of what they were doing the night the Demon Fox attacked.

For the Chuunin and Jonin of the village back then – including the Genin who have since grown – they would never forget the sense of power, the overwhelming force behind the Nine Tails' power. To feel it would be like feeling the crushing might of a god, an angry god who only wanted your death.

Right now, the Chuunin and Jonin of the village felt a sense of dread seep into them, a dread that shouldn't have resurfaced. A dread that should've remained a memory…

But alas, it was not meant to be.

The moment that the Nine Tails fully emerged, seventeen miles northwest of Konoha, many things happened.

Maito Gai, despite the anesthetics he was under, opened his eyes out of shock.

Shizune let Sakura and Shino – who knew more than anyone else what was happening now, due to his eyes – rush out, while she hurried to administer aid to a rabblerousing Gai, who was rambling 'the flower of youth is threatened by the demonic fire of old!'.

Asuma left, leaving Ino and Chouji both under the care of Shikamaru. Kurenai, likewise, left the unconscious TenTen.

The ANBU patrols around Konoha began converging towards the Nine Tails to the northwest.

Inexplicably, a crack appeared in the face of the Fourth Hokage atop Monument Range.

Inside the Ninja Academy, as children were suddenly directed to a shelter in the school's basement level (much to their confusion), Umino Iruka felt an overwhelming and enigmatic need to worry about Naruto.

Ebisu left the village, leaving Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon behind. Naturally, the last two were stuck with Konohamaru the Complainer ("WHY CAN'T WE GO? I WANNA SEE WHAT'S CAUSING THAT HUUUUGE CHAKRA!").

And finally…on a balcony at Hyuga Manor…Hyuga Hiashi was silent, his **_Byakugan_** activated. He was staring far to the northwest.

Even from here, he could recognize the Nine Tails' massive form, a dot of red on the horizon.

Hiashi was feeling two things: deep hatred for the Nine Tailed Fox…and a sense of vindication.

_I warned you Hokage. I warned you all for years. And now…we might end up paying a heavy price for that boy you care so much about. For letting him live…will the village end up perishing?_

He only hoped his daughter wouldn't get harmed. Because if she did, there would be hell to pay.

xxxx

/Plains, 17 Miles Northwest of Konohagakure/

The Nine Tailed Demon Fox was smiling.

It was a smile of pure, unadulterated _glee_.

And it was driving Sasuke _insane_.

Those bloody eyes, filled with animalistic delight and an old anger. That grin, showing perfectly sharpened fangs. The sheer power, nearly overwhelming them just by EXISTING.

Had Naruto lived every day…with the knowledge that this…this…_thing_…was inside him? That this thing, so inhuman in power and ferocity, was bonded to him? That he had to LIVE with this thing inside him?

Sasuke forced a nervous smirk. He thought of Itachi's eyes that night his clan had been murdered. Daunting eyes of red and black, taunting. The **_Mangekyou Sharingan_**, full of coldness, anger…and a strange something that couldn't be defined.

Comparing Itachi and the Kyuubi…there WAS no comparing.

_Naruto_, thought Sasuke, frowning on the inside despite his forced smirk. _Did you really have to live as the vessel…for this monstrosity?_

Hinata, on the other hand…her fear for Naruto's life was greater than ever before.

Because now she wasn't sure if she would ever see him again. _Oh no…Naruto-kun…!_

Kibamaru growled as he fell to his knees, pounding the ground with his fists. Deep down, he knew what the outcome would be. What the outcome of any battle with this monstrosity would be. "Damn it…DAMN IT!"

"No, WE CANNOT FALTER!" roared Lee, his eyes betraying his body's fierce determination. He was scared like nothing else. But he could not back down. Not now! "WE MUST UNITE!"

"Silent Lee," hissed Neji, a nasty tone creeping into his voice that hadn't come there in a long time…not since before his match with Naruto three years ago. He forced himself to calm down…despite the gigantic Tailed Demon looming over them. "We don't want to provoke the Nine Tailed Demon Fox." _Because he could tear us to pieces._

Hatake Kakashi…now he was feeling tremendous fear, like Sasuke. It was a fear he hated feeling…because he had seen the Nine Tails first hand, fifteen years ago. _No…no no NO! This wasn't supposed to happen! How could this have happened? HOW?_

Jiraiya watched the multiple expressions on Kakashi's face. Expressions of frustration, disbelief, and utter self-loathing. _Hmph. Idiot. I'm the one who told the kid to train with the Nine Tails' chakra. The burden is mine to bear…but hindsight is always 20/20, isn't it?_ The Toad Hermit gazed up at the massive Biju. He had silently accepted his fate, whatever it would be. _We cannot triumph against such a primal force._

Finally, there was Tsunade. The Fifth Hokage.

And right now, she was utterly out of ideas as to how to respond to this threat. She could not simply punch the demonic beast into oblivion like she would against a human. She did not know the **_Fuuinjutsu Shiki Fuujin_**. She was at a loss at how to proceed. After all, she hadn't been in Konoha when the Nine Tails had struck over a decade ago.

In a way, this was her first encounter with the beast.

And to be honest…she was surprised it only took Kazama Arashi to vanquish the beast. _We…can't do a thing…_

As for Mantarou?

He was growling out of frustration. _I warned Naruto. I WARNED him. I warned him of what would come of trusting the Kyuubi._ The Leader of Akatsuki scowled as he clenched his fist, his blue eyes glaring at the Nine Tails.

The Nine Tails seemed to delight in the expressions he was seeing. **"FEAR, ANGER, RAGE, DESPAIR…NOT BAD. COULD USE SOME MORE PANACHE. MAYBE A LITTLE BLOODSHED? YES…THAT SHOULD DO IT."**

_Oh well…I told him repeatedly. I gave him so many chances to surrender…he brought this on himself._ The Uzumaki sighed remorselessly. It was time to proceed. His rainbow aura glimmered. "It would seem that I must face you in battle. I am sure you'll be more of a challenge than Akudaija."

Kyuubi snorted. **"AH, THE FIVE TAILS. I ALWAYS THOUGHT OF THE POSITION OF GOBI TO BE RATHER LAMENTABLE."** The demon chuckled, thinking of things only he knew. **"I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE HOW EASY IT WAS…TRICKING THAT IDIOT INTO RELEASING ME."**

Mantarou's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"**I BEGAN WORKING TOWARD THIS MOMENT EVER SINCE I ESTABLISHED A SUMMONING CONTRACT WITH THAT BOY."** The Nine Tails' demonic eyes glanced toward Jiraiya. **"STUPID BOY…HE ACTUALLY THOUGHT BEING SUMMONED WAS MY GOAL…IDIOT."**

"And was it not?" calmly asked Mantarou.

Kyuubi chortled. **"OH PLEASE. THAT FORM, WHILE APPEALING, IS STILL UNDER THAT BRAT'S CONTROL. I DON'T TAKE KINDLY TO HAVING MY FUN CANCELLED. THAT'S WHY I WENT THROUGH THE TROUBLE OF MAKING HIM THINK HE HAD USED ALL OF MY NINE TAILS AGAINST THAT PERVERTED FOOL FROM THE HIDDEN WATERFALL. IN ALL ACTUALITY…I JUST MANIPULATED THE CHAKRA AURA. WHAT WAS REALLY THREE TAILS APPEARED TO BE NINE."** The Nine Tails glanced quietly at the Konoha-nin. He took particular delight in Hinata's frightened look. **"HOWEVER…USING ALL NINE OF MY TAILS…THAT CAUSED HIS BODY TO TRANSFORM INTO MINE. HE BECAME THE NINE TAILED FOX. AS A RESULT…OUR SOULS SWITCHED PLACES."**

Mantarou grimaced. _Naruto…why would you lose yourself like that?_

"**WONDERING WHY?"** The Nine Tails smirked at Mantarou's expression.** "WHY I HAVE YOU TO THANK."**

Mantarou blinked. "Hmm?"

The Nine Tails chuckled. **"I TOO, AM SLIGHTLY SURPRISED…I DIDN'T EXPECT THE BRAT TO ACTUALLY TRY AND USE ALL NINE OF MY TAILS SO SOON…BUT WHO KNEW THAT ANGER AND HATRED WOULD DRIVE HIM SO FAR?"** The Kyuubi gave a playfully accusing look at Akatsuki's Leader. **"CONFRONTED WITH A MAN WHO CLAIMED TO BE HIS FATHER, A MAN HE DESPISED AS LEADER OF A CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION…HIS HATRED DROVE HIM TO BECOME A DEMON. BRAVO…COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT BETTER MYSELF."**

Uzumaki Mantarou said nothing. His eyes were impassive, unfeeling…revealing nothing.

But the bubbling inferno within him was easily evident to the Demon Fox. Mantarou mentally scowled. How dare he? How dare he? How dare this demon mock him? _Naruto…he gave into the demon's power. He succumbed to weakness. I told him the truth, and he fought anyway. He has NO pity from me…not in this matter._ The Leader's rainbow aura suddenly surged, shooting outward as twelve lances.

_**SLISH.**_

Twelve long, bloody cuts appeared on the fox's hide, running parallel to the body.

The Kyuubi snorted. **"IS THAT ALL?"**

His aura flared, red as his own blood. The wounds healed in seconds.

Mantarou scowled.

"**IF THERE'S ONE THING ABOUT YOU HUMANS THAT ALWAYS IMPRESSES ME, IT'S YOUR ARROGANCE."** The mighty Biju sneered at Mantarou. **"YOU PUNY HUMAN…DID YOU THINK YOU COULD JUST ABSORB THE POWER OF THE TEN TAILED DEMONS, USING IT AS YOU SEE FIT? DID YOU THINK IT WOULD BE THAT EASY TO CLAIM ME?"** A chuckle passed the fox's lips. **"WELL…LET ME ENLIGHTEN YOU AS TO WHO I AM."**

Then the Nine Tails' aura flared brightly, like a star. The sheer power emanating from him thickened the air and weighed everyone down, as if weights had been strapped to them. His roar echoed around for miles.

"**I AM KYUUBI NO YOKO! I AM THE NINE TAILED DEMON FOX! I WAS ALIVE WHEN THE THREE GREAT DIETIES SUSANOO, AMATERASU, AND TSUKIYOMI STILL EXISTED ON THIS PLANE OF REALITY! I WITNESSED THE SLAYING OF THE LEGENDARY DEMON OROCHI AT THE HANDS OF SUSANOO! I HAVE BEEN THE KYUUBI SINCE THE AGE OF THE BIJU WAS USHERED IN! I WAS THE ONE WHO SLEW OROCHI'S INCARNATION DURING HIS SECOND COMING CENTURIES AGO! I AM THE OLDEST AND MOST POWERFUL OF THE TEN TAILED DEMONS!"** The Nine Tails stopped his little diatribe, glaring angrily at Uzumaki Mantarou. **"COMPARED TO ME, YOU ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A MERE _ANT_."**

Mantarou was silent. He said nothing in the face of the Nine Tails' rant.

Satisfied, the Kyuubi turned his back to Mantarou, leering at the Konoha-nin. **"NOW…IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE EATEN HUMAN FLESH, SO LET'S SEE…WHICH ONE, WHICH ONE?"** His eyes settled on Neji. **"HMM…I'VE ALWAYS LIKED THE TASTE OF YOU WHITE-EYED HYUGA. BUT IS THE FEMALE,"** He gazed at Hinata, who suddenly felt the need to flee. But she was too frightened to move. **"MORE DELICIOUS? HMM…SO HARD TO CHOOSE."**

The Nine Tails was not frightened. He regarded them all as little more than playthings. He even regarded Akatsuki's Leader – possessor of four Biju – as a lightweight.

_Hmph. And you were one to speak of arrogance_. Mantarou sighed. He supposed…he would have to resort to a little trickery of his own. It was a big gamble…but it was all he had. He had to strike first…and fast. As his chakra flared, he muttered to himself.

"The Last – **Death** Gate – open."

Seconds passed.

The Konoha-nin stared beyond the Kyuubi, eyes wide with shock.

The Kyuubi frowned, turning around. **"HMPH. PERSISTENT PEST."** A look of annoyance crossed his face.

Mantarou's skin was as pale as ash. His frame was spindly and frail. His hair was limp and gray. His blue eyes were floating in his sockets, his muscle control over them having faded away. Wrinkles laced his face. He looked like a walking corpse.

And his chakra…the colors of the rainbow were gone, replaced by a black tone that was befitting his appearance.

"Hokage-sama…what's…happened to him…?" muttered Lee.

"The Death Gate is called that for a reason," replied the Fifth. "It has only been witnessed and documented a few times in history…because the sheer release of chakra from the person opening all eight gates is possible only if the life force of the body is fully unleashed. That is why he looks like a corpse; every ounce of chakra from all the cells in the body has been released. Only his brain still lives, for it has to control and direct the chakra flow…but with his body in that state, the brain will die soon. Not even his heart is pumping."

"…but it is…"

Everyone turned toward Neji, who was staring at Mantarou with morbid fascination. His Byakugan stared straight at Mantarou's chest. "He's somehow…diverting a small portion of his chakra…to manually pump his own heart!"

Tsunade marveled. "How? His control can't be THAT refined…can it?"

"Apparently it is," muttered Jiraiya. "This means his blood is still flowing, delivering the last remnants of the oxygen in his cells to the rest of his body. He may not have the physical strength to even breathe now…but by pumping his own heart, he's giving himself precious seconds of life."

The Kyuubi chuckled as he faced Mantarou. **"SO. YOU THINK YOU CAN STILL EMERGE VICTORIOUS. FINE. I'LL PLAY ALONG."** Any wounds inflicted would only be healed in moments.

Mantarou said nothing (he didn't have the strength to speak, actually).

He fully unleashed his chakra aura.

Even the Kyuubi had to admit that he was surprised at the sight of the black energy, blooming to a size that was at least ten times that of Kyuubi's own impressive height.

It could be seen from miles around. The ninja that were closing in on that point started going faster the sight of that black sun. From Konoha, frightened citizens and bewildered villagers stared on out of shock and awe, wondering what that strange blackness was.

Mantarou said nothing as the black aura SLAMMED into the Kyuubi at a high velocity. Blades of all shapes and sizes sliced by the Nine Tailed Demon Fox in a flash.

Five seconds had passed.

The aura receded towards Mantarou. He quickly formed five legs, zooming towards the Kyuubi.

As for the Kyuubi, he had been forced to the ground, his body a bloody mess. He seemed to be more blood than fur. But he was only irritated by this. **"HMPH. IT DOESN'T MATTER AT ALL."** His aura flared, already healing the wounds-

He felt Mantarou's knee go into one of the wounds. He stared in confused silence as Mantarou moved his cloak aside and pulled his pants leg up with tendrils of black chakra. The lines of a seal were etched onto his right thigh with those black tendrils, dipped with the demon's red blood…

And in that instant, a million thoughts went through the Kyuubi's mind. Most of those thoughts were dedicated to that human's destruction and death…in the most painful ways possible. Others were dedicated to his inner anger; how? How was this happening! Yet more thoughts were dedicated to the fact that he would still have to live with that stupid human brat as his vessel.

But his one final thought…was one of begrudging acknowledgement.

**HMPH…DAMNED MEATBAG…CLEVER THOUGH…**

Before the Leader of Akatsuki could fully activate the seal, the Kyuubi glowed red…and began shrinking. It was at the moment that Mantarou closed the Eight Celestial Gates…because he knew that his gamble had succeeded.

Thirty seconds. That was how long Mantarou had his Death Gate opened.

And now he stood there, his body looking as vital as it had been mere minutes ago…and he was now standing over Naruto, his body scratched and bleeding. He possessed no tails.

The Konoha-nin stared on in silence.

Finally, Kibamaru asked, "Uh…what just happened?"

"A gamble…" replied Mantarou. "The Nine Tailed Demon Fox possessed great power, that he did…but there was only one chance that I had. One chance of forcing him back into Naruto. After all, the fox himself said that his body was merely Naruto's, fully transformed into the Nine Tails because of his demonic chakra." The Leader's blue eyes fell upon Naruto, who was moaning out of agony. "The only thing I could do…was to hit the Kyuubi with everything that I had. One blow to incapacitate him as much as possible…just enough so that he would be forced to heal himself for several seconds at least." Mantarou finally permitted himself to grin; he was feeling elated on the inside. He had managed to outwit a kitsune. "The Kyuubi…he had no choice but to retreat back into Naruto's body, once he saw me tracing the seal on my right thigh. He knew that only two outcomes awaited him if I activated that seal…" He held up one finger. "He would be sealed into me. Or…" He held up a second finger. "Death. After all, my body is quite weakened…and if I died from the infusion of the Kyuubi's power, then that meant he would die as well. He could not let that happen…it was a simple matter, really."

"Is that so?" asked Kakashi, his visible eye narrow.

"Yes Kakashi…because the Kyuubi had everything to lose." Mantarou glanced at Kakashi. "While I, one who was prepared to die…had everything to gain. To save himself, the Kyuubi took back his chakra…giving Naruto his body back." His blue eyes suddenly narrowed; they fell upon dots on the horizon, coming from the southeast. _Leaf ANBU. They'll be here in a minute, maybe two…_

Coughing.

Mantarou grimaced as he looked at the blood he had hacked onto his left hand. _My body…is too damaged from opening the Death Gate…and I have no time to absorb the Kyuubi here!_ His eyes turned back to the groaning Naruto, who was still on the ground…and an idea hit him. _Maybe…I don't have to…_

Circumstances might permit him a small chance to succeed…!

He quickly reached into a pocket in his cloak and pulled out the miniaturized statue he had shrunken earlier that day. Using his fingernails, he scraped off part of the dried blood that made the seal. Without hesitation, he threw the statue away into the air.

Moments later – since the seal was no longer completely intact – the seal's miniaturization effect wore off.

A tremendous gust of air accompanied an outburst of smoke. A small quake rattle the area as the now normal-sized statue landed.

The smoke cleared…revealing the same rocky gray statue that Mantarou had alluded to before. A statue of a humanoid golem, beginning from the waist up, stretching over two hundred feet into the air. A statue with clenched hands, resting against the shoulders. A golem with five eyes.

Everyone marveled at the monstrosity. "WHA? WHA-WHA WHAT IS THAT!" yelped Lee out of shock.

"It is a Level 5 Gatekeeper Golem…the last one in this world!" yelled Mantarou. He plunged his bloodied fingers into Naruto's stomach, digging in about half an inch. It still didn't keep Naruto from screaming. "Five eyes for five Biju!" His chakra made a connection between his own Inner Coils system and Naruto's. "Five Biju to open up the doorway to **_Makai_**…THE DEMON WORLD!"

A wave of shock rolled through everyone…and Jiraiya suddenly made the connections. Everything came into place now…why Mantarou wanted five Tailed Demons…why he wanted their power…why he was hesitant to reveal his true plan to Akatsuki…it was because his true plan…involved opening the doorway to the world of demons. The world where the Kyuubi had come from. A world that many madmen could use to unleash havoc upon **Ningenkai**, the human world. _It all makes sense now…_

Mantarou aimed his right hand towards the Gatekeeper Golem, his fingers outstretched. He was calling upon the essences of each Tailed Demon, their chakra – unique and unlike the chakra of any normal demon – glowing red on his fingertips. "Zerobi no Kyojini!" A red line rushed from his thumb to the golem's first eye on the far right. "Sanbi no Soraryu!" A red line rushed from his index finger to the golem's second eye. "Gobi no Akudaija!" A red line rushed from his middle finger to the center eye.

The Gatekeeper Golem twitched. Its eyes started to open.

"Ichibi no Shukaku!"

A red line rushed from his ring finger to the fourth eye. The hands loosened, falling to the ground. The position struck Kakashi as the image of a man trying to crawl out of a hole in the ground.

"And finally…Kyuubi no Yoko!"

A red line rushed from the pinky to the final eye on the left.

The Gatekeeper Golem's mouth opened, its perfectly flat teeth gleaming in the sunlight.

At that moment, an explosive blue light erupted from inside the golem's mouth, swirling to form a vortex…no, not even that. A tunnel. A PORTAL.

A gate to Makai had been opened.

Suffice it to say…Mantarou might have been left alone – even LET go on purpose – had he not done what he was about to do.

A tendril of chakra wrapped around Naruto's ankles.

"What the…?" Naruto grimaced as he wearily looked up at his father. The sight of his own eyes on that man drove him CRAZY. "You've got what you want, right…?" No answer. "RIGHT?"

Mantarou casually answered, "The Kyuubi is still inside you. I'm not about to leave that demon here, where he can con his way into being free again…so you're coming with me."

And so Mantarou turned, dragging Naruto along with him. "Hey…LEMME GO!"

It was at this moment, after a long period of inaction, that the Konoha-nin charged.

Sasuke. Kakashi. Jiraiya. Tsunade. Hinata. Neji. Lee. Kibamaru.

However, Mantarou quickly shot his aura underground, bringing it back up behind him as a wall that impeded their progress. "I'm not letting you take him away. Not when he has the Biju in him…think of it as me taking the beast off your hands. Naruto should be a small price to pay for that."

Those words only made Naruto claw at the ground harder. To his disdain, the soil had been softened and upturned during the battle, making it seem as loose as sand. "Damn it, LET ME GO!"

"You let him go Mantarou!" roared Kakashi as he quickly unleashed his **_Raikiri_** against the wall. Tsunade's punches, Lee's Taijutsu, Neji's Gentle Fists, Sasuke's **_Zanbato_**, Kibamaru's Blood Blades, and Jiraiya's **_Rasengan_**.

Mantarou had formed long legs with his chakra, ascending up towards the golem's mouth with his thrashing son in tow.

Hinata, oddly enough (or not?), was the one to break through.

She used Kaiten…in midair. Like a spinning bullet, she broke through the already-weakened wall.

**_Kaiten Hotaru_**.

The Rotating Firefly.

Her own unique move, developed in the three years Naruto had been gone.

A move, she had to admit, she had developed to impress him.

She never would've imagined that she would be using that move to try and save Naruto.

So it was no surprise that Hinata was actually running faster than everyone else, trying to save Naruto from the clutches of his father. _Naruto-kun…I'm coming!_

Mantarou's 'legs' latched onto the teeth of the Gatekeeper Golem, propelling him into the portal. A tremendous suction gripped him the moment he entered the statue's mouth.

He gladly let it take him; he was finally en route to the world of demons, where they spawned and originated.

A smile came to his face; he would annihilate them all.

Naruto didn't want to come along…but he had no choice in the matter. Unfortunately, he had no strength left to try and grab onto the golem's teeth…so he could only stare in horror as the view of Ningenkai – the world he had been born in! – began to fade under the blue light of the gateway.

Damn it all, it wasn't fair! It wasn't fair! How could this be happening? WHY was this happening? All he wanted was to be with his friends…was that too much to ask? Maybe Mantarou had been right…maybe Jinchuriki were destined to suffer…but damn it, **it wasn't fair!** He was being taken away from his home! Away from those he loved! Away from those who loved him! By his father…**_his own, damn father!_** That stung most of all…because of the treacherous demon sealed in his belly (and damn that fox for tricking him! Damn it for all the pain it had caused him!), his father was left with no choice but to take him along. His father…the Leader of Akatsuki…was taking him to the world of demons.

Away from home. His home!

It just wasn't fair…**_it wasn't fair at all!_**

All he could do was scream out the name of the last person he saw. The person closest to the Gatekeeper Golem. The person who had watched him for years, caring and crying from afar. The person to whom he meant the most in the entire world. The person…who he had finally acknowledged as someone special **_to HIM_**.

"_**HINATA!"**_

His scream was drowned out by the thunderous sound of the portal. As Mantarou and Naruto disappeared inside the swirling tunnel of blue energy, the mouth began to close.

The desperation in Hinata's eyes nearly exploded. _NO!_ She doubled her speed, despite the aching in her legs. She jumped onto the arms as they began to rise from the sand. She made one final leap towards the mouth.

**CHOOM.**

That sound seemed to finalize it.

That booming sound, of the Gatekeeper Golem's teeth crashing together. Crashing shut, closing off the portal to the outside world. The blue glow coming in from the grooves of the statue's teeth faded almost immediately.

The sound…of hope dying.

Hinata grimaced as she managed to get her arms onto one of the golem's teeth. She pulled herself up into a small groove between the massive teeth, her white eyes staring ahead into the mouth.

It was…empty.

Completely and utterly empty. Devoid of anything and everything.

Nothing was in there. Nothing.

Hinata felt her heart shatter into a million pieces as the full realization of what had happened dawned upon her. Of what had just transpired. _No…_

The portal to Makai was gone.

_No…can't be…nonono…_

And so were the two humans that had gone along it.

Uzumaki Mantarou.

And…the most important person of all…

_He's gone…_

Uzumaki Naruto.

_Naruto-kun…_

Hinata could only bow her head out of sadness and crushing despair, her body hunching together inside the small nook between the golem's teeth. Her sobs echoed through the mouth and out into the air. "Naruto-kun…no…no…not you…"

Her cries were quiet. Her pleas were silent, private only to herself.

But that didn't mean that the others on the ground weren't feeling the same way.

Even as more ninja from Konoha began to arrive, the oppressive atmosphere still would not dissipate. The sight of that golem – its hands once more resting against the shoulders, its five eyes closed to everything – was a reminder of what had just happened. A sign that what had just happened…was real.

Akatsuki's Leader was gone.

The Kyuubi was gone.

And…worst of all…so was Naruto.

xxxx

Many miles away to the north, standing upon a rocky cliff, was another demon.

A demon over fifty feet high. A demon with silky fur as white as snow. A demon with a cat-like body, nimble and lithe. A demon with a slim face, bright green eyes, and large, triangular ears. The only thing marring the demon's white fur was the black fur on the chest, shaped like a crescent.

A demon with seven thin, wiry tails.

The demon smiled. "Well…" The voice was definitely feminine. A voice that was sultry, yet filled with the defiance of a tomboy. "So it seems that Yoko's coming back, eh? This is certainly interesting…"

That cat demon was one of the Biju.

Shichibi no Reijuuneko.

The Seven Tails.

And she had witnessed everything.

She only smiled as she turned around. Her demonic aura briefly flickered before a blue portal opened up in the middle of the air.

A portal Reijuuneko sauntered into.

A portal that immediately closed behind her, as if it hadn't existed at all.

xxxx

**_END PART I, ARC II_**

xxxx

Author's Notes: Come on. Be honest. Tell me how many of you were surprised. Probably not Yamimaru; he's the one who guessed it first, in his review of 'The Birth of Uzumaki Naruto'. Props to you!

Well, the next arc has been clearly set up; Naruto is now stuck in Makai, the Demon World. A world that Mantarou's been planning to visit for many years…so he can, essentially, commit genocide against demonkind on a massive and total scale.

Let's just say things are going to get hectic…and you won't be seeing Naruto for the next few chapters or so.

Well, by the time I update next, I'll be in college. Homework, AWAAAAAY!

See you soon, and please review!


	30. A Sad and Crushing Defeat?

Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto…and apparently, he's off in another world. o.o

Author's Notes: Well, my last chapter brought out my largest reviewer response yet. Even more so than when Mantarou revealed himself to be Naruto's dad, or when the Kyuubi fully emerged in the chapter before last.

Well…the next several chapters will focus on Konoha and the people there. A lot of things will occur and happen…but I don't want to spoil too much. ;)

Also, some people have been making comparisons to Mantarou's plan to Sensui's plan from Yu Yu Hakusho…to be honest, it never occurred to me until well after I planned this out. Seeing as how I never saw that entire saga. I saw only up to Game Master.

Now…begin!

xxxx

/Plains, 17 Miles Northwest of Konohagakure/

"I want two teams of ANBU patrolling within ten miles of that statue, and I want patrol routes laid out and planned within the hour! I also want at least three Jonin guarding that statue at all times! I need someone to head to the Konoha Main Library and look up any and all things demon-related!"

Tsunade's orders echoed through the still air; she was busily trying to get things ordered…but she was mostly doing it to keep her mind off of what had just occurred.

Naruto was gone. The Kyuubi was as well. And so was Mantarou.

All gone to Makai, the Demon World, apparently.

But…it was the departure of Naruto that was hitting them the hardest.

And Tsunade couldn't help but wonder if her grandfather's necklace – the necklace of the Shodai Hokage – had cursed someone else to death…someone who was as precious to her as Dan and Nawaki had been.

……_Naruto…_

As for the others…

"NO! THIS CANNOT BE!" roared Lee as he pounded the ground with fury. "Oh, the bright and burning spirit of Naruto…he's gone…gone…!"

Neji frowned at the sight of his mourning teammate, realizing just how much an impact the blonde boy had had on his Gai-centric teammate. He recalled his comments directed to the Taijutsu-user upon the Kyuubi's emergence.

"_Silent Lee! We don't want to provoke the Nine Tailed Demon Fox."_

_Such fear…such fear I had_, thought Neji with a melancholy look on his face. But the power of the Nine Tails…it had been so overwhelming. So…absolute, in a sense. Mantarou may have triumphed in the end…but it was only because of one strike…and a bit of trickery. _Even with four Biju sealed in his body, Akatsuki's Leader…there is no comparison with the Kyuubi._

But that wasn't the worst of it.

Naruto, the one who had to bear the curse of the Nine Tailed Demon Fox…he was gone now, off to the world where the demon had spawned.

Neji frowned as his ears, despite the ruckus occurring now around them, picked up on the subtle sounds of Hinata's sobbing. He glanced up at the Gatekeeper Golem's face, staring at the small groove his cousin was now in. _Hinata…the pain has to be unbearable._

As for the Pervert-Sennin…

Jiraiya glanced at the Gatekeeper Golem. He stared at Kiba and Akamaru, both exhausted and completely out cold; a side effect from using **_Waau-Rufu-Kyou_** for so long. He glanced at Tsunade, trying to hide her own pain by keeping busy. He then stared at the Uchiha, who seemed rather detached, considering the circumstances (but considering his company for the last few years, it wasn't THAT surprising). Finally, he looked back at the Gatekeeper Golem.

Then he turned away, his white hair flowing in the wind.

"Going somewhere?"

Jiraiya paused at Kakashi's question. He calmly answered, "Research."

Kakashi stared at Jiraiya's back with his right eye, his Sharingan covered once more by his hitai-ate. "Research…at a time like this?"

Jiraiya turned, his eyes narrowed. "This is different research. I'll be gone for a while…so don't get too angsty. I'm sure you've had enough of it with the Uchiha." And then he was gone.

Hatake Kakashi was silent as he stared at the spot were the Toad Sennin had just been. His mind…was kind of like a blank. That's what it was like, at that very moment. He probably would've acted like he had when Obito was dying…but after his long life as a ninja, losing his loved ones and closest friends to death…all he could do was stare.

Stare.

He was now staring at the mighty golem's mouth…where Naruto had disappeared into. Where Mantarou had disappeared into.

_Mantarou…_

A flash of anger erupted in Kakashi's visible eye, a scowl coating his hidden face. He should have been able to remember Mantarou and his abilities; he should've remembered! That Mantarou – Rin's lover, that fact drove him crazy! – was also Akatsuki's Leader…Kakashi nearly growled at the very thought of it.

He had once been a ninja of Konoha. He had once tried to forge a new existence at Konoha. Yet…once the Kyuubi came…Mantarou had fled Konoha, seeking to continue his vengeful quest against the demons…ignoring his second home…and Naruto as well.

_He fled the Leaf, thinking there was nothing left…but in doing so, he abandoned…the person that should have been most important to him._ Hatake Kakashi sighed out of remorse; now both father and son were gone…never to be seen again, most likely.

But there was no use in thinking of how one could've done things differently, was there? As Mantarou himself had said, life was one-way. All one could do was learn from the past…and that was all.

In the end, Kakashi found himself staring at Sasuke.

The last of the Uchiha – with Itachi dead, he truly WAS last of the Uchiha now – was silent, his face betraying nothing. Not even his eyes showed any emotion.

But Kakashi knew that, deep down, Sasuke had one question on his mind.

Why?

_Why indeed_, Sasuke, thought Kakashi with a frown. _Why indeed…_

Suddenly, the Uchiha said, "Let's…go back to Konoha…"

Hatake Kakashi glanced around at the ANBU, at Tsunade delivering orders, at the grieving Rock Lee, and finally at the Gatekeeper Golem, its massive form shadowing them. The mere sight of the statue was blanketing their hearts with fear…fear of what was going to come in the future.

Because with Mantarou and Naruto now in Makai, the world of demons…there was no telling what was going to happen next.

So now…after a day of battling and emotional upheaval…and a day of loss…all Kakashi wanted was rest.

"Yes…let's head back…"

"Sasuke-kun! Kakashi-san!"

The two turned towards the sound of Haruno Sakura's voice; she was arriving alongside Aburame Shino amidst the flux of ninja. Her green eyes stared fearfully at the massive statue. "What is that thing?"

"Akatsuki's Leader called it a Gatekeeper Golem," remarked Kakashi.

"Gatekeeper Golem…?" repeated Sakura. Then she suddenly blinked, as if realizing something. "Hey, where's Naruto?"

Kakashi's eye shifted downward. Sasuke said nothing, only staring at his former teammate. Shino, his eyes – well, the bugs that served as his eyes, that is – hidden by his shades, frowned as the sounds of familiar crying reached his ears. _Hmm…so something happened to Naruto._ The fact that Hinata was crying told him enough.

Sakura was confused by the lack of any answers. Then she started looking around…and that's when she saw the obvious signs. The unconscious Kiba and Akamaru, indicating the battle that had been fought here. Rock Lee pounding the ground, tears threatening to pour down his face. Hinata's cries, echoing out of the massive statue's mouth. The fact that Jiraiya, Naruto's sensei for the last three years, had vanished to who knows where.

And no Naruto. No blonde, goofy, lovable idiot that she had come to miss over the last few years. Even his one prank during the planned reunion – one night before the massive battle at Konoha between the Leaf, the Sound, and Akatsuki's Ukenin – had been welcome. It told her that Naruto was still Naruto.

Naruto wasn't there.

Sakura, a cold chill creeping up her spine, whispered, "Naruto…where is he…?"

Sasuke, his eyes still showing nothing, decided that the truth was best. "He's gone."

Haruno Sakura paled. Then, her frame racking with the threat of tears and sobbing, muttered, "G-Gone…? You m-mean…?"

Hatake Kakashi sighed; it would take a lot of explaining to fully convey what had happened that day. "We don't know for sure Sakura…we can only wait until we head back to Konoha with Godaime-sama. After that, there'll no doubt be a meeting." _After all, in the span of only a few minutes, the Kyuubi was unleashed once more, only to disappear again. That fox's demonic chakra is only going to warrant a lot of questions._

The Copy Cat Ninja sighed with remorse. _This day…is one I won't be forgetting…_

And all the while, Hinata's cries continued to echo out of the Golem's mouth…for she was the only one willing to show the full depths of her sorrow.

For now, that is.

xxxx

_**PART II**_

_**ARC I: ENDURE**_

**_A Sad and Crushing Defeat? The Aftermath of Loss!_**

xxxx

/Training Ground #6, Konohagakure/

"Man, why the heck couldn't we go?" grumbled the dark brown-haired Konohamaru as he stabbed a tree again and again with a kunai, imagining a target on it. In the years since Naruto had taught him the **_Sexy no jutsu_** technique, he had grown into an 11-year old Genin, ready and willing to take the Chuunin Exam. His dark green scarf wrapped around his small body, coupled with a light yellow long-sleeved shirt and navy blue pants. A shuriken and kunai holster was strapped to this right pants leg, while his shirt had dark green trimming around the sleeves. "I wanted to see what caused that humongous chakra! I mean…it was HUUUUUUGE!"

Moegi nodded. "It sure was!" Her outfit was essentially similar as it had been when she had debuted as part of the 'Konohamaru Corps'; a red, sleeveless jacket over a pink shirt, coupled with a green skirt. She wore black, knee-high boots, and an orange fanny pack adorned her waist. Her cheeks still possessed the same blush as before, and her dull orange hair was still tied into two big pigtails. "But…" Her cheerful voice became muted. "It was kind of frightening…"

"BAH! I'm a ninja of the Leaf! I fear nothing!"

"Actually Konohamaru, Ebisu-sensei told us to stay here," replied Udon, sniffling some snot due to his perpetually eternal allergies. The boy, also eleven like the other two, possessed a surprisingly firm build underneath that big, long-sleeved, dark blue shirt of his and those gray pants; nevertheless, in terms of physical strength and durability, he was the best of the Konohamaru Corps (probably because, due to his allergies, he had taken it upon himself to increase his strength to make up for the deficiencies). As a bit of an odd note, though, he was also the resident genius of the group, able to draw up plans with his mathematical abilities. He scratched at his bandaged legs and shuriken holster before finishing, "Besides…SNIIIIFF…I wouldn't want to meet the source of that black aura that we saw right after the first chakra…"

"What are you, a chicken?" grunted Konohamaru.

Udon and Moegi sighed; ever since becoming Genin – replacing their goggles with Leaf hitai-ate – Konohamaru's rambunctious nature had reached a fever-pitch level. His desire to improve himself was already well known amongst many…unfortunately, that desire to improve included his perverted ninjutsu techniques. Naruto's influence was still strong; why else would Konohamaru convince each of them master the **_Sexy no jutsu_**? Not while Ebisu was watching, of course; their sensei, although respectful of Naruto, still despised that perverted technique. Udon finally answered, "Somewhat, I suppose…but we're supposed to follow orders."

"But…!" stuttered Konohamaru, grasping at straws now. "They might need backup!"

Moegi innocently added, "Isn't Hokage-sama there too? Why would they need backup with her there?"

"GAH! You're not helping," grunted Konohamaru as he sat down, crossing his arms as he pouted. Although he had aged, it was safe to say that little maturing had taken place.

Udon suddenly heard footsteps. "Hey…it looks like they're coming back."

Konohamaru and Moegi looked up to see numerous Konoha-nin jumping over the northeastern wall, barely visible over the tips of the tree of Training Ground #6. They were all heading towards the Hokage's Palace.

Konohamaru grinned. "All right! Let's follow them!"

Udon and Moegi sighed. Konohamaru's enthusiasm – although infectious – was tiring after too long. They could only follow the Sandaime Hokage's grandson towards the Palace.

xxxx

/Council Room, Hokage's Palace, Konohagakure/

Tsunade was silent as she stared at the gathering in front of her. The tri-cone hat of the Hokage sat on the table in front of her; to each side of her sat the Third's former teammates: Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, members of the Council that advised the Fire Lord and served as the political liaisons between Konoha and the Fire Country national government.

Gathered in front of her…were countless ninja. All of them were Jonin and Chuunin…that is, those who had been alive during the Kyuubi's strike on Konoha fifteen years ago. The only exceptions – seeing as how Naruto had revealed his secret to them – were Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuga Neji, Nara Shikamaru (who had been rather bummed that he had to leave the hospital for this, seeing as how Chouji and Ino were still hospitalized), Haruno Sakura, Aburame Shino, and Rock Lee.

Kiba and Akamaru weren't there because they were at the hospital, recovering from the massive chakra depletion they had endured in the battle with Mantarou.

Chouji, Ino, TenTen, and Maito Gai, obviously, were still at the hospital.

As for Hinata…she was still weeping at the site of the Golem.

Her absence was a fact not lost on Hyuga Hiashi, who was only one of many clan elders there today. A representative of each clan in Konoha was there for this meeting.

Tsunade sighed. Time to begin. "I'm sure you're all wondering about…the events that took place earlier."

"Of course we are," said Hiashi, in no mood to beat around the bush. "Tell us about the Kyuubi. How did that beast get free?"

The tense atmosphere was on the verge of snapping. The Godaime grimaced; that wouldn't do. "Very well. It'll probably be nighttime by the time we finish…so be patient."

And so Tsunade began her explanation, starting with Naruto's departure from Konoha in response to the message that Gaara had been attacked.

Then she spoke of Akatsuki's Leader arrival to Konoha, in which he killed Anko and injured TenTen, Chouji, Ino, and Maito Gai.

After that, she spoke of how the battle with Akatsuki's Leader continued in the plains to the northwest, with Kakashi, Jiraiya, Rock Lee, Hyuga Hinata, Hyuga Neji, Uchiha Sasuke, Inuzuka Kiba (and Akamaru), and herself.

Then she spoke of Naruto's return and his battle with Akatsuki's Leader, leading up to the revelation that he was actually Naruto's father (this revelation either shocked people or made them feel a bit smug; after all, in their view, the boy no better than the demon fox; how fitting that his father would be the leader of a criminal organization).

Then Tsunade went on to describe – recounting each and every detail told mere hours ago – the tale of Mantarou's life in excruciating detail. His early life in the Earth Country's Hidden Valley. His training under Hyuga Hiatari (THAT little factoid nearly brought Hiashi into a raging fit, Tsunade thought with a hidden smirk). The attack of Zerobi no Kyojini. Mantarou's quest to annihilate every single demon. His life in Kinmachi, with Ryu and Matsuda Koshu. His claiming of the power of Kyojini from Sagara Kozo. The death of Koshu, and his fight against Ryu. His continued travels, killing demons and fighting against Hunter-nin and ANBU. His battle against Gobi no Akudaija, spanning an entire ocean. His encounter with Rin and the Fourth. His life in Konoha. His night with Rin. His decision to become a ninja of the Leaf (this led to some surprise; the Fourth had willingly hidden Mantarou from the Leaf's official records?). The fateful night, when Mantarou had been away when the Kyuubi attacked. Rin's death. Naruto's birth. Mantarou's return the next day, only to encounter the most horrific of horrors. His departure from Konoha, only to enter an alliance with Orochimaru. The founding of Akatsuki. His fake plan, designed to deceive his fellows. Akatsuki's long quest to obtain Biju from any Jinchuriki that they could find. The discovery of Naruto's existence. Akatsuki's plan to obtain the Biju from Gaara and Naruto. The final hours before the operation at Sunagakure.

Then, with Mantarou's tale finished, Tsunade finished by speaking of Naruto's enraged battle against Mantarou…his inadvertent freeing of the Kyuubi…Mantarou's usage of the Death Gate…and the opening of the Gatekeeper Golem.

So that was that.

Everyone was utterly silent as their minds tried to process this information. It was utterly mind-blowing, in a way…

Anko was dead.

Akatsuki's Leader was a former Konoha-nin.

Akatsuki's Leader was Uzumaki Naruto's father.

And now both were in Makai, the Demon World.

"And that's all there is to say," finished Tsunade, her eyes staring out at the windows. Like she had predicted, it was nighttime; the meeting had been going on for over several hours.

"Where has Jiraiya-sama taken off to?" asked Ebisu.

"He's gone off to verify Mantarou's words," answered Kakashi from in the midst of the Jonin. "I can imagine that he'll be gone for some time…that'll be a lot of ground to cover…"

Tsunade nodded. "And there's your answer."

Silence. Tsunade doubted that anyone would be speaking for some time; after all, this was a lot of information to digest.

Suddenly, a familiar voice spoke.

"Well I, for one, am glad that the boy's gone."

Everyone turned as one towards Hyuga Hiashi, his white eyes cold, yet filled with a sense of…satisfaction. Neji suddenly glared at his uncle. "…"

The Godaime frowned, asking, "What do you mean? That you're glad Akatsuki's Leader finally won?"

"Don't try and twist my words, Hokage," grumbled Hiashi. "I do not agree with the methods…but his motives seem fine enough. The obliteration of every single demon in existence? I don't see anything wrong with that."

Neji's glare hardened.

The atmosphere was on the verge of rupturing; if things continued, the room would be split between those who viewed Naruto as a demon…and those who viewed Naruto as a human.

The Hokage had to try and diffuse that. "So you would support Akatsuki's Leader?"

Hiashi snorted. "You're trying to put words in my mouth. I've already said that I did not agree with his methods…and yet, he has taken the Kyuubi away from us. That is one threat that will never haunt us again…for that, I am grateful."

"_**HOW DARE YOU!"**_

Everyone blanched as Hyuga Neji leapt up towards Hyuga Hiashi, his **_Byakugan_** activated and filled with the raw intent to kill. Hiashi frowned as he activated his own **_Byakugan_** to defend himself from Neji.

Neji's hands glowed. "**_Hakke Hyaku_** **_Nijūhachi Shō!_** Eight Trigrams 128 Palms!"

Hiashi's eyes narrowed as his hands glowed. Everyone backed off as the two Hyuga prepared to fight.

"Hakke 2 Hands!"

Hiashi blocked the incoming blows with his own hands.

"4 Hands!"

Hiashi blocked them again.

"8 Hands! WHY!"

Hiashi frowned as he continued blocking.

"16 Hands! NARUTO HAS HAD A WORSE LIFE THAN ANYONE ELSE!"

Hiashi said nothing as his hands moved quickly, blocking every single one of Neji's strikes.

"32 Hands! **YET HE'S CONTINUED TO FIGHT ON FOR HIS DREAM! IN SPITE OF A VILLAGE THAT HATES HIM!**"

Uchiha Sasuke activated his **_Sharingan_**, watching the super-fast strikes with his eyes. At the same time…Neji's words bounced around in his mind. He could only come back to a point that he had come to long ago. _Naruto, Neji, Hinata, myself…we've all had rough childhoods…rougher than most…yet Naruto never gave into the darkness…not once._

"64 Hands! **_THE FACT THAT HE'S GONE NOW…YOU SHOULD BE MOURNING THAT!_**"

Hiashi said nothing; right now, he was concentrating on defending himself.

"**_HE WAS UNABLE TO ACHIEVE HIS DREAM! 128 HANDS!_**"

Everyone was silent.

Neji's hands…hadn't hit Hiashi at all.

Grunting, the Hyuga of the Branch House finished his tirade. "Naruto…he taught me that even caged birds could become free…so why…" He looked up at his uncle, pain evident in his white eyes. "Why…are you condemning Naruto…despite everything he's done…why aren't you sad that he'll never get the chance to fulfill his dream…and break free of his own cage…?"

Hyuga Hiashi said nothing.

Until he muttered, "Out of courtesy to you, I will not activate your curse seal."

_Oh no_, thought Lee with a gulp. _This is not going to be nice!_

He suddenly knocked both Neji's arms upward, leaving the younger Hyuga unguarded. "But I will not tolerate your foolishness. **_Hakke Sanbyaku Rokūjuichi Shiki!_** Eight Trigrams 361 Style!"

Sasuke could barely see Hiashi's hands. Even with the Sharingan.

Three hundred and sixty-one strikes. Three hundred and sixty-one closed tenketsu.

Neji collapsed to his knees, his chakra flow completely and utterly closed off.

Hiashi stared at Neji's body, speaking softly, but with force. "I am not blind to that boy's accomplishments…but you're mistaken about one thing. That boy is not just encaged by the Kyuubi…but he also serves as the Kyuubi's cage. And he can never allow himself to be unlocked…and as you yourself WITNESSED, the Kyuubi freed himself from his cage. That demon…he had managed to set himself free. Does that not strike you with fear? Or even a chill?"

Neji could only grimace out of pain.

"My words stay the same. I am glad that the boy is gone…because despite whatever good he's done for Konoha…he was still, in the end…a cage for the Nine Tailed Demon Fox. And after all was said and done…he was not strong enough to be a cage." Hiashi turned away, leaving the Council Room. "Once you get back to your feet, bring my daughter home."

And so Hiashi was gone.

Tsunade sighed; that little confrontation had sucked the energy out of the room. "Seeing as how Naruto's fate is unknown for the time being, he shall be classified as MIA. Understood? We should be hoping that he's still alive in Makai." _But in the end…we can only hope._ "You're all adjourned…there is nothing more to be discussed."

So everyone started filing out. Within a few minutes, only Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura, Lee, Shino, Neji, and Tsunade remained. The Godaime briefly had dark thoughts about Koharu and Homura; she had noticed their barely concealed looks of joy on their faces upon leaving. It was no secret that they had no appreciation for Naruto; in their eyes, they only saw a vessel for the Kyuubi.

Shino looked at Neji's fallen form, noting, "I have to say that it's been a long time since I've seen Neji lose his temperament like that. Not since…the Chuunin Exam, and his battle with Naruto in the Third Exam."

"That's because being overly emotional is verboten for a Hyuga; it's bad class," remarked Kakashi. "At least, that's what I've been told. I've never put much stock into anything Hiashi had to say."

"But Neji-kun…he truly is angry now. And it is righteous anger…for Naruto-kun." Lee grimaced as he thought of the events that had transpired that day. "Naruto-kun…wanted to be Hokage. That was his dream…and since he was the one who helped free Neji from his cage, Neji has been looking forward to the day…where Naruto achieves that dream…" Lee's next words were unspoken…but everyone knew what they were: _But now it seems as though he'll never see that dream fulfilled…_

Rock Lee walked over to his teammate and knelt down, offering a hand and a smile. "So Neji-kun. Shall we go and bring Hinata-san home?"

The aching Hyuga groaned…but he still managed to bring forth a smile. "…yes…"

He clutched Lee's hand.

Sasuke was silent as he watched the two walk/hobble out of the Council Room. He then saw Shino leaving; probably to watch over Kiba at the hospital. Then he stood, walking towards the exit.

"Sasuke-kun…?"

Sasuke paused at Sakura's voice. Without waiting for an answer, he said, "I'm just going…to do some thinking." He calmly pulled a scroll out from his Uchiha robes, holding it tightly as he left.

Kakashi frowned. _The scroll that Mantarou said was from Itachi…_

Sakura frowned as her eyes fell to the ground. In just one day, the future had taken a turn for the worse. _Ino's been unconscious for so long…and now Naruto…he's…_

"…he's gone, isn't he?"

Kakashi, Sakura, and Tsunade blinked as three children popped out of a ventilation vent in the roof. The Copy Ninja's lone eye twinkled with slight awe. _Hmm…so they managed to get in there without alerting anyone. Not bad._

Konohamaru looked up at them, revealing his eyes…eyes on the verge of tears. "He…he's gone…isn't he?"

Haruno Sakura couldn't help but bite her lip; Konohamaru was one of Naruto's biggest fans. If anything, Naruto was one of his IDOLS. To think that that idol was gone…to think that his role model was gone…

Sakura calmly reached down and embraced the Third's grandson. "I'm sorry."

Udon and Moegi sniffled; Naruto had been their boss, their part-time mentor…but their sadness multiplied at the sight of Konohamaru grimacing, trying to hold back his tears.

"The boss…was going to be my last obstacle to becoming Hokage…he said so…he said so…" Konohamaru sniffled, trying his best not to cry. He was a ninja…he was a ninja…ninja weren't supposed to cry…!

"Ninja…are allowed to cry, you know…" whispered Sakura.

Konohamaru gulped. Despite his best efforts, tears were starting to fall.

A bitter laugh escaped the young boy's throat. "Heh…look at me…the future Hokage. Crying…" Konohamaru grimaced as Sakura's shoulder became damp with his tears. "I never saw grandpa cry…and I've never seen Tsunade-sama cry…"

The Godaime nearly laughed at that statement. A Hokage incapable of crying? _That would be a first…_

Because right now, Tsunade felt like crying.

After all, if there was anyone worth it…it was Uzumaki Naruto.

xxxx

/Uchiha Clan Grounds, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Uchiha Sasuke stared quietly at the Nakano Shrine, located at the edge of the Nakano River within the Uchiha grounds. His dark eyes were listless; he barely registered his actions. He barely noticed his hands moving aside the seventh tatami mat on the far right side. He barely recognized the spiral staircase as he walked downstairs toward the secret meeting room. He barely noticed the two images of tengu, one on each wall. He barely recognized the two symbols of the Uchiha: a white and red paper fan.

However…his dark eyes came into focus at the sight of the tablet. He had read the inscription on that tablet so long ago…it was practically engraved in his head.

_THE MIGHT OF THE TENGU KING IS EMBLAZONED WITHIN THIS TABLET_

_THE ALL-SEEING RED EYE, BORN FROM EVIL EYES OF WHITE, KEEPS GUARD OVER THIS SEAL_

_OUR EYES WILL CUT THROUGH EVIL, CUTTING DOWN ON THE FIRE OF EMOTION_

_ANGER AND RAGE WILL BE DISPELLED BY THE THREE DEITIES, LEAVING ONLY COLDNESS_

_TO BE DISPENSERS OF JUSTICE, WE MUST BE AS IMPASSIVE AS ICE IN THE DARK, LEST OUR RAGE DESTROY ALL_

_OUR POWER IS TO BE USED RESPONSIBLY, AND MUST BRING ABOUT ORDER_

_HENCEFORTH, THE UCHIHA SHALL PROTECT THIS TABLET AND ITS PRISONER_

_NEVER LETTING THE SHAME OF OUR FOUNDING BE KNOWN TO THE WORLD_

Sojobo, the legendary Tengu King, was sealed within that tablet.

Uchiha Sasuke knew that Sojobo's demonic taint was what allowed the Sharingan to manifest…but aside from the fact that Sojobo's son, Madara, was the one who founded the Uchiha…little else was known about the Uchiha Clan's ancestry.

Sasuke looked down at the scroll.

Inside it…what **_was_** inside it?

_Only one way to find out._

And so Sasuke silently opened the scroll…and began reading.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**The Tale of the Uchiha's Downfall; Itachi was…Justified?**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: Sorry for being so late. College and whatnot.

Man, I'm tired. X.x

Anyhow, please read and review!


	31. The Tale of the Uchiha's Downfall

Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto! Revival no jutsu!

Author's Notes: (stands back up) Thanks for the revival!

Anyhow…it's been two months since my last update.

…o.o;

Sorry about that. College…you know? It's college.

Anyhow, I'll make it up to you. Two straight chapters!

Begin!

xxxx

_**The Tale of the Uchiha's Downfall; Itachi was…Justified?**_

xxxx

/Secret Cavern, Fire Country/

"Good grief, this place is too much!" grumbled an irritated old man, his scowl indicating great displeasure. "If I hadn't found that scroll…geez, they sure didn't take security lightly."

It was none other than Jiraiya, continuing his research to verify the words of Uzumaki Mantarou. His first destination had been the secret cavern that had supposedly served as Akatsuki's Headquarters. Of course, the trick had been finding it.

It had taken a few hours…but he had finally settled on a general 100-square mile plot of land to search in. The reason being was because of the numerous genjutsu tags in the area. That had been quite clever of them; utilizing paper tags with genjutsu seals on them, holding in place an illusion. The illusion? Merely a more convoluted forest that led away from the secret cavern. But by getting rid of the first set of genjutsu tags (Jiraiya: Twenty of them!), he had been able to locate the tags (Jiraiya: Thirty!) that had actually been HIDING the secret cavern.

When it had been revealed, it was a hole hidden amongst a throng of bushes. Bushes underneath a gaggle of tree roots (Jiraiya: What? THAT'S IT?). Falling down the small hole revealed a much more cavernous expanse; a field of stalagmites that hid a door in the floor. Underneath that door were stairs.

That was where the traps began.

Paper tags that exploded. A shield of chakra spawning from paper tags, blocking his passage (Jiraiya: Thankfully, brute force worked.). Not only that, but the place was like a labyrinth; it had rearranged itself due to his disabling of the genjutsu tags on the surface. Paths that normally led to important areas now ended up at bottomless pits, falling ceilings with spikes, crushing walls, enclosed pits with snakes, and pools filled with sharks. In order to fully navigate the labyrinth, one had to choose the right doors; according to a paper scroll near the beginning of the labyrinth, it was part of Akatsuki's "initiation ceremony" to navigate their way to the Golem through the labyrinth during its 'Red Alert' stage.

Five seconds after that, Jiraiya had been assaulted by needle throwers embedded in the walls.

It took a few more hours to successfully navigate the labyrinth. At the very end, he had found a scroll that was linked with a blood seal to over three dozen paper tags; these paper tags had been transmitting chakra to the other traps, signaling when to activate them. The trick was in the scroll; within it were bloody thumbprints by all current Akatsuki members. The blood was laced with chakra, and the seals on all of the paper tags within the labyrinth were able to sense the chakra of anyone who came through; those who were on the scroll were ignored by the security system.

Jiraiya sighed with relief. _I swear…what a misguided genius Mantarou turns out to be. _He grumbled out of displeasure. _Why do all of the major villains have to be evil geniuses?_

He had been fortunate; if he hadn't had found that scroll, he probably would have been skewered by any other traps that lay ahead of him, or when going back to the surface. _Man…I'm already pooped._

Now that he was safe from further harm (and before anyone asks how he knew to properly insert his chakra into the scroll, here's a blanket explanation for this question and all similar ones; he's one of the Sannin), he could continue his investigation.

"Hmm…" He glanced quietly around the cavernous room, using his chakra aura around his hand as a torch. The Toad Sennin glanced at a spot on the ground; it was unnaturally flat compared to the surrounding floor. "So this is where the Gatekeeper Golem sat…"

Further off. He saw eight kunai knives. Each one with a different hair strand. "So that part about **_Ukiyoenka no jutsu_** was also true…"

Rushing water. Jiraiya glanced down the tunnel near the edge of the room; the underground river was large. VERY large.

The Sannin scratched his head, mentally debating what to do next. Since he didn't really feel like going through the labyrinth again…

"_**Kuchiyose **_**_no jutsu!_**"

A puff of smoke, followed by the sound of something large landing on the floor.

Jiraiya glanced up at the brown and red toad standing before him. Strapped to his side was a black sheathe holding a rather large dagger, and a necklace of beads encircled his neck. The amphibian's blank, black eyes looking at the Toad Sennin out of curiosity. "IT'S BEEN A WHILE JIRAIYA."

"So it has, Gamakappa," replied Jiraiya. "There's a specific reason I summoned you."

"DOES IT INVOLVE SWIMMING?" replied the toad, his blank eyes glittering with excitement.

The old man nodded. "Yes. I just need a lift inside your mouth, because it might take a while, and I can't hold my breath that long." Another thing about Gamakappa…he was fifteen feet tall. "Do you mind?"

Gamakappa glanced at the underground river, grinning at the sight. "WHY, I'D BE DELIGHTED!" One long tongue wrapped around Jiraiya, pulling him into the toad's mouth. Keeping his mouth shut tight, Gamakappa happily leapt into the river and began swimming with the current.

The Toad Sage leaned back against the side of Gamakappa's moist cheek, reveling in the rest he'd be getting during the trip, however brief it may turn out being. _Perhaps I should head to the Water Country after this…_

xxxx

/Nakano Shrine, Uchiha Clan Grounds, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

As Sasuke started reading, his mind briefly thought back to Mantarou's tale.

The Leader of Akatsuki – judging by his demeanor – had somehow been able to decipher the meaning of this scroll.

_I wonder how he could tell what Itachi was inferring…?_

After all, there was a big blood seal on the bottom of the scroll, with a three-pointed shuriken shape in the very center. Above the seal were words.

Words from Itachi.

xxxx

_Foolish little brother._

_To think that you have come so far so as to read this note…I shall give it to the Leader, should I end up falling in battle. He will know to give it you._

_If you are reading this, then I shall assume that I have lost to you. Your grudge has been settled at last…but are you satisfied?_

_Have you truly reached the limit of your capacity? Are you content with what you are? After all, you intend to revive the Uchiha, do you not?_

_What a weak and pathetic clan…so dedicated to the past that they let their future slip away…if you mean to raise the Uchiha Clan from its resting place, you will need to relinquish your foolishness._

_You will need to open your eyes._

_Let the moon shine upon this scroll…and everything will be clear._

xxxx

"Hmm…" Sasuke frowned. What could Mantarou have managed to glean from this scroll? And the seal down there…

'_Open your eyes'…'let the moon shine down'…and this seal…_

Sasuke suddenly realized it.

His dark eyes quickly transformed into the **_Sharingan_**. Immediately, he could see the intricate chakra patterns weaving throughout the blood seal.

The shuriken shape was deliberate.

After all, it was the shape of the **_Mangekyou Sharingan_**.

The moon part was now clear. Itachi was referring to **_Tsukiyomi_**.

The Underworld Moon Illusion.

Sasuke took his eyes to the highest level, and he roared. "**_TSUKIYOMI!_**"

The seal suddenly seemed to explode with chakra, and Sasuke's eyes widened. Everything around him vanished, becoming overwhelmed by darkness…no, not darkness.

Reversal. Change. The colors around him seemed…inverted, yet monotone. Everything was varying shades of black and white.

The moon was pure black against a sky of red.

And he was now standing outside, during the main thoroughfare through the Uchiha Clan Grounds. Just like years ago…when Itachi had slaughtered everyone.

"In this world of the moon…"

Sasuke frowned. _That voice._

"Time…space…matter…to the one who controls the moon, everything is malleable…"

Sasuke turned around.

"…so in other words, this illusion is completely under your power to manipulate…to do with it as you wish." Uchiha Itachi – Akatsuki robes and all – stared quietly at Sasuke. "That is the power of **_Tsukiyomi_**."

"Why are you here?" asked Sasuke. "Come to think of it, HOW are you here?"

"I crafted this seal for the purpose of communicating with you after death." Itachi's own **_Mangekyou Sharingan_** glowed unnaturally in the dark. "I sealed my **_Tsukiyomi_** jutsu into this scroll, thus allowing my mind to communicate with one who casts **_Tsukiyomi_** on the seal. The link would be established, as it is now."

Sasuke frowned at Itachi. _Sealing a doujutsu technique into a scroll…locking part of his mind within an illusion…set to activate only with another person with the **Mangekyou Sharingan** and the ultimate genjutsu technique…_

His brother truly was a genius.

"Such a seal is rather difficult to craft…after you relinquish the **_Tsukiyomi_** jutsu, the activated seal will burn away. Without a link to your chakra, it will no longer be able to sustain itself. This sealed jutsu will cease to exist, as will I." The thought of nonexistence didn't seem to bother Itachi, judging by his tranquil manner.

Then again, he had always been tranquil.

"So why go through all this trouble of meeting me?" muttered Sasuke.

Itachi merely looked at the area around him. "Show me the battle in which we fought."

The younger Uchiha arched an eyebrow. How the heck was he supposed to do that? "It would take a long time."

"Think of the possibilities of the Underworld Moon Illusion," lightly chastised Itachi. "Foolish little brother. I truly hope that your limit is more than this…expand your capacity. Think of what you are capable of."

Uchiha Sasuke grimaced, not approving of Itachi's seemingly smug mocking (why's he acting so high and mighty? I KILLED him!). However, his mind quietly reached the conclusion in a few seconds. "Ah…I understand."

The environment shifted. The clan grounds disappeared, and a giant screen appeared in the middle of the endless black expanse. Soon, images began to play…images from Sasuke.

What Sasuke had seen. Through his own eyes. "I'll start at the point where I was about to escape from Orochimaru."

Itachi stared at the screen quietly, sensing the changes Sasuke had brought about. "Very good. Altering time so that only a few minutes pass in the real word…perhaps you've yet to reach your limit after all, _ototo_."

Sasuke whirled his head toward Itachi, looking at Itachi as though he had grown angel wings and a halo. Had he just called him THAT? Weird. Weird weird weird. The younger brother frowned as he began fast-forwarding through the three day trip from Otogakure to Sunagakure. He stopped just as the image came to a windy desert. "Here's where the fight began…by the time I arrived, that old Sannin and the idiot had already killed three members of Akatsuki."

Itachi said nothing. His eyes remained focused on the large image, watching the battle through Sasuke's eyes.

Sasuke remained silent as well, watching his own memories play back in front of his very eyes. In a way, it was almost as though it signified the reality of everything.

He had abandoned the Leaf three years ago.

But he had abandoned Orochimaru upon discovering Itachi…and upon obtaining the power he needed to defeat him.

Akatsuki had fallen.

But its Leader, and the son of the Leader, and the demon bound to the son…all three were gone.

"Hmm…so you apparently were able to master the _**Zanbato**_ Bloodline Limit ability," muttered Itachi, breaking Sasuke's train of thought. "…"

Sasuke glanced quietly at Itachi before looking back up at the flowing image.

Time passed.

"So Orochimaru appeared to reclaim you…" Itachi was quiet. "…"

Sasuke said nothing. _Itachi…what's your intent for all of this?_

Time passed.

"The boy summoned Kyuubi no Yoko? Quite a risk," commented Itachi.

Sasuke kept a quiet glare fixated on Itachi, only briefly remembering his own confusion upon discovering Naruto's secret.

Time passed.

"So you forced me to use **_Susanoo_**: Body of the Storm…?" asked Itachi out of mild curiosity. "Hmm."

_Body of the Storm…it fits_, thought Sasuke with a frown.

Time passed.

Itachi arched an eyebrow. "I had anticipated the possibility of you attaining the **_Mangekyou Sharingan_**…but not in such a manner."

Sasuke smirked in silence. That reminded him; he hadn't achieved the ultimate form of the Uchiha Kekkei Genkai like Itachi had. He hadn't resorted to killing his best friend. _Though…exactly HOW did I unlock it?_

Time passed.

The battle ended. Itachi stared quietly at the image of his beheaded body. He said nothing. Nothing at all.

_I guess even he can't speak when seeing his own death_, thought Sasuke in silence.

Time passed.

The battle against Akatsuki in Sungakure ended. Itachi muttered, "What illusion did you have me see? I am…curious as to the nature of the tears I saw on myself."

"I made you experience memories of the Uchiha. Good memories. To remind you…" Sasuke's frown deepened. "…of what you took away. From both of us."

Itachi was actually mildly surprised. However, it was quickly replaced by a cold smile. "An interesting choice…the best one, I must say." His smile quickly faded. "What of the battle against the Leader? The only way we could be speaking is if you had met him…tell me the results."

Uchiha Sasuke was quiet for a few moments, compiling the information and memories in his head. A few moments later, Akatsuki's Leader appeared on the hovering screen. It was an image of Mantarou, surrounded by his deadly orange chakra. "Your Leader appeared soon after the battle at Sunagakure. He had already claimed the One Tail from Gaara, and he had come for Naruto. But the idiot had already run off to the Sand by the time your Leader arrived."

The image changed. This time, it showed Mantarou in the middle of a grassy field, engaged in battle with Naruto. It was from the viewpoint of Sasuke; both he and Naruto were in the hold of Mantarou's aura. "Our battle moved to a location far from Konoha. The idiot started fighting Mantarou, and I intervened soon after he came back."

"I notice you keep calling him 'idiot'."

"That's because he is."

Itachi was silent for a few moments. "…go on."

The image changed to that of Naruto…in his three-tailed form. "Naruto began tapping into the Kyuubi's power, to try and tip the scales in his favor. It was around this time that Mantarou revealed that he's Naruto's old man."

Itachi's lips nearly contorted into a cold smile. "It is stunning how easy it is for that man to keep secrets from those he associates. Yet bring him into contact with his son…and he spills everything." He glanced at Sasuke. "I take it his past was particularly painful?"

Sasuke sighed. "Hmm…grew up happy, lost his home and family to demons, went on an anti-demon warpath, started seeking out Biju to seal within himself, came to Konoha, had sex with Kakashi's teammate, conceived Naruto, left on a mission, came back to see Konoha nearly destroyed by the Demon Fox, finds out his lover's dead, goes crazy, founds Akatsuki, discovers Naruto's still alive, destroys your secret base, fools all of Akatsuki save for you and Orochimaru as to his true plan…and there you have it. Mantarou's tale summarized."

NOW Itachi smirked. "Quite blunt, but lacking in details…no matter." He turned his eyes from his little brother to Mantarou. "One who grew up in loss seeks to avenge the lost…those whose pasts are full of loss can see the intentions of those who have also experienced loss."

"Hmm?" Sasuke looked at Itachi out of confusion. "What do you mean?"

"How did the battle end?"

"Answer my question."

"My answer is this: how did the battle end?"

Sasuke glared. The image changed to that of Kyuubi no Yoko. "Naruto got so mad that he called upon all nine tails of the Demon Fox's power. Because of that…he ended up releasing the Kyuubi." The image changed to that of Mantarou utilizing all of his chakra after opening the **Death** Gate. "Mantarou used all of his power in a bluff against the Kyuubi…and it worked. The fox willingly receded into Naruto, allowing Mantarou to actually go forward with his plan." Now the image of the Gatekeeper Golem, its wide maw glowing blue, appeared. "He took Naruto with him to **Makai**. The gateway closed right afterwards."

The glowing image suddenly blanked out. The blackness suddenly shifted, and now the two were standing amidst a field of black against a sky of red.

"Now answer my other question."

"The Leader has had a pained past. Even though he could not 'see' this genjutsu message, he could inductively decipher its meaning…those whose pasts are defined by pain can intuitively sense the pain others feel. Just as I was able to decipher his true plan…"

Sasuke snorted. "So you're saying your past was bad? What nonsense."

"You shouldn't make such rash assumptions." Itachi sighed with seeming remorse. "A shame that I could not join him."

"Why DID you want to go to Makai? To 'measure your capacity'?" growled Sasuke, feeling as though the words were poison. "You're strong as you are now. Why go to the demon world?"

"Simple. To measure the true depth of my capacity. Since before the Uchiha Clan's downfall, increasing the limits of my capacity…that has been my one goal."

Sasuke glared. "But WHY? That's what I don't understand! **WHY!**" Sasuke actually charged at Itachi, his right hand clenched into a fist. "What kind of stupid reason is that? How can that justify the murder of our FAMILY?"

**KA-RACK!**

Itachi's kick sent Sasuke to the ground. As the younger brother rubbed his cheek out of pain, the elder said, "Because I no longer recognize those people as 'family'." The black-haired Uchiha stared at Sasuke in silence, his imposing gaze reminding Sasuke why he was an S-Class criminal. "Pitiful. Apparently, your mind has far more limitations than your body."

Sasuke frowned. "What?"

"Simply accepting what you saw…refusing to even investigate, or try to find out WHY…beyond the tablet, you simply remained fixated on one viewpoint, refusing to seek out alternatives…" Itachi's glare was terrifying to look at. No matter who you were. But Sasuke did not falter. "I believe Hatake Kakashi has a favorite saying: looking underneath the underneath."

"What are you trying to get at?"

Itachi calmly considered strangling the boy just for being stupid. "Increasing my capacity…that has been my goal. But have you ever considered my reason for doing so? My reason for pursuing this existence? Did you ever stop once to move beyond your preconceived notions of who I am?"

Sasuke was silent…because he had nothing to say.

All of a sudden, the environment around them began to change. Shifting blackness took on form, taking on the inverted colors that represented this world under the moon.

"Do not forget brother…that I am also using **_Tsukiyomi_**…I can alter the illusion as well."

Before Sasuke knew it, he was inside the Nakano Shrine. The hidden meeting place.

The younger Uchiha blinked. He was staring at a large group of Uchiha. At the head of the group, facing them all, was Uchiha Fugaku. _Father…_

"**Now that all other items of importance have been dealt with," said Fugaku, his weathered face looking at the faces of the four dozen Uchiha gathered before him. "We will have another meeting in five days. Will everyone be able to make it?"**

**No one answered. However, someone raised his hand.**

"**Yes?" asked Fugaku.**

Sasuke blinked at the sight of the Uchiha standing up; it was Uchiha Itachi. Age: 13. _Huh…he looks less imposing now._ Then again, Sasuke WAS 15. The Itachi he was seeing within the memory was two years younger.

"**I will be going on a mission in two days. A solo mission to the Earth Country. It'll probably be two weeks until I return."**

**Fugaku was silent. His expression was unreadable. "I see…very well then. The next meeting shall be postponed until two days after Itachi returns. Until then." With that said, the Uchiha dispersed.**

Sasuke frowned as the image disappeared. "What was the purpose of that image?"

"Context," answered Itachi. The environment changed again. "Now…on the day after I returned home…"

It was the household of Uchiha Fugaku. The home that Sasuke had grown up in.

Fugaku and Mikoto were sitting down in front of Itachi, in the darkened room.

**"You don't know where your position is…" grumbled Fugaku, his arms crossed and eyes glimmering with anger.**

Sasuke suddenly realized that he was looking at the conversation he had eavesdropped on so long ago.

"**Tomorrow I have a mission to do," said Itachi, unfazed by Fugaku.**

"**What mission?" demanded Fugaku.**

**Itachi was silent at first. "Well, I can't say…it's a mission of absolute secrecy…"**

**Mikoto looked quietly at her husband, her eyes almost pleading for him to stop. However…Fugaku had to make his point clear. "Itachi…you're the backbone that connects this family to the village…you have to be a _useful_ connection." His eyes opened into a calm glare. "You understand that…right?"**

"**Yeah…" uttered Itachi.**

"…" **Fugaku sighed, seemingly out of acquiescence. "_Impress_ them well. And then come to tomorrow's meeting."**

**Itachi nodded before glancing towards the screen door. "Sasuke…go to the bathroom and quickly go to sleep."**

**The looks of shock on Fugaku and Mikoto's faces only increased as the young Sasuke slid the door and whispered, "O…okay."**

The image paused. Sasuke muttered, "I never understood what that had all been about."

"You'll see." With Itachi's words, the image changed again.

A dim forest outside of Konoha, shaded from the light of the setting sun. The Nakano River, running quietly through it. A single Uchiha, standing at the bank of the river.

Sasuke frowned. "Who is that…?" The man in question was fairly tall; about as tall as the 18-year old Itachi. His small ponytail contrasted with the spiky hair, but the small smile on his face…a look of recognition suddenly hit Sasuke. "I remember now…it's Shisui!"

"Correct," replied Itachi. "Uchiha Shisui…a powerful member of the clan, recognized for his skill with **_Shunshin no jutsu_**, the Body Flicker technique. Hence his title: **_Shunshin no Shisui_**, or Shisui of the Mirage."

**Uchiha Shisui glanced behind him, a warm smile on his features. "Oh. Hello Itachi."**

**Uchiha Itachi calmly approached Shisui, he himself sporting a small, imperceptible smile. "Greetings, Shisui-_niisan_."**

**Shisui chuckled. "Still using that old pet term of yours, eh _ototo_?"**

**"I could say the same of you," remarked Itachi, feeling a little better now.**

"Uchiha Shisui…although seven years my elder, and not directly related to me…I considered him as a brother. And vice-versa," interrupted Itachi.

"**My father wasn't happy about the fact that I had a mission today…" said Itachi, staring at Shisui the whole time. "He was hoping that I would be able 'impress' my foes in a swift fashion, so that I would be back in time for tonight's meeting. Imagine his reaction if he discovered that the one I was 'impressing' was you."**

**Shisui chuckled. "Yeah…that old man of yours always did think highly of you. I hear that your little brother's done well at the Ninja Academy…but I also hear that he still complains that you won't teach him anything."**

**"Sasuke has to be allowed to forge his own path," responded Itachi. "I am aware of my importance within the Uchiha. My father lavishes me because of it…but I shouldn't be the measuring stick upon which my brother is assessed. He may become an even greater genius than I; prodding him in any direction aside from the one he chooses will not help matters any."**

Sasuke found that comment to be oddly contradictory. "And yet here we are today…I've always measured myself against you, and you acknowledged that. But now…"

Itachi said nothing.

"**If you say so," chuckled Shisui.**

**Itachi's hard stare was instantaneous. "Why did you call me here Shisui? My missing a meeting is not uncommon, considering my missions with the ANBU…but you? One of the most devoted to the Uchiha, missing a meeting? It'll draw suspicion."**

**Shisui shrugged. "Oh well…in any case, I HAD to call you here tonight."**

"**Why?"**

"**To let you know what's to come."**

**Itachi arched an eyebrow. "Hmm?"**

**Shisui's smile seemed to fade. "I'm sure you're aware of the odd treatment you've been receiving recently…due to your increasingly solitary and quiet behavior. Many shrug it off as due to stress from becoming an ANBU within the last year…but others cannot help but be suspicious."**

"**It is not my fault if I am away so often," said Itachi. "Also…" An odd look came to his eyes, complete with a questioning frown. "I could not have helped but notice the strange behavior amongst the Uchiha. Within recent months, many of the clan members have been…tense. Even my mother has been acting strangely on edge. It's disconcerting, and I have no idea what's causing it."**

**Shisui's faded smiled disappeared entirely. "It revolves around what's going to happen soon…possibly within the next month." His dark eyes focused intently upon the one he considered a brother. "There was a meeting while you were gone."**

**Itachi frowned deeply. "Hmm? A meeting? Father said that there would not be one until I returned…"**

"**Apparently, he changed his mind," said Shisui. "He called us to the Nakano Shrine one week after you left. He told us to train, rest, and otherwise prepare for the upcoming 'event'…"**

**Itachi's gaze turned ice-cold. He didn't like where this was going. "What…event?"**

"**The overthrow of the Third Hokage."**

**Itachi's eyes widened; this was the first time in YEARS that he had not only felt shock…but showed it as well. "_What?_"**

"WHAT?" roared Sasuke, feeling utterly and completely confused. "Overthrow of the Third? What is he talking about?"

"Quiet," said Itachi, his voice remaining calm and even. Apparently, this memory did not faze him one bit. "You are about to find out."

"**Overthrowing Sarutobi-sama?" Itachi stared confusedly at Shisui, feeling disbelief flood through his veins. It was a foreign feeling…and he didn't like it. Not one bit. "I am a member of the ANBU…nay…a CAPTAIN of my own ANBU unit! We are the personal assassination squad under the Hokage's direct command! A coup…is unthinkable."**

"**It's a plan spanning over a decade. Since you were just a baby," remarked Shisui. "It all began with one of the Sannin: Orochimaru."**

**Itachi frowned; Orochimaru was one of the most infamous Nukenin in the world. His skill was so great, that he had been considered for the position of the Yondaime Hokage. A position eventually taken by Kazama Arashi. "What does he have to do with this?"**

"**Before he fled, he did experiments on numerous humans. Several of them had been Uchiha," said Shisui. "Had he not been discovered when he had been, it's likely that he would've found a way to reverse-engineer our clan's Bloodline Limit…the _Sharingan_."**

Sasuke whirled his head towards Itachi. "Are you surprised?" Itachi smiled lightly. "How do you think he developed such an intense interest in our clan's ability? If he HAD discovered a way to recreate the **_Sharingan_**, he would've had no need for our bodies. He would simply alter every new host body he possessed."

The thought was slightly sobering to Sasuke. Had things been just a little bit different…would Orochimaru have pursued him, had he already possessed the Kekkei Genkai of the Uchiha…?

He was suddenly brought back into reality by Itachi's memories.

"**When it was discovered that Orochimaru had escaped, the Uchiha were naturally upset…but the elders became outraged when they found out that the Third had confronted Orochimaru…and did not fight. A killer of our kin had been allowed to escape…" Shisui frowned. "Granted, the Hokage had a strong bond with Orochimaru as his sensei…but to let him go without even bringing forth his immense strength in battle? The acclaimed Professor, unwilling to bring down his murderous student? I have to say even I found that upsetting…"**

**"And it is because of that that the Uchiha would overthrow him…?" asked Itachi.**

**Shisui nodded. "Yes. After all, the tablet that tells of our beginnings…it asks of us to be dispensers of justice. The Hokage has clearly shown himself to be incapable in regard to his student, an S-Class criminal."**

"**And the tablet says that we must be as cold as ice, lest our rage destroy all," muttered Itachi, his voice becoming icy cold. "Tell me…why are you revealing this to me?"**

"**Wondering why you were not told of this planned coup? Why your father was so pleased with your genius? Your ability?" Shisui sighed, thinking about the fate about to befall Itachi. "It was because the Uchiha Clan knew that an attempt to supplant the Hokage would meet fierce resistance…that's why you were chosen."**

"**Chosen for what?"**

"**To be the vessel. To be the host."**

**Uchiha Itachi frowned. Then, as he thought about it…**

"**Father is insane. The Uchiha are insane…YOU'RE insane…" Itachi scowled. "Do you truly think letting Sojobo possess me would work? Do you think I would willingly become a vessel for the Tengu King?"**

Sasuke's eyes continued to widen as the seconds ticked by. _What…is this…?_

Itachi was still silent.

**"It was a calculated risk," admitted Shisui. "It was decided long ago that if we were to supplant the Hokage, we would need tremendous power to accomplish this task. The only answer to that question was Sojobo; after all, as our history on the back of the tablet goes, he seduced a woman of the Hyuga Clan for the purpose of siring a child."**

Itachi noticed Sasuke's look of confusion. "I'm sure even you've heard of the tales, vague they may be. It's relatively common knowledge that the Uchiha originated and branched off from the Hyuga many generations ago. But the exact origin was unknown."

"I know that…but…the back of the tablet?"

Itachi's look was one of utter stupefaction. "…you're not telling me that you haven't even looked at the back of the seal, have you?"

Sasuke suddenly looked a bit…embarrassed (doubly so, considering that this was his hated brother). "I was only 10. The tablet was too heavy to move."

Itachi grumbled. "Foolish little brother…to summarize, the woman who Sojobo seduced was Hyuga Hikari, and the child they spawned was Madara, the very first of the Uchiha. We know that Sojobo's demonic blood had altered the **_Byakugan_** into the **_Sharingan_**, and that Madara was the first to ever utilize the **_Mangekyou Sharingan_**. It also described HOW he obtained the ultimate **_Sharingan_**. We also know that Madara was the one who eventually defeated Sojobo, but only after widespread devastation occurred…why else do you think the inscription instructs the Uchiha to kill our emotions? It was the rage on both sides that led to such devastation."

Sasuke said nothing (as, at the moment, he was mostly agonizing over the fact that he hadn't even bothered to investigate the tablet any further besides the front). "…"

"**But why me?" asked Itachi, already knowing the answer.**

"**Your body is desirable for two reasons. One," Shisui held up a finger. "You are a genius. A prodigy that only comes about once in a blue moon. Two," He held up another finger. "Your emotional state…is one of absolute coldness. This emotional iciness was knowingly encouraged. After all, Fugaku so gladly supported you and your abilities, while ignoring Sasuke's impressive progress…that was always upsetting to you, wasn't it?"**

**Itachi said nothing.**

"For all intents and purposes," interrupted Itachi, his eyes clouded and unreadable. "I was raised to be the vessel of Sojobo…a demon comparable to a Biju in strength."

Honestly, Sasuke had nothing to say.

**"We will begin the operation soon…I just wanted to tell you what was going to happen," finished Shisui.**

"**Why tell me?" asked Itachi, his voice colder than death itself.**

**Shisui sported a sad smile. "Because you're my best friend. I thought it would be right if you knew…so you can prepare for Sojobo. It's doubtless that he'll try and take control of you…but you're a genius. And if we seal him into you properly, your coldness should be enough to offset his rage."**

"**That is assuming that I'd even go along with your plan," retorted Itachi, his dark eyes shifting into the _Sharingan_. "You should not make such rash assumptions."**

**Shisui suddenly frowned, his own eyes shifting into the _Sharingan_. "You disagree then?"**

"**Wholeheartedly," replied Itachi as he pulled a kunai out of a vest pocket.**

**Shisui was silent.**

**And then he sighed. "I guess there's no talking you out of it then."**

"**I would rather not do this. Surely you see the foolishness of this course of action?" pleaded Itachi, his eyes looking oddly…fearful. Not because Shisui scared him, heavens no; Itachi was beyond Shisui. No…Itachi was fearful of what he might end up doing within the next few minutes. "Many Uchiha will die in this attempted coup. Their deaths will be because of this foolish plan!"**

**Shisui responded quietly. "The Uchiha have spent the last several years preparing for this. There are Uchiha within the police force, the Konoha-nin, the ANBU, the hospitals, the personal guard of the Hokage…and when we are all in position, the strike will be swift and deadly. The Uchiha will become the new power in Konoha, to avenge those who had no vengeance…and the one who bears the might of Sojobo will be the next Hokage."**

**Uchiha Itachi scowled. "Me? Hokage? I have no desire for the position."**

"**You are the backbone that connects the Uchiha to the village. Fugaku has spoken of you in such a manner many times," reminded Shisui. "You are practically the public face of the Uchiha. Your exploits have made you an almost legendary figure in the eyes of Konoha's citizenry. There can be no other choice but YOU."**

"**Are you doing this because the clan has told you to? Answer that for me."**

**Shisui quickly retorted, "I was only nine at the time Orochimaru fled Konoha, but I still remember what it was like seeing the mutilated bodies of our brethren…I vowed to never let something like that happen again."**

"**And for that, you'd do this?" Itachi grimaced; things were starting to fall apart. "Do yourself a favor and FORGET the clan and its plan! This path leads to disaster!"**

**Wrong thing to say.**

**Shisui's devotion to the Uchiha Clan was absolute. To try and insult the Uchiha Clan in Shisui's presence was bad enough. But to suggest that Shisui go AGAINST the clan…was tantamount to heresy, in his eyes.**

"**It would've been nice, Itachi." Shisui calmly raised his arm, pulling a wakizashi out of a hidden sheath on his back. "I'll inform Fugaku of the news. Perhaps your brother will be a more willing host."**

**Itachi's eyes narrowed as he used his other free hand to pull out his kodachi; a signature weapon of the Konoha ANBU. "You know that this battle will end in your defeat."**

"**Maybe. But you will undoubtedly seek retribution. I cannot let that happen."**

**Itachi tried to plead one last time. "I beg of you…Shisui-niisan…don't do this."**

**Shisui was suddenly behind Itachi.**

"**_Shunshin no jutsu_. The Body Flicker." Shisui tilted his head back towards Itachi, his _Sharingan_ swirling. "Learn why I am called Shisui of the Mirage."**

**Itachi growled.**

**They both disappeared.**

**The flash of metal striking metal was all that could be seen of them. So artful and masterful was their swordplay, not a single tree, plant, or blade of grass was marred. Nor did they manage to land a single hit; each and every strike was either blocked or parried.**

**But it wasn't meant to last.**

**One minute later, Shisui found that Itachi's hand was on his back.**

**SPLOOSH!**

**Itachi growled as he pressed down on Shisui's back, holding his head underwater. Shisui tried to struggle, but his awkward position prevented him from getting any leverage. However…as though feeling remorse…Itachi pulled his head above water. "Give up Shisui!"**

"**No!"**

**SPLOOSH!**

**Itachi pulled his head back up. His eyes were beginning to quiver; he didn't want to do this! Not to the man he considered a brother! "Please, just give up! This path will lead to your end!"**

**Shisui roared, "I will continue to walk this path! And for the sake of the clan and its honor, so must you!"**

**SPLOOSH!**

**"I beg of you; GIVE UP!"**

**"NEVER!"**

**SPLOOSH!**

**This time, Shisui's head did not come back up. The bubbles coming up ceased as the Uchiha's body went limp. Itachi quietly pulled away, staring at the body of the one he called 'niisan'.**

**Shisui. Dead.**

**Why? WHY?**

**For vengeance? Simple vengeance? To overthrow the Third? Replace Sarutobi with HIM?**

**And release Sojobo? The dreaded Tengu King that they had kept an eye over for years? The utter hypocrisy of it all struck Itachi cold; using the might of a demon they feared for the sake of revenge, knowing full well what would happen if the truth got out…they feared shame over their origin, yet would have no qualm with exposing it? For this? For the sake of the clan's 'honor'?**

**Contradictory. Unthinkable. Foolish.**

**These emotions – betrayal, sadness, anger, rage, shame, hate, despair – spawned from the murder of Shisui and this new knowledge of what the Uchiha planned…**

**In the end, Itachi couldn't help but fall to his knees, grimacing and trying to beat down the emotional storm swirling through his heart. _…this…feeling…_**

**The emotion disappeared, and all that was left was coldness. The coldness of Itachi, his usual coldness…**

**He quietly stood, staring at the Nakano River.**

**Staring back was Uchiha Itachi…complete with the _Mangekyou Sharingan_.**

"And that is how I obtained the greatest form of our Bloodline Limit." Itachi turned his gaze toward Sasuke, who was now stock-still. "The clan…I had no more use for them after that. And yet there was that annoying piece of humanity within me that yearned for a solution to this dilemma."

Before Sasuke could even say anything, the images changed, showing what had happened the following day. It was one Sasuke remembered quite well: the day when Itachi was confronted by three members of the Konoha Military Police Force: Inabi, Tekka, and Yashiro. Why? They wanted to investigate Shisui's 'suicide', via drowning in the Nakano River.

**The gray-haired Yashiro handed a stoic Itachi a paper note. "This is Shisui's suicide note…we already finished the handwriting analysis…it's no doubt his handwriting."**

"**If it's suicide, what is left to investigate?" quietly asked Itachi.**

**Inabi growled in an accusatory tone. "For those who can use the _Sharingan_, it's quite easy to forge one's handwriting."**

"And he was right," interrupted Itachi. "That note was by my own hand. I couldn't just leave Shisui there without one…for obvious reasons. And as the note was written by me…it is also from me. After that night…I could not longer walk on the path given to me by the Uchiha."

Sasuke could barely hang on to his mind in the midst of all of this. The information pertaining to Itachi…the clan's origins…the death of Shisui…the clan's planned coup d'etat…that last one alone was sending him for a loop.

Multiple images appeared at once.

One of Shisui's 'suicide' note.

_**I'm tired of the duties...**_

_**There is no future for Uchiha...**_

_**And for me...**_

_**I cannot walk the "path" any further...**_

"No more could I serve as the Uchiha's connection to the village. I had to sever that connection," said Itachi.

**Itachi stared quietly at the three fallen Uchiha, lying on the ground before him. "You hold onto the organization, your clan, your name…these things limit us and our capacities...these things deserve to be shunned…it is foolish to fear…what we've yet to see and know!"**

Itachi continued on. "The Uchiha Clan. A group that was founded on the fear of a demon. A group that was now willing to use that demon's power out of anger, going against the words of its founder…a hypocritical contradiction that, ultimately, resulted in their destruction. Had they chosen a different path – one of revelation to Konoha of our past, one of increasing our capacity – things might have been different. Yet they all chose to walk lock-step with the will of the clan, even though it would lead to their doom."

**"With my capacity...I've lost all hope for this pathetic clan."**

"I had become greater than them. I had discovered the depths that they had sunk too…and they feared me because of it."

"**You forget what is most important to you, because you cling to something small like your clan." Itachi's _Sharingan_ swirled. "True change cannot be made if it is bound by laws and limitations, predictions and imagination."**

"They forgot the meaning of their existence. The meaning of their clan had been lost; preservation of the clan's 'honor' overrode reason. Their self-preservation was surrendered to the mercy of their rage." Itachi sighed; the feelings he had felt so long ago had crept back. Slightly. "For the sake of their pathetic 'vengeance', they would lead the clan into combat against the entire Hidden Leaf. Bound by laws of honor, they refuse to acknowledge that the path they walk leads to death. Limited by their narrow vision, they cannot see alternatives. Predicting the behavior of a demon and the reaction of Konoha, they set themselves up for downfall. Imagining the grandeur and glory of avenging their kin, they are unable to see reality. All of these factors…the Uchiha Clan could have changed their path. But they restricted themselves…and what happened…happened." The elder Uchiha glared quietly at the younger. "Didn't father begin paying more attention to you after that incident?"

All of these words were sobering to the young Uchiha. Despite that, he still managed to say, "Yes."

"It would seem that father decided to prepare you for the task of housing Sojobo's soul…does it not?"

Sasuke said nothing.

For a few seconds that is. "If…well…so all of this is true then…but why didn't you tell me?"

"And now we bring that annoying little piece of humanity back into play…" Itachi grimaced. "Part of me still felt some attachment to the Uchiha, as foolish and pathetic they were. Incomprehensible it may be…I had an idea to salvage the clan."

"And that was?"

Itachi's subsequent stare matched the evenhandedness of his tone. Especially considering what he was about to say. "To kill all but the most innocent. The most innocent being the youngest of all the Uchiha…you."

Uchiha Sasuke was quiet. "…"

One second later, his hand was on Itachi's throat.

"We're in a metaphysical realm, and I'm just a mind. This action has no point," calmly retorted Itachi.

"What about all of that stuff you told me?" growled Sasuke, reveling the anger he was feeling. It would do him no good to just remain in a state of shellshock. "On the night you slew the clan…"

The images Itachi had conjured were replaced by those conjured by Sasuke.

**The young Sasuke lay on the ground in front of his parents' corpses, with Itachi standing stoically in the darkness. His mind was reeling from the effects of _Tsukiyomi_. "Why...did you...?"**

"…**it was to measure my capacity," answered Itachi.**

"**...to test your capacity? That's all...?" Sasuke grimaced out of anger…and lack of understanding. "That's...the only reason...you killed everyone for that...?"**

"**It was essential."**

"And it was," answered Itachi.

"Quiet," snapped Sasuke. "Watch this."

Another image. This time, outside, under the light of the moon. A tearing Sasuke faced an impassive Itachi.

**Itachi said, "You found me disagreeable and hated me. You continued wanting to surpass me. Because of that, I will let you live…for my sake. You can awaken the same Mangekyou Sharingan as me. However, there is a requirement." Itachi stared at Sasuke with a small hint of menace. "You must kill…your closest friend."**

"And this."

"**At the main temple of the Nakano Shrine…on the far right side, under the seventh tatami mat is the clan's secret meeting place. There you will find what purpose the doujutsu of the Uchiha Clan originally served…the real secret is written there."**

**Sasuke looked at Itachi out of confusion.**

"**If you open your eyes to the truth…" The grin on Itachi's face…indicated something he knew that Sasuke did not. "…including myself, there will be three people who can handle the Mangekyou Sharingan."**

"And this."

**Itachi began turning away. "It would be worthless...to kill someone like you...my foolish brother..."**

**Sasuke's tears continued to flow as Itachi's tone became harsher. "If you want to kill me...curse me! Hate me! And live a long and unsightly life...run away...run away...and cling to your pitiful life."**

**Itachi turned back towards Sasuke, his _Mangekyou Sharingan_ swirling. "And someday, when you have the same 'eyes' as me...come before me."**

**The memory faded to black as Sasuke was forced into unconsciousness by _Tsukiyomi_.**

"…now…" Sasuke turned his glare towards Itachi. "Explain."

Itachi was quiet for a few moments.

Finally, he spoke. "By killing the Uchiha, I gave you a reason to hate me. I, who was an instrument in the plan to overthrow the Third, had become a pariah to the people of Konoha. I, who was once the 'backbone' connecting the Uchiha to the village, was now hated by everyone. In other words, I was marked for death on that day." His **_Mangekyou Sharingan_** seemed like spinning shuriken. "By giving you a reason to hate me, you aspired to become stronger than me so that you could kill me. But in order to kill me…you would have to become stronger than me. If you were to become stronger than me…then the Uchiha Clan would have no need for Sojobo, would it?"

Sasuke stared blankly at Itachi.

And then it dawned on him. It made his blood run cold. Why? Because of what it entailed.

"Itachi…you…?"

"By increasing my capacity, I knew that you would force yourself to increase your capacity even further. That's why I always strove for more strength…" Itachi almost looked amused. Perhaps he was enjoying this, seeing his little brother trying to grasp the truth? "The stronger I became, the stronger you would become. Your hatred of me would drive you far…"

"But why didn't you tell me about the plan to overthrow the Third? **WHY!**"

"So you would have no qualms with killing me. I couldn't have you thinking I was justified…right, little brother?"

Sasuke grit his teeth. "Damn it Itachi, this isn't something you can just keep a secret! This…this…" This hurt most of all to admit. But he had to. "This…changes…_everything_…" Oh God, it hurt so much to say that.

Itachi sighed. "No. I long ago resigned myself to the fact that I would fall to you. Even my feelings for the Uchiha and Konoha faded away; any thought I had concerning the resurrection of the clan faded long ago. Even when you used **_Tsukiyomi_** to remind me of the people I had slain, those tears…I would have to say that those were merely tears of memories. The person I used to be was crying…the person who no longer exists. Even though I feel nothing for them, memories can force you to do…things. Would you not agree?"

Sasuke suddenly thought of one memory.

The Valley of the End. Sasuke overlooking an unconscious Naruto, felled by his **_Chidori_**.

Then he remembered a more recent memory…

Naruto. Saving him from Orochimaru.

Sasuke grimaced as those two images hovered in the air, as if mocking the path he had chosen. The path he had willingly walked.

"Your best friend," commented Itachi. "One who refused to give you up, even though you willingly gave yourself to Orochimaru." Itachi nearly chuckled; that had been one ploy of his that had backfired. "I told you to kill your best friend, hoping that you would revile and choose a different path…but I suppose I underestimated your drive. And to think the path you ended up choosing would lead to Orochimaru, the very REASON for the Uchiha Clan's planned revolt." A chuckle escaped Itachi's lips. "How ironic."

Another memory of Sasuke's.

One of him jumping into a lake, face colored with anger and hatred. The young Sasuke's thoughts echoed through the vast expanse.

_**Brother...no matter how deep I have to plunge myself into darkness, I will do it in order to kill you! No matter what happens, I WILL get that power!**_

Sasuke winced, hearing those thoughts. "I saw the front of the tablet…it instructed the Uchiha to cut down on emotion's fire. To embrace the icy cold of darkness, to increase our power to its greatest limit…I thought that to kill you, I had to forsake all of my bonds…" Sasuke bitterly chuckled. "Yet Naruto…he somehow forged one anyway…but I ended up forsaking that bond, didn't I?"

"But he refused to let go." Itachi's one comment caused the Akatsuki member to go silent, for a moment. "By continuing on when there was no reason to, he was able to resurrect that bond. He even surprised me; when I learned you had gone to Orochimaru to seek power in your 'own way'," he said this mockingly. "I completely abandoned all thoughts of the Uchiha's resurrection. Yet three years pass…you join the battle with this boy…and despite everything that had happened, he was willing to save you without any second thought of his own safety."

Sasuke said nothing. All he felt was…well, it was hard to define WHAT he was feeling. A little bit of everything, really. It was an emotional state he didn't like. Not one bit. "Yeah…what an idiot…"

"That is as simple as it gets; you threw away your bonds to attain power, growing stronger in solitude. He tried to save all the bonds that he could, growing stronger by doing everything he could to protect those bonds. "In the end, _ototo_…" Itachi's eyes glimmered in the darkness. "Who is the stronger of you two?"

"…Naruto."

An admission of defeat. Naruto was stronger than he was. Not just in strength…but in many other things.

"Then I guess it's time you choose a new path."

"…maybe…"

Itachi gazed downward at his little brother. He supposed he should've been feeling some brotherly affection – and some self-congratulations, his plan had worked! – but he didn't. He couldn't. Ice had formed a permanent coating over him, never to thaw.

Besides, he was practically dead anyway.

"You possess the **_Mangekyou Sharingan_**…as do I…" He gazed upward as the image of Hatake Kakashi appeared. "Perhaps Kakashi might one day claim it as well…"

Sasuke blinked. "The third one you referred to…was Kakashi?"

"Yes. It's possible, even though he's not of the Uchiha blood. After all, the exact key to obtaining the **_Mangekyou Sharingan_**…is very ill-defined, but one's emotions are strongly tied into it. Madara achieved it after killing his mother. I achieved it after killing Shisui. You, on the other hand, did not kill anyone…you were merely saved by your best friend, whom you had left for dead. You were reminded of a bond you threw away…and to your horror, you realized that the path he had chosen had led to greater power than your path did. And the clincher…perhaps it made you think that, just maybe, you were wrong about a lot of things."

Sasuke said nothing…but one last memory came up.

"_**I STILL HAVE TO KICK YOUR ASS!"**_

_**POW!**_

**Uchiha Sasuke grimaced as the punch sent him flying back by several feet. Definitely not Naruto's strongest punch…but it had been unexpected. The Sharingan-user coughed as he slowly got to his feet, his red eyes glaring straight into Naruto's narrow blue irises. The demon vessel still had more words. "Remember our last fight? Well guess what…_WE STILL HAVE A SCORE TO SETTLE_. And we can't battle properly until we both acknowledge each other as fellow Leafs…so get your act into gear…or are you so helpless that you need ME to save your hide…you big chicken?"**

That pretty much said it all.

Uzumaki Naruto. The one who refused to give up on his Ninja Way.

"Perhaps…I need to find my own Ninja Way…" Sasuke momentarily winced. That phrase just sounded so…corny!

Itachi had nothing else to offer. His work here was done. He had said his piece, and had justified everything. Not that he cared. Not anymore. "So…do you still think I was wrong for killing the clan?"

"……I understand your motives now…" Sasuke grimaced; admitting that Itachi's motives had some merit was like swallowing poison. "…but I still think you were wrong."

Itachi arched an eyebrow.

"The clan…should've been stopped. That I agree with…but…you shouldn't have killed them." Sasuke stared into Itachi's eyes. "This may sound hypocritical coming from me…but the bonds of blood between family…they shouldn't be severed. Losing those links…is one of the most painful things in the world. The fact that you even showed tears was evidence enough…"

"Then what do you propose I should've done?" Itachi's question came out more as a statement.

"I don't know," growled Sasuke. "Alerting the Hokage…preemptively incapacitating them…sealing them to chairs, who cares! But not killing them!" Sasuke thought about his father, and the pride he felt upon being recognized by him. He thought about his mother, and her soothing voice. He thought about the other clan members…all the good times…he missed them. "If I could have them back for even one day…there's no telling what I'd give up. Because…they're family." There was really no other way to put it.

Blood was thicker than water.

The environment swirled around; all of the images disappeared, and they once again were standing amongst the grounds of the Uchiha Clan.

Uchiha Itachi calmly replied, "Then if you treasure those bonds of blood so much, then you should start creating new ones."

Uchiha Sasuke stood up tall, facing Itachi. His older brother. The one he hated. The one he STILL hated. The one he killed. The one he pitied.

"…_aniki_…"

Itachi stared calmly at Sasuke, noting that he had been altered in appearance. He was now 13 years old, slightly smaller than the 15-year old Sasuke. He waited patiently for Sasuke's response.

_Tap._

Itachi blinked as Sasuke poked him in the forehead with two fingers. The last living Uchiha muttered, "I don't have time to worry about you today…or ever again. Sorry."

Itachi stared at Sasuke, actually looking rather surprised. It had been an unexpected followup. An unexpected end to some unexpected revelations.

But then…he smirked.

"Well…I suppose I never was the best role model. Now…move on. Your capacity still has room to grow."

Sasuke said nothing more as he disappeared. Uchiha Itachi glanced quietly upward as the inverted world of darkness began to burn away, disintegrating into a mass of blue chakra.

Moments later, the jutsu was dispelled, and the mind of Uchiha Itachi ceased to exist.

xxxx

/Nakano Shrine, Uchiha Clan Grounds, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Sasuke's eyes came back into focus, his eyes shifting back to their normal dark irises. One quick glance at the clock showed him that only five minutes had elapsed. His eyes fell down to the scroll…and noted that it was burning. Chakra burned away at the scroll.

The scroll disintegrated into ashes.

Uchiha Itachi was truly dead.

And Sasuke…didn't know what to think.

After everything he had just learned? All of his assumptions and beliefs about Itachi had been dramatically altered…or perhaps they were put back into place? Back when he viewed Itachi as someone so far ahead that he'd never catch up?

His views of the Uchiha Clan had been changed as well…he needed to look at the back of the tablet to confirm everything Itachi had said.

Everything…

Sasuke said nothing as he stood up, walking quietly out of the Nakano Shrine and into the empty streets of the Uchiha Clan Grounds. He would be thinking a lot over the next few weeks…perhaps longer.

He calmly sat down on a public bench, staring up at the moon. Shining bright…coating the dark night with faint traces of light, joining the stars in a cacophony of white and black.

"…Uchiha Itachi…" The name was uttered with no hatred. He didn't know what to think.

But…he still intended to resurrect the Uchiha.

He still intended to restore the bonds that both he AND Itachi had broken.

"Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke shifted his eyes to the side; Haruno Sakura was standing there, a bag in her hands. Her clothes were ruffled and messy; a long day at the hospital.

Yes…it HAD been a long day, hadn't it?

The battle against Mantarou.

Mantarou's tale.

The freeing of the Kyuubi.

Mantarou's departure to Makai, along with Naruto.

And now…Itachi's own message from beyond the grave…

It was almost too much to comprehend.

"Yes?" muttered the Uchiha, suddenly feeling extremely tired.

"Oh…nothing…" mumbled Sakura. "I just…walk through here sometimes."

"…"

Sakura frowned at Sasuke's silence. "Um…may I sit down?"

"…sure…"

The pink-haired Chuunin quietly sat down next to the former Nukenin, reaching into her bag. She pulled out a small apple slice and chewed in silence, analyzing Sasuke for a few minutes as she chewed.

The Uchiha didn't say anything.

Finally, Sakura asked, "Are…you okay?"

"…it's just been a long day…" whispered Sasuke.

Sakura's eyes became downcast. "It has…hasn't it?" Her fingers impulsively tightened; she hadn't been there at the battle with Mantarou. Had she been there…had MORE people been there…could a difference have been made? Maybe? Possibly?

The silence continued on between the two. The awkwardness over Sasuke's former status as a missing-nin – and everything that had resulted because of that – still lingered in both of their minds.

Sakura reached into her bag and pulled out an apple slice. "…want one?"

Sasuke glanced at the sliced fruit, momentarily looking at it as though it were a foreign object.

Sakura gulped. She suddenly remembered the LAST time she had offered him apple slices. "…but if you don't want-"

"Sure."

Sakura blinked as Sasuke quietly took the apple slice and bit into it. He chewed. He swallowed. "…it's…good."

Sakura's face lit up with a small smile. (Inner Sakura: Operation "Un-Emoing Sasuke", step one COMPLETE!)

"…Naruto's not dead."

Sakura's eyes slightly widened as Sasuke's lips contorted into a small grin. "If there's one thing I know…is that that idiot won't go down that easily. He'll come back…even if he has to tear open a hole between worlds with his own bare hands."

The thought of Naruto pulling open a hole in the sky made Sakura giggle. But it was still a sad one. "Yeah…he WOULD do something like that…"

But there was still hope.

xxxx

Three days later…

xxxx

/Hospital, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"GUYS! COME IN!" shouted Sakura, a happy smile on her face. "Ino's about to wake up!"

That announcement caused Shikamaru, Chouji, and Asuma – all of whom had fallen asleep in the hospital overnight – to suddenly awaken. Chouji grinned. "Finally! Knew she wouldn't be down for long!"

"If anything, she'll probably complain that we let her sleep for over three days…" grumbled Shikamaru. "Troublesome. Predictable too. Bad combination."

"Eh, don't be so quick to doubt kid," replied Asuma, a grin on his face fiddled with an unlit cigarette. "It might be different this time."

The three joined Sakura in the hospital room, noting Ino's eyelids. They were open…but barely.

She slowly sat up, looking at the four out of confusion. "Hmm?"

"Glad to see you up, Ino-pig!" cheerfully joked Sakura.

"…Ino-pig?"

"You've done it now," grumbled Shikamaru. "Now she's gonna burst."

"…I am?"

Chouji blinked. "That's what you usually do."

"…it is?"

Asuma suddenly frowned. That confused look in Ino's eyes… "Ino?"

"…is that my name?"

This caused Shikamaru, Chouji, and Sakura to frown. "Yes…Yamanaka Ino is your name," finished Asuma.

"…I can't remember. _Is_ it my name?"

The four visitors' eyes widened.

Yamanaka Ino stared at them out of curiosity. "By the way…who are you people? And why are you looking at me like that?"

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**Yamanaka Ino, the Amnesiac? Also, the Results of Gai's Surgery!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: FINALLY.

(collapses)

College work aside, this chapter took a long time. Especially the Itachi part. But at LAST we can move on to present-tense stuff. Hope you all like my version of Itachi's motivations.

Also, I'll be going back and replacing Ukenin with Nukenin in earlier chapters. Can't believe I missed it for this long.

Anyhow…see you soon, and please review!


	32. Yamanaka Ino, the Amnesiac?

Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto! Also, it should be known that Chouji is fa-

Author's Notes: (clamps a hand over the disclaimer's mouth) Hush now. o.-

Anyhow, it's time for a new chapter! I'm glad reception with the last one was positive; penning down Itachi's motives for killing his clan was actually something I've been wrestling with since that start of the story. It wasn't until several months ago that I finally got it down, but it underwent a few revisions along the way (most significantly being the focus on Sojobo and the Uchiha's origins…and, particularly, Madara, who WILL come into play in future chapters…). In any case, I'm glad I surpassed reader expectations.

Now…

Begi-!

Kisame: HOLD IT!

…what?

Kisame: (holds up his sword) Go back to your earlier chapters. My sword is 'SHARK SKIN'. NOT 'Rough Skin'. So change it to **_Samehada_**!

Why? What's wrong with **_Samehade_**?

Kisame: YOU'RE CALLING MY SWORD 'SHARK GAY!'

…what? (looks 'hade' up) …oh my word. Oh…MY…GOD. XD

Kisame: (points with his blade) FIX IT!

Okay okay, I will!

Kisame: Better. (goes back to being dead)

…anyhow, BEGIN!

xxxx

_**Yamanaka Ino, the Amnesiac? Also, the Results of Gai's Surgery!**_

xxxx

/Ichiraku Ramen Bar, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Dusk.

A familiar restaurant.

"Well well WELL!" heartily exclaimed Teuchi Ichiraku, his wizened narrow eyes gazing at the three men pulling up seats. "I haven't seen you three here together at once in YEARS! What's the occasion?"

"We're dead tired, and we felt nostalgic," grumbled a black-haired man, his scarred face and goatee being the only things barring him from being Shikamaru's mirror image (right down to the pineapple head!).

The 51-year old cook smiled. "Aaah…some big troubles eh? You three always did come here after your missions as youngsters…it makes me feel older than I really am!"

The man with bushy, dirty-blonde hair – most of it wrapped into a long ponytail – didn't say anything. He was feeling too depressed.

"So…" said Teuchi, knowing that now wasn't a good time for his usual boisterous talk. "What'll you boys have?"

The large, husky man with a chubby face and shaggy red hair quietly said, "I think we'll just have our old usual."

Teuchi grinned. "Right." He turned toward the kitchen, yelling, "Daughter!"

"Yes?" asked the 23-year old Ayame Ichiraku.

"I'll need ten bowls of ramen! Two miso, two beef, three chicken, and three shrimp!"

The pineapple head slightly grinned. "A little much, don't you think?"

"Well, I AM hungry," muttered the red-haired shinobi.

If you haven't figured it out yet, these three men were old teammates.

Nara Shikaku, father of Shikamaru.

Yamanaka Inoichi, father of Ino.

Akimichi Choza, father of Chouji.

The original Ino-Shika-Cho trio.

And presently, one third of the trio – the 'Ino' third – was feeling downright miserable.

He had good reason.

"So…how long do you expect your mother to take?" asked Shikaku.

"I have NO clue," grumbled Inoichi as he pulled a small sake jug out of his coat and took a sip. "All I know is that the last time she used her **_Shinchiyushin no jutsu_** on me, I had a major headache for about two hours after she was done…that, or I was out cold. Can't quite remember."

Choza chuckled as he fondly recalled an old mission. "I remember that…we three were all Chuunin, and we fought against a Genjutsu specialist from the Hidden Grass. We were, what…just barely into adulthood?"

"In other words, Inoichi was still trying to find a date," murmured Shikaku with a grin.

"Shut it," growled Inoichi, feeling unusually sour. But it was to be expected; his daughter had just risen from a temporary coma as an amnesiac. "I remember that day…I tried to use **_Shintenshin no jutsu_** on him, but his mind was unusually powerful due to his Genjutsu techniques. His mind and mental will were so strong I lapsed into unconsciousness."

"Which was bad, seeing as how we were in battle against five Kusa-nin at the time."

Choza held a finger up. "Quiet now Shikaku…let Inoichi finish."

Inoichi gave Choza a brief smile before saying, "In any case…I lost my short-term memory for a time being…"

"Which led to great hilarity when you forgot everything in twenty seconds."

"Didn't Choza just tell you to keep quiet?"

"Fine, fine…"

"Anyhow…" muttered Inoichi. "Mother had to use her 'Mind Body Cure' Technique to restore my memory…I just hope the same can be done for my little girl."

Choza gave Inoichi a supportive pat on the back. "Don't worry buddy, she'll be fine." His face lit up with delight as Teuchi and Ayame set down eight of the ten bowls in front of him, save for one miso (Shikaku's) and one shrimp (Inoichi's). "Ah…time to eat! ITADAKIMASU!"

Shikaku grinned at Choza's gleeful devouring of the ramen. "Still as ravenous as ever…" He glanced at Inoichi. "As ol' Choza said…she'll be fine. I mean, YOU turned out okay, right?"

"…perhaps…" Inoichi, however, couldn't remove the doubt and fear from his mind.

After all, if what the Fifth had said were true…then Ino had used **_Shintenshin no jutsu_** on Akatsuki's Leader. And he had – WILLINGLY – been the vessel of four Biju.

…_what kind of mind would a man like that have?_

xxxx

_/Grandmother Inoshisei's Room, Yamanaka Household, Konohagakure, Fire Country/_

On the top floor of the ten-story Yamanaka Household – the ancestral home of the Yamanaka Clan – an elderly woman sat in the middle of the floor, blue eyes gazing intently into those of her granddaughter: Yamanaka Ino.

This empty room of gray stone served one sole purpose; for Inoshisei to 'reclaim' members of the Yamanaka who botched their jutsus…or, in this case with Ino, to cure those whose jutsus backfired. To further show this, a tremendous, angular seal was carved into the walls, serving to increase the effect of Inoshisei's powerful **_Shinchiyushin no jutsu_**.

Her hands were held in front of her face, forming a perfect circular shape. Her body glowed with blue chakra, causing a blue haze to permeate through the room. Also, the seal was glowing white, in sync with her own chakra.

Ino just sat there, in a near trance; she was sitting still like she had been told to, but the haze…and the seal…it made her head feel…funny…

Outside the room, three people were watching through a one-way window door.

Shikamaru. Chouji. Asuma.

Asuma clenched his left fist, causing needles to fly from the slot atop his silver gauntlet. They flew outside an open window and embedded themselves into the bark of the nearest tree. "So boys…feeling a little anxious?"

Shikamaru grimaced. "It's not about anxiousness…it's just irritation. I mean, Ino? Amnesia?"

"Why did she lose her memory…?" wondered Chouji as he pawed at the bandages that covered his wounds. "Was it because she used her 'Mind Body Switch' technique on Akatsuki's Leader?"

"That guy's mind must have been one unfriendly place." Shikamaru couldn't help but feel stoic about what had happened. Not to mention the revelations of the Fifth Hokage during the meeting…man, THAT had knocked him for a loop. Naruto, being the son of Akatsuki's Leader? That was only one of many things that had forced him to revise his opinion of the blonde-haired boy…and it had ALREADY been revised on the night where he had revealed the truth about the Kyuubi…

_Man…just nothing but trouble._ He was feeling less bothered and more pessimistic. And why not?

Konoha had just survived a horrendous battle with Akatsuki's Nukenin and the ninja of the Hidden Sound.

Akatsuki's Leader had attacked soon after, leaving his own mark upon them in some rather drastic forms.

Injuries for Chouji and TenTen. Shattered legs for Gai. Amnesia for Ino. Death for Anko. And as for Naruto…

Shikamaru sighed. Nothing but trouble.

A timely puff of smoke in Shikamaru and Chouji's eyes caught their attention (and made their eyes water). "Hey you two," muttered Asuma, peering through the window door. "I think that old lady's about to do something."

Shikamaru and Chouji – giving their sensei a momentary glare – gazed back into the room; the blue haze had taken on a neutral gray color.

Inside, Inoshisei grinned. "Ah…I've finally been able to make the connection. My mind is now connected with your mind, granddaughter…now…" Her blue eyes hardened. "My jutsu will show me what you saw…what caused you to enter this state." Her chakra aura blazed as the massive seal glowed even more brightly.

Ino frowned…her head…why was it feeling so…?

A sharp pang of pain.

"AGH!" yelped Ino as she impulsively clutched her head. "What's…?"

"**_Shinchiyushin no jutsu_**…the Mind Body Cure technique. For it to work, I must access the lost memories of the victim and confront the image that forced them into their current state! In your case…I must manifest the image of mind you encountered and force it away! Only then will you be able to reclaim your memories!"

"Ah…AH!"

Inoshisei's eyes narrowed. "Calm yourself granddaughter…it'll be over soon. Now…REVEAL!" She quickly performed multiple hand signs before reverting to the circular symbol she had started with. "**_HIREKI!_**"

With that word, the image manifested within the haze.

The colors immediately shifted from the quiet gray to an angry red.

Ino suddenly felt a great chill trickle down her spine…then back up, then down again. "What…what is…this…?"

"The image may be uncomfortable, but I must dispel it myself!" roared Inoshisei, her old eyes trying to make out the image within the haze-

"_**ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!"**_

That roar.

That horrible roar.

Inoshisei paled as Ino screamed; four behemoths materialized in the haze, their demonic eyes gleaming with murderous intent.

A blue-skinned ogre with one yellow eye and no tail.

A sand-skinned, one-tailed beast with yellow eyes.

A purple-scaled, three-tailed winged dragon with red eyes.

A gray-skinned, five-tailed sea serpent with red eyes.

Their howls echoed through the room, delivering their message of bloodlust and horrible wrath. Ino shrieked as the manifestations of the four Biju tore away at her with their screams.

Inoshisei's eyes narrowed. "Now to dispel! KAI!"

An invisible wave of chakra slammed into the haze, causing the four Biju to retreat.

But only for a moment. They roared back almost immediately.

_The will of four Tailed Demons…_ "**KAI!**"

The four Biju howled at Inoshisei. Ino continued to scream.

"**_KAI!_**"

The haze seemed to still…the four Biju…retreated?

No. Their attention was drawn to another figure in the red haze. That figure – human? – was emitting an orange light.

Outside the room, Asuma was watching with great interest. "Whew. What a spectacle."

"Easy for you to say!" exclaimed Chouji. "It's like a madhouse in there!"

"Only because of the mind Ino tried to take over," grumbled Shikamaru. His eyes narrowed as the humanoid figure fully materialized, revealing brown hair and a body clad in a black and red-cloud cloak. "Sheesh…not only did it have to be the mind of Akatsuki's Leader, but it HAD to be the mind of a guy who had four Biju sealed within him." His irritation only masked his worry; he had had a feeling that removing Ino's amnesia wouldn't be so simple…and he just HAD to be right…

Inoshisei frowned as the four demons seemed to gather aside the man that glowed with orange. Apparently, to remove the damage done to Ino's mind…she would have to counter their combined wills and dispel them. "…hmph." She inhaled, gathering her chakra…and delivered a tremendous concussive blast. "**_KAI!_**"

"**_RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!_**"

The Biju and Mantarou roared as one.

Ino shrieked.

Despite the great power and wrath of the four Tailed Demons…they were overwhelmed by the mental will of Mantarou…his rage, his anger, his all-consuming FURY…Inoshisei was feeling nauseous! Such raw _hatred_…

Inoshisei gaped as the seal around her began to crack. "No! NOOO-"

The seal shattered, and the coagulated chakra burst upward.

_**KRA-KOOM!**_

Throughout Konoha, anyone watching would've seen a plume of blue chakra erupt from the Yamanaka Household for about one hundred feet before dissipating into nothingness.

The dust began to settle, and Asuma stood up; the window door had been shattered, and the roof had been blown off of the tenth floor. "…okay then."

Chouji blinked. "Geez…"

The three quietly entered the broken room, gazing at the unconscious Ino and the panting Inoshisei. Shikamaru said, "Mind explaining what exactly just happened?"

"…the Mind Body Cure technique is designed to help those whose minds fall into disarray, either as a result of misusing their own mental jutsus, or because their target's mental will was too great." Inoshisei's blue eyes were suddenly…filled with weariness. They were now matching her frail and aging appearance. "When using **_Shintenshin no jutsu_**, you send out a directed pulse of chakra, upon which your consciousness and brain waves travel…when that pulse encounters another mind, it essentially 'engages in combat' with that mind. That battle's outcomes, so to speak, depends upon the mental strength and willpower of each mind."

"Not to be disrespectful, but can you get to the point?" asked Shikamaru. "Ino's already explained to us a hundred times about how the Mind Body Switch technique works."

Asuma lightly tugged on Shikamaru's hair. "I know you're worried about Ino. But show some respect kid."

Inoshisei sighed. "Should the **_Shintenshin no jutsu_** fail, the user usually has the opportunity to cancel the jutsu…but in some cases, the opposing mind is simply too powerful, and the user's mind is sent into shock and unconsciousness from the strain. That is what happened here…the **_Shinchiyushin no jutsu_** was developed as a way to negate the damage. Only Yamanaka with the highest degree of mental clarity and willpower can use this jutsu effectively…but…this time…"

Asuma felt a great deal of pity for this woman. She was obviously not used to failure.

"I was unable to dispel the image you saw…the image of the four Biju and that man." Inoshisei dreaded what her son's reaction would be to this news. "Although the will and power of the four demons was a factor…I've never felt such hatred and conviction from a human mind before." She quietly pulled herself up, ignoring the creaking in her knees. "I cannot help her. If Ino is to recover from her memory loss…she'll have to do it the old-fashioned way. And the odds of that happening are…well, amnesia is very rare as it is. How long it'll last is unknown."

Asuma frowned. "Well…that's very unpleasant." Now Team 7, Team 8, AND Team 10 were down a member each: Naruto, Kiba (though he shouldn't be down for long, fortunately), and now Ino. And Team Gai was down both a member – TenTen – AND a sensei: Maito Gai.

Nothing but trouble.

Shikamaru scowled. "Geez…more good news…"

"Nara Shikamaru."

Everyone turned around; standing there – saying nothing about the fact that the roof had been blown off – was a black-haired ANBU wearing a white-and-red cat mask. "The Godaime has a mission for you." He tossed a small scroll at the boy.

"Gah. Already?" Shikamaru grumbled as he grabbed the scroll and began reading. "One thing after another…trouble trouble trouble…" A few seconds later, he groaned. "This is hardly a 'mission'."

The ANBU shrugged. "You ARE the Leaf's Official Envoy to the Sand. You're to go to Sunagakure, verify the status of the Kazekage, and tell him everything that has happened concerning Akatsuki's Leader and Uzumaki Naruto."

Shikamaru frowned. Was there ANY point to this mission from a strategic standpoint? Was there? Well, there was checking on whether or not Gaara was actually alive, but aside from that…

"Go on Shikamaru."

Shikamaru turned towards Chouji, who had a small smile on his face. "Asuma-sensei and I will watch over Ino. You don't need to worry so much."

The pineapple head was silent. One glance at Sarutobi Asuma only got him a thumbs-up in return. Finally, he sighed out of defeat. "Fine then…I still think it's a big waste of time." The Chuunin grumbled as he leapt away, off to prepare for his mission.

Asuma exhaled a large cloud of smoke. "He sure is irritable…no surprise though." He gave a friendly wave towards the ANBU. "Heya Tenzo. How've things been?"

The ANBU quietly coughed. "Pardon me Asuma-san, but please refer to me by my codename while I'm in uniform."

The Jonin sighed. "Fine. _Aoneko._"

Aoneko nodded. "Thank you sir. As for your question…I am doing quite well. Say hello to Kakashi-sempai for me if you see him."

"Will do."

The ANBU was gone.

Chouji blinked. "Who was that?"

"Just a member of the Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai. Former student of Kakashi, back when he was still an ANBU Captain. Bit of a pleaser…but a damned good shinobi. Out of all current ANBU, he's got the best track record." He glanced at Chouji with a curious look in his eye. "Why do you ask?"

The brown-haired Chuunin looked down at his feet. "Oh, no reason…I…" A sigh escaped his lips. "I just can't help but wonder…if we had ANBU reinforcements, or more Jonin, or Chuunin…or just more numbers on that day…would Naruto's 'dad'…" The very words – the very idea – of Naruto's father being that man seemed impossible to Chouji. "…would he have been able to do all the damage he did? To Ino, TenTen, Gai? Would he have killed Anko? Or…would Naruto still be here? With us?"

Asuma felt a brief pang of sadness. There were few shinobi more loyal than Akimichi Chouji. That his friends and peers had been hurt on so many levels…it hurt him too. Even more than the wounds he had received from Akatsuki's Leader.

He grumbled; Inoichi was going to throw a fit once he found out about Ino. More than anything else, a favorite phrase of Shikamaru's came to mind. Simply because of how well it fit. "How troublesome."

Chouji nodded as he gently picked up the unconscious Ino. "Yeah…troublesome."

Inoshisei just looked at them out of pity. _What a troubled time the Leaf is enduring…_

xxxx

/Hospital, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Tsunade stomped through the hospital, a vicious scowl on her face. She was upset.

No, scratch that; she was _pissed_.

"Rrr…I can't believe those people. Are they TRYING to piss me off?"

See?

_The audacity of those people! The sheer…ugh! OUTRAGEOUS!_

"Uh…Tsunade-sama?"

"**WHAT!**" roared Tsunade. Her features softened when she realized she had yelled at Shizune. "Oh…sorry."

"No problem ma'am," muttered the startled medical ninja. "What…is the problem?"

Tsunade pulled out a rolled-up poster from within robes. "Look."

Shizune was silent as Tsunade unrolled it…but she quickly understood why. "This…"

An image of a man standing in a black and red-cloud cloak, face hidden by a straw hat. Standing next to him was Uzumaki Naruto…but his face looked demonic, from the sharpened teeth to the red eyes. Behind them, in the background, was a silhouette of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox…and at the bottom were words…horrible, hateful words…

**LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON**

"Who would…?"

Tsunade snorted. "It certainly didn't take long for the information from the meeting to spread throughout the populace…" The existence of Akatsuki had already been revealed after their downfall…and the people knew what crimes they had committed. Combine that with their view of Naruto as the Kyuubi incarnate…and add the fact that they knew Naruto was the son of Mantarou…

It led to stuff like this.

Tsunade snorted. "I'm certain that whoever leaked this information left out the fact that Mantarou was ALLOWED to stay here by the Yondaime…or that Naruto didn't choose to be the vessel…or that Naruto fought Akatsuki's Leader ANYWAY…"

"Tsunade-sama…"

Tsunade tore the poster to shreds. "I'm just tired of it all…of their hatred…sometimes I wonder why Naruto would bother with becoming Hokage…"

"Pardon?"

"Why would he want to become the leader of a village that hated him?"

Shizune frowned; that was a good point. "Remember though? He wants them all to accept him."

Tsunade smiled sadly; that was probably an impossible goal. Especially considering how the villagers looked for any excuse to hate him. "…I know…" She glanced into Shizune's eyes. "You were going to tell me something?"

"Huh? Oh yeah." She quietly pulled out a clipboard, upon which were a number of medical papers. "This is the first preliminary report on Maito Gai's surgery."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "And?"

"Well…" Shizune frowned. "It's not looking too good."

Tsunade frowned as she began walking aside her former assistant. "Tell me more."

Shizune nodded as she began leading the way to the Operating Room. "As the surgeons and medic-nin started, we were already at a disadvantage. His legs had been completely shattered, so before we could even begin surgery, we had to straighten them out. It was only after slicing his legs open that we saw how hard our task would be. His femur, tibia, fibula, and patella endured open and multi-fragmentary fractures. His tarsals endured multi-fragmentary fractures. Even his metatarsals and phalanges endured hairline fractures. His muscle tissue and blood vessels were torn and severed. And his nervous system…was mangled. His legs were almost completely broken; that we've made it as far as we have is impressive."

"But not enough, I take it?" asked Tsunade, a melancholy look in her eyes.

Shizune shook her head. "No…I'm afraid at this point, continuing would be almost pointless. Such an operation would take almost two months…and even if we completely fixed his legs…we wouldn't know if it would be able to work. Parts of his legs – particularly around the calf – have already started to decay, despite our efforts at preserving them without damaging them. The odds of him walking on those legs again…are less than one percent."

Tsunade grimaced. _Not good…not good at all…_

"But…"

Tsunade blinked. "But? There's another option?"

Shizune nodded…but why was she sounding so…reluctant? "It's…well…the operation itself can be done overnight." They stopped in front of Room 227: the room Gai slept in between sessions in the OR. "But…"

"But…?"

Shizune looked at Tsunade and told her the other option.

And Tsunade understood.

"I…see…" Tsunade grimaced. That option was unacceptable. It would completely end Gai's career as a shinobi. "That option can't be pursued."

"Can it not?"

Tsunade and Shizune blinked as they turned towards Gai's room; apparently, the Jonin had been listening.

"Come on in!"

The two women quietly entered the dimly lit room, looking upon Gai in silence. His legs were opened and revealed for all to see; the only thing preserving them from the elements were paper seals attached to his feet, emitting a green chakra aura that coated and protected his legs. It was truly gruesome to look at it.

Yet…the Jonin was keeping an upbeat grin. "What's so bad with the second option?"

Tsunade blinked out of confusion. "What kind of question is that?"

Shizune quickly rattled off, "It'll completely incapacitate you! If you take the first option, your legs have a slim chance of working again! Even if they don't, you could…um…still pursue a career as a teacher at the Academy! But with the second…that would cripple you!"

"Understand Gai?" asked Tsunade, her voice laced with worry.

"Heh heh heh. Shizune-san, Hokage-sama, you flatter me with your concern! But…IT IS NOT NEEDED!" dramatically yelled Gai (though showing some remarkable self-restraint in terms of posing, considering his injuries). "Go with the second option."

"But-!"

Gai held a hand up. "Unlike Lee-kun's operation, my life is not in danger of ending. No matter the outcome, I will live. But the first option…is the only one with a possibility of failure. The second one has no such possibility!"

"…are you NUTS?" roared Tsunade. "You'll be-!"

Gai chuckled. "Oh Hokage-sama…don't underestimate me. My career as a ninja will NOT be jeopardized…" He gave Tsunade and Shizune the 'Nice Guy Pose', temporarily blinding them with the bright PING on his teeth. "I can guarantee you that! My way of the ninja will not allow it!" Then, as an afterthought, he sheepishly added, "Though I would appreciate it if I was knocked out before the procedure."

Tsunade just stared at Maito Gai, momentarily envying his youthful outlook on the situation. "So confident……very well then. Shizune."

"Yes?"

"Is the OR open?"

"Yes ma'am."

"…get me my surgical tools. I'll handle this one."

Shizune nodded. "Yes ma'am. As she walked away…

"And Shizune?"

The black-haired woman glanced back into the eyes of the Hokage.

"Don't forget the bone cutter."

Shizune reluctantly nodded.

xxxx

The next morning…

xxxx

/Hospital, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"OOOOOOOOOOOH!"

"Sssssh! Quiet Lee!"

"Sorry Neji-kun. But I am excited to see Gai!"

"You saw him yesterday."

"But you know why we were summoned here! Hokage-sama said that she had finished Gai's operation!"

TenTen – her bruised abdomen still wrapped in bandages – slowly walked behind the exuberant Lee and stern Neji. "So, what changed while I was hospitalized?"

"Nothing much," admitted Neji. "Just more public outcry against Naruto in the form of posters linking him with Akatsuki's Leader."

TenTen snorted. "Jerks."

"Such behavior and treatment! Naruto-kun does not deserve it! Buuuut…!" Lee pumped his fist into the air. "With Gai-sensei about to be back on his feet, we'll be able to teach the people about the bright fire of youth that Naruto-kun truly was! Then NO ONE would hate him!"

Neji groaned. "Though I admire your…enthusiasm," _As if._ "We're still in a hospital."

Lee sweatdropped. "Oh. Sorry."

They walked up towards the reception desk, where Shizune was waiting for them. "Oh. Hello…how are you TenTen?"

TenTen lightly patted her stomach. "Just fine. How long did you say until I could go on missions again?"

"About a week."

TenTen grimaced. "A whole week?" The Chuunin grimaced as she pulled out a small kunai and lightly tossed it up and down, catching it each time. She would have a boring time ahead of her…

Rock Lee got right into Shizune's face and excitedly yelled, "Was Gai's operation a success? Truly??"

Shizune flushed at the close proximity between their faces (those…EYEBROWS…). "Uh, yes, but-"

"**AAAAAAAAAAAH!** That is all I need to hear!" Lee immediately dashed down the hall towards the stairwell to the second floor. "I AM COMING GAI-SENSEI!"

On reflex, every single doctor and nurse in the vicinity viciously muttered, "SSSSH!"

TenTen sweatdropped. "…sometimes I wonder where he stores all of that excess energy."

The Hyuga quietly glanced at Shizune, noting the remorseful look in her eyes. "…you carried out a different operation, didn't you?" The slight widening in her eyes told him to proceed. "I was wondering why we were called here; given the severity of the injuries Gai suffered, there's no way he'd be on his feet this quickly. Am I right?"

"…you are correct." Shizune briefly inhaled to calm her nerves. "We basically presented Gai with the options available to him. He chose this one."

"And by 'this one', you mean…?" pointedly asked Neji.

"…well…"

xxxx

"GAI-SENSEI!" roared Lee as he burst through the door to room 227. "The operation was a success!"

Maito Gai's eyes opened as he turned toward Lee, his body covered by a blanket. "Lee-kun?"

The Taijutsu specialist's eyes glimmered with admiration as he pumped his fists. "Are you ready to get back on your feet??"

Gai smirked. "As passionate as ever…your youth is still quite fiery! You do me proud." He flipped his blanket over and sat up.

Lee's excitement was snuffed out I an instant. His eyes widened in horror with the sight he now saw. "…Gai-sensei…?"

Less than five inches below the hips, Gai's legs ended. Only bandaged stumps remained.

His legs…were **GONE**…

"Well…in a sense, I am ready to get back on my feet." Gai chuckled. "Though I don't really have feet anymore, so I can't get back on them. Heh."

"…Gai-sensei…your legs…"

Gai thumbed his chest. "I had Hokage-sama saw them off."

Lee looked at his teacher in horror. "But…why…?"

"No matter what option I chose, I would keep my life in the end. But if I chose to have the doctors try and fix my legs, I would be held here for months. Such an option was unacceptable!"

"But…Gai-sensei…your life as a ninja…" His eyes began to water. Maito Gai…the one who had taught him the power of youth! The one who had shown him his way of the ninja! He no longer had any legs…

His life as a shinobi was over.

"Gai…sensei…" The Chuunin began sobbing into his sensei's chest. "Why…! You…chose…this…why? You can't be a ninja…**ever again…!!**" It wasn't fair! Three years ago, when he had to go through surgery to remove bone fragments from his nervous system, Gai had sworn that if the surgery hadn't been successful, then he would die with him!

Why couldn't Lee do the same for his sensei? Why did such a great man have to lose his life as a shinobi? WHY? "Gai-sensei…I am so sorry!"

Gai looked quietly down at his student. "…Lee."

Lee raised his head. "Hm?"

"**_YOU IDIOT!!_**"

_**POW!**_

Lee went head-over-heels into the wall. His eyes bolted towards Gai as he rubbed his face where the punch had landed. "Wha…?"

Gai calmly got up on his hands, awkwardly 'walking' towards Lee. "You're my lovable protégé! You and I know every facet of our lives! Just as I know of your struggles, you know of mine! I was once someone who was said to have NO possibility of being a ninja…same as you! But look at us now!" Raising one hand – while remaining upright on the other! – he flexed his right bicep. "We are the two Taijutsu masters of Konoha! After what we've been through, do you think something like this will hold me down?"

"…Gai-sensei…?" stuttered Lee, looking absolutely flabbergasted.

Gai sat down on his rump, crossing his arms. His disposition was suddenly serious. "Now…pay attention!"

Lee – out of habit – quickly sat up. "Yes sir!"

"Something like this will not impede ME!" boasted the Jonin. "For me, the choice was all too easy; I chose the option that would get me back into the field as soon as possible! Even though I no longer have my legs, I am still capable of fighting! All I have to do is learn how to do so without my legs! Certainly, it will take a lot of hard work…but as you know, I am a genius of hard work! Like you, Lee-kun!"

"…Gai-sensei…" The look of hero-worship was coming back into Lee's eyes.

"I shall work twice as hard for each leg lost! So that means **FOUR TIMES THE EFFORT!**" Gai began doing pushups with his right index finger. "Instead of 1,000 pushups, it will now be 4,000! I shall now carry four times as many weights! Instead of 200 laps around the village, it shall now be 800! Do you understand? With hard work…ANYTHING is possible!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

They hugged and sobbed dramatically as the sounds of seagulls and crashing waves somehow materialized into the air, complete with the light of the setting sun.

Neji, TenTen, and Shizune looked on from outside in dumbstruck silence. "…"

Gai separated from Lee as he started to think. "But until I can fully acclimate, I must have a suitable way of training with you…" He snapped his fingers. "I have it! Pick me up Lee; by today's afternoon practice, we'll be in greater shape than ever!"

"YOSH!" roared Lee as he picked Gai and jumped out the open window.

A few seconds later, Shizune asked, "Uh…couldn't they have just gone through the main entryway?"

"You get used to it," simultaneously muttered Neji and TenTen.

xxxx

Later that afternoon…

xxxx

/Training Field #29, Outside Konohagakure, Fire Country/

THUNK.

TenTen pulled out another kunai and threw it.

THUNK.

Neji glanced at the large target affixed to the nearest oak. All thirty-two kunai knives she had thrown had landed in the dead center. "Nice throw."

THUNK.

"Thanks." TenTen sighed out of annoyance. A whole week without missions? No thanks. "Where are Gai-sensei and Lee-kun?"

"They said they'd be here…" muttered Neji. _But this feeling I have…I don't like it._

THUNK.

The leaves rustled. Neji and TenTen immediately tensed up.

Smoke bombs erupted in the middle of the training field.

Then…

"**OOOOOOOOOOOOOH!**"

"_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!_"

Neji and TenTen paused; they knew those voices.

"The Leaf has always been strong!"

"And the two green beasts have always been there!"

"Even now, when Konoha has suffered…"

"Its prideful warriors are still there to fight!"

"If one falls…"

"The other is there to back him up!"

"And now, at this critical juncture…"

"The green beasts have become one!"

The smoke began to dissipate.

And when it cleared…

Neji and TenTen paled.

Rock Lee was now wearing an orange harness…almost like a backpack.

And sitting in it was none other than Maito Gai.

Gai performed the Nice Guy Pose with BOTH hands. "BEHOLD! Konoha's Prideful Green Beasts, united!"

Lee kicked the air. "OOOOOOOOH!"

Gai spread his arms out like a bird. "And even without my legs…together, as one, we are still **_unstoppable!_**"

Lee stood on one foot and held his arms forward and his other leg back, as though he were a bird. "AAAAAAAAH!"

Silence.

The wind blew.

TenTen just tilted her head to the side and looked at the two as if they were stone-crazy.

Neji just smacked his forehead.

In other words…same old, same old.

Stopping Maito Gai with broken legs? If only they were that lucky.

Nothing – for good or ill – would ever stop him.

xxxx

Three days later…

/Training Arena, Sunagakure, Wind Country/

A nondescript, enclosed fighting arena. Training equipment laid about; weights, sparring gear, scrolls with basic and advanced fighting techniques…and one, in-door battle arena, comprised of a 20 x 20 grid surface, with each being grid sixteen square feet in area.

Standing on this arena was Gaara of the Desert.

And right now…

**POW!**

Gaara grimaced as he was sent down to the ground. He raised a hand to his cheek, staring up at Kankuro.

"Well, it's official…" said Temari, who was standing on the sidelines. "Your Shield of Sand no longer exists."

Gaara pulled himself up, letting his familiar gourd dissolve into sand. As the grains fell to the ground, he stated, "It would seem so."

Kankuro – feeling a _little_ happy that he had actually been able to punch his little brother without fear of reprisal for ONCE – commented, "Well, this is a bit of a problem…you're the Kazekage. Although you've recovered, you've lost a lot of your strength…no more ultimate defense."

Gaara gazed down at his hands. He had just awoken this morning…and he knew very little of what had transpired since he had been felled by Akatsuki's Leader.

Had he gone to Konoha?

Had he fought Naruto?

"Kazekage-sama."

The three Sand Siblings turned towards Baki, who calmly entered the training arena. "The Leaf's Envoy to the Sand, Nara Shikamaru, has arrived."

"Tell him that we'll meet at the council room," remarked Gaara, moving into 'Kazekage' mode within seconds.

He was about to get his answers.

xxxx

/Council Room, Kazekage's Palace, Sunagakure, Wind Country/

Shikamaru shook the sand out of the sleeves of his blue satin shirt. _Man, I always hate coming here._

"Welcome, Nara Shikamaru of Konohagakure," stated Gaara, looking absolutely regal in his dark red robes and in his chair at the circular table. Sitting around him were Baki and the other members of the Council. Standing at the doors were Temari and Kankuro. "I trust your journey was safe?"

"It was okay," remarked Shikamaru. He had no taste for politics or niceties. He'd rather not waste time…but he did have a mission. "How are you? I see that you've recovered from the attack."

"Physically, I am okay. However…" He calmly held open his hand. Sand swirled around it slowly. "The loss of Ichibi no Shukaku has compromised my fighting ability. I no longer have a large source of chakra to tap into, and my Shield of Sand is gone. Also, my sand manipulation has been dulled, to some degree…in other words, I am no longer as strong as a Kage should be."

_Short and to the point,_ thought Shikamaru with an unseen smile. He liked that. It saved time. "I see…"

"Now…" Gaara's gaze hardened. "Tell me what's happened since I was attacked. Don't spare any details."

Shikamaru nodded.

He explained everything.

The battle with Akatsuki's Leader. Mantarou's tale. Naruto's berserk rage. The Kyuubi. Makai.

Everything.

It was sunset by the time Shikamaru finished.

Gaara was silent, his eyes closed. What was he thinking?

"Brother. Sister."

Temari and Kankuro snapped to attention. Shikamaru, Baki, and the council members remained silent.

"Get ready. We are going to Konoha." Gaara opened his eyes, a strange expression hidden inside those tranquil teal orbs. "There's something that I need to take care of…"

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**The Kazekage Arrives in Konoha! What are his Intentions?**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: And here's that second chapter I promised you. :3

Two chapters in less than two weeks!

On a side note, was anyone surprised by my inclusion of Aoneko, aka Yamato? ;)

Well…see ya'll next time!

See you soon, and please review!

(hops on over to Crisis)


	33. The Kazekage Arrives in Konoha!

Standard Disclaimer: I wish I owned Naruto. It'd be so nice…

Author's Notes: Man, it's been a while. But alas, I have some legitimate reasons for why my updates have become rather sporadic within the past several months.

I go to the University of Alabama at Birmingham. AKA, college.

I have classes Monday-Friday.

Since my scholarship doesn't cover on-campus housing, I have to live off-campus (which isn't bad actually; my folks are nice people).

This means waking up at ungodly hours in the morning so I can beat the morning rush-hour traffic, lest I get stuck and miss my early classes (4:45 AM!).

The material? Well…let's see my schedule for the 5th-9th…

1) Theatre quiz on Monday.

2) On Tuesday for "Research into Math", I have to prove that a union of three closed sets is actually closed (not as simple as it sounds).

3) Calculus II exam on Tuesday. Integration…Riemann sums…trigonometric substitutions…

4) English 102 paper #2 due on Thursday, and I have a History of Philosophy exam on that day as well!

5) For the Game Theory seminar on Friday, I deliver a lecture on Nash Equilibria and Non-Cooperative Solutions.

So you can see I'm a very busy boy. Let's also add in the fact that I have two OTHER stories on my plate at the moment.

I'm also the beta for SSJ4Takeru's "Naruto: Land of Darkness", which has one chapter left, and Tellemicus Sundance's "Naruto: Legacy of the Rasengan", which I'm sure several people out there in the audience enjoy. I take my job as a beta reader quite seriously.

I also work on weekends. Usually around 7-9 hours each day. So my free time away from school is also constricted.

And for those of you looking forward to a summer of more updates…don't. My scholarship requires that I go through a summer semester as well.

So for those of you who wish that I abandon my other stories in favor of Legacy, tough luck. Instead of doing something like that, why not pray or wish for good grades for yours truly? Then I can at least not worry about grades if I do well.

Anyhow…

At long last…BEGIN!

xxxx

_**The Kazekage Arrives in Konoha! What are his Intentions?**_

xxxx

/Fire Country-River Country Border/

Nighttime.

Shikamaru and the Sand Siblings had left Sunagakure four days ago. They would arrive in Konoha within two days; they were taking a more leisurely pace than before (although still quite swift), hence the increase in time.

Around the large river that separated the countries of River and Fire, the four had set up camp for the night. A cloudy sky blocked out the moon and stars; the only light they had was that of the campfire. Kankuro calmly nibbled on his cooked fish, momentarily glancing at Gaara in his blue and white robes, complete with a similarly colored tricorne hat with the 'Kaze' symbol on it in blue. The ceremonial robes of the Kazekage…it was so weird seeing them on Gaara. _Pulls it off better than dad did though…at least he keeps off that creepy facial cloth._ "So. Gaara. Why exactly did you want to head to Konoha?"

"There are a few reasons," quietly remarked the red-haired teen, his gourd of sand nowhere to be seen. Without Shukaku, keeping it melded together had been a pain; for the time being, he would have to go without his own supply of sand. Fire danced in his teal eyes, making his regal appearance all the more imposing. "One of the matters I need to look into revolves around Shukaku."

"What about Shukaku?" asked Temari, her fan nestled squarely in her lap.

Gaara calmly pulled out a rather large scroll from within his robes. It was tattered and dirty; a sign of old age. "This scroll was written before the founding of the Hidden Sand, back when our people worshipped the Desert Colossus."

Temari and Kankuro remembered that period of history; the people that would eventually form the Sand had gathered around a giant colossus in the desert, around which they would eventually form Sunagakure: the Hidden Sand Village.

"This scroll," continued Gaara as he put it back inside. "Is the journal of a Sand Priest…"

Temari and Kankuro suddenly got an inclination of where this was going. "You mean…?"

Gaara nodded. "This was written by the priest from whom Shukaku's spirit came."

Silence hung in the air. Shikamaru, with his rather lackluster knowledge on the history of Sand, was mostly neutral. Perhaps he'd have to look this up personally when his mission ended…of course, that would mean more work. _What a drag._ "What's the importance of this scroll?"

Gaara quietly took off his tricorne, answering, "The Godaime Hokage will be shown why tomorrow." The Godaime Kazekage laid down, his eyes closing upon contact with the ground. "Good night."

As Gaara began to slumber, Shikamaru began to dispose of the leftovers when he noticed two things.

"ZZZZ…zzzz…"

One: Gaara snoring.

Two: Kankuro and Temari staring at their snoring brother.

"What's wrong? He's only snoring," remarked the pineapple head. _Man, he falls asleep quickly._

"That's exactly the point," muttered Kankuro as laid down as well.

Looking to Temari for an answer, the kunoichi quietly replied, "Gaara…he's been an insomniac for his entire life. Because of Shukaku, he couldn't sleep…otherwise, his personality would be slowly eaten away the longer he slept." Her gaze seemed to soften at the sight of her younger brother. "But now…ever since he woke up from the operation…he's been able to _sleep._ It's…surreal."

Shikamaru stared intently at the conflicted gaze in the female's eyes. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were almost glad about what happened." It was a statement, an observation; there was no ill intent behind it.

"You know, I'm not really sure myself." Temari grimaced; the logical side of her could most certainly understand why Mantarou was to be hated and reviled; he had nearly killed Gaara, HAD killed Anko, wounded Chouji, Ino, TenTen, Gai, and had taken Naruto away to Makai. And yet…the emotional side couldn't help but feel glad that Shukaku had been taken away.

To see Gaara _sleeping…_

"I just can't say anything." The kunoichi bitterly chuckled. "Damned emotions. They keep fighting my sense of logic."

Shikamaru shrugged. _Hmph. Women. So troublesome._ "Whatever…" The Konoha-nin shifted away and curled up to go to sleep.

Temari couldn't help but smirk at the sight of the three men sleeping around her. "Hmph. Leave a lady on guard duty…so much for gentlemanly chivalry."

"Heh. What lady?"

A rock immediately slammed into Kankuro's head. "You should be sleeping."

"ZZZZ…zzzz…"

Temari immediately threw a rock at Gaara, momentarily forgetting that he was the Kazekage. "And nobody will sleep if you keep snoring! Learn to sleep quietly!" she quietly shrieked.

Gaara grumbled slightly as he twisted his fingers. Sand wrapped around Temari's ankles.

"**WAH!**"

Gaara smirked as his hand of sand retreated from his tripped-up sister. "Let me enjoy my sleep."

Shikamaru shook his head at the odd happenings between the siblings, remembering how ruthless, unapproachable, and just plain **_terrifying_** they had been before Orochimaru's invasion. _And to think that these guys used to be our enemies…how times change._ Nevertheless, he was glad. They were much better as allies.

xxxx

/Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Two days later.

Noon.

Shikamaru quietly led the Sand Siblings through Konoha towards the Hokage's Palace. Most of the citizens stepped around the group, occasionally giving respectful curtsies to the Kazekage. Quite a few gave the Suna-nin some suspicious or angry gazes…understandable. It had been less than three years since the invasion of the Leaf by both Sound and Sand. There were bound to be a few scars. Shikamaru couldn't blame them for that; especially considering the damage wrought by the recent combined assault of Akatsuki's Nukenin and the shinobi of the Sound. The demolished buildings that were in the midst of being repaired spoke volumes about the catastrophe; it hadn't been on par with Orochimaru's invasion less than three years ago…but that was only because they hadn't lost a Hokage to the carnage. And that was all.

With Naruto…he could understand why they feared. But after what the boy had done for the Leaf, he could not agree that their fear and hatred was warranted. Not at all.

"Gaara?"

Shikamaru blinked at the kunoichi's question. Turning around, he saw that Temari and Kankuro had stopped with Gaara several yards back. The Kazekage was staring at a poster taped to a wooden wall.

As for what was on it…

A demonic Naruto, claws outstretched and zooming, as though he were trying to reach out and grab at the viewer…but that wasn't the worst part.

The words underneath were.

**FINALLY GONE**

Gaara looked quizzically at the poster, as though it were something from another world. It was beyond his comprehension. He tilted his head, as if changing his perspective would allow him to better understand what he was seeing…and he couldn't. He literally could not understand why this poster said what it did.

As Kazekage, ally of Konoha, he had in-depth knowledge of Naruto's exploits.

As Gaara, friend of Naruto, he had in-depth knowledge of the boy's thoughts and feelings.

As a Jinchuriki (well, a _former_ Jinchuriki), a demon vessel…he had in-depth knowledge of the Konoha Jinchuriki's pain and suffering.

Naruto, like Gaara, had endured the hell of being alone…but unlike Gaara, he had had friends to rescue him from that hell.

Now Gaara was Kazekage. His siblings no longer feared him. The people of the Sand were, day by day, increasingly admiring him. Compared to his previous life…it was a wondrous existence.

He had been nothing more than a killer…but his people were still managing, bit by bit, to see past that.

But Naruto had done _nothing_ to these people.

Which was why the sign was so confusing…so bewildering…and, ultimately…so enraging.

Gaara couldn't help but twitch at the sight of the poster. How dare they? How DARE they? How could they assume so much? A barely noticeable scowl crossed his face as sand particles began to float and drift around him. "…"

Suddenly, the poster was gone.

Gaara blinked as he glanced down; a child with a scarf was crumpling the poster up and stomping on it. "HAH! Take that, and that!"

Gaara's scowl increased. This boy had no idea whose image he was denigrating. Had he been so inclined, the child would have been dead right there-

"Stupid poster!"

His anger rapidly disappeared. Apparently, the child's reasons for taking down the poster were far more noble. "Boy."

The child turned around. "Huh?"

"Name yourself."

Temari, Kankuro, and Shikamaru stared silently at the exchange; the former two were more worried than anything else. The look on Gaara's face at the sight of that poster had brought back some unpleasant memories. For a moment, they had entertained notions that part of Shukaku had been left behind…or that the old Gaara had somehow made a comeback.

Fortunately, it was not to be.

The boy with dark brown hair replied, "My name is Konohamaru! What's it to you?"

Shikamaru muttered, "Oy. Konohamaru, this is the Godaime Kazekage of Sunagakure."

The 'Kage' immediately snagged Konohamaru's attention. "You…I've heard people talk about you. You're Gaara, aren't you?"

The Kazekage nodded. "Did you know Naruto?"

"Yeah. He was the Boss!" The childish grin on Konohamaru's face spoke of fondness and glee; this boy obviously had a close bond with Uzumaki.

"I take it you know about the Kyuubi."

Konohamaru's expression suddenly soured; a pained look came to his young eyes. It was a look that the boy was obviously not accustomed to; he obviously held a great deal of respect and admiration for the blonde-haired Jinchuriki…but it was apparent that he had just found out about Naruto's true nature. To see the boy's struggle with reality, so clearly visible in his naïve eyes…Gaara could only conclude that the truth about Naruto had been hidden from this boy. Maybe it had been hidden from other people as well.

Why?

"Does this new knowledge…frighten you?" It was a tentative question, meant to test the waters. Gaara wanted to know how strong the bond between Naruto and this boy was. If it was fragile enough to be destroyed by this…then this boy was worthless in his eyes.

Konohamaru mumbled, "Well…kind of." Missing the suddenly angry look in Gaara's eyes, he continued on. "I mean, I know about the old stories…about how strong the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox was…but Naruto wasn't like that at all!" And once again, Gaara's anger vanished. The impassioned youth continued his tirade. "He was cool, and funny, and strong! He taught me the truth about what it took to become Hokage! And…the fox didn't change him! I heard what happened to him!" Konohamaru gulped as he thought back to the meeting; oh, how it had hurt to hear the truth. Yet it had also been encouraging; to hear how Naruto had fought to the end was nothing but encouraging. _Don't cry Konohamaru. Not in front of a Kage!_ "That's why…that's why I'm taking these posters down! And so are Udon and Moegi!" Konohamaru huffed with distaste as he stomped on the poster again. "Stupid stupid poster!" Needless to say, Konohamaru's opinion of Konoha's populace had gone down a notch or ten. Naruto was a cool guy. Why couldn't they see that?

Gaara, feeling oddly heartened by the display, couldn't help but feel relief that there were actually people who supported Naruto outside of his immediate circle of friends. Yet, it was also saddening; by all accounts, Naruto was the most powerful yet benevolent soul on the face of the planet. If there was anyone who deserved a good life, it was he.

Suddenly, Gaara did something that Temari, Kankuro, and Shikamaru would remember for the rest of their days…simply because it marked how much the former Jinchuriki had changed.

Konohamaru blinked as Gaara calmly patted him on the head. The Kazekage smiled as he said, "You are…a good person."

At the compliment, Konohamaru couldn't help but grin. "Heh heh…thank you mister." He threw the poster away before cheering, "I need to regroup with my teammates! We have work to do!" As the Genin dashed away, his cry echoed through the air. "DEATH TO POSTERS!!!"

Shikamaru sighed at Konohamaru's rambunctiousness. _To have so much energy…means you have to use it all up. How irritating._ But Gaara's action had intrigued him; when comparing this Gaara with the Gaara that had so mercilessly slaughtered two Kusa-nin during the third part of the Chuunin Exams, it was like seeing two different people.

It only spoke volumes of the effect Naruto had had on Gaara.

And, noting the somber and soulful looks in Temari and Kankuro's eyes at the change in Gaara, Shikamaru could only feel disappointment and sorrow. Naruto was gone now; he would be missed. _I just hope whatever's in that scroll could help us get to Makai…_

Gaara was about to continue his trek when he noticed a middle-aged man putting up a poster on the other side of the street, showcasing the exact same message as the one Konohamaru had just taken down.

And in that instant, Gaara's tranquility gave way to rage.

A sandy hand lightly nudged the man out of the way before transforming into a blade. In seconds, the poster had become nothing more than shreds, scattered by the wind.

Everyone stared quietly at Gaara, his face contorted into an expression of quiet fury that he had once so often so long ago. It only served as a reminder to his brother and sister that his old rage wasn't completely gone.

It was just far more selective.

xxxx

/Hokage's Office, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"Hello, Kazekage-dono. Please have a seat."

The Wind Shadow of the Hidden Sand nodded as he quietly took a seat in the plush leather chair, staring quietly at Tsunade and her assistant Shizune, who was standing by her master's side. Shikamaru had completed his mission and was off elsewhere; Gaara himself had dismissed Kankuro and Temari to do whatever they wished while he did his business. "Thank you, Hokage-dono." Considering his mannerisms (if you could call them that) before meeting Naruto, Gaara often felt silly when comparing his old self with his current self. To think that one person could cause him to change so much…

"It's good to see that you survived the encounter with Mantarou," remarked the buxom Hokage, her eyes darkening at the very mention of that name. "Have you been able to cope?"

The Kazekage understood what she meant. "It is odd without Shukaku…the power that he gave me is gone now. My capabilities are drastically reduced as a result."

Tsunade frowned; the Kazekage had been drastically weakened by Mantarou's attack. Would this present a problem further down the road? "Hmm…why exactly did you decide to come here to Konoha?"

"There are a few reasons." Gaara calmly pulled the old scroll out of his robes. "After the Leaf's Envoy detailed Mantarou's ambitions, I was reminded of this." He gazed down at the parchment, calmly unraveling it. "About a year ago, I inquired Shukaku about his origins. I was attempting to forge some kind of bond with the demon so that I might be able to subdue his bloodlust should he ever attempt to take me over by force…" Gaara momentarily paused. Despite the constant calls for blood, Gaara had gotten used to the constant presence of the Ichibi over the years. The emptiness was almost unsettling.

Tsunade said, "Yes?"

Gaara continued on. "I asked what life had been like when he had been a priest for my ancestors…imagine my surprise when he directed me to this scroll, hidden deep within the Sabaku Library. It was written by the very Sand priest whose corrupted spirit was sealed into a teakettle." Reading the old text, the Kazekage said, "Our people used to worship a tremendous statue in the desert, which we called the Desert Colossus. The nomads, tapping into the underground river, settled down there and began to forge a life there, in the midst of the rocky canyons into which the Hidden Sand Village would eventually be carved. However…" Gaara lengthened the scroll. "One day, a light emerged from the Desert Colossus, and from that light came a redness that merged with the Sand priest. Soon after, his bloodlust multiplied manyfold, and he eventually became a murderer who could wield sand as an instrument of destruction. Judging from the last of the writing in his journal, his mind was unwinding with each passing day."

Tsunade and Shizune sweated as Gaara showed them the end of the scroll, which had barely identifiable words on it…etched in…blood? Long, ragged characters that spoke of a deranged and bloodthirsty individual…

"The man who would become the Shodai Kazekage ordered that the priest be killed and that his spirit be sealed into a teakettle, due to the danger it represented. That spirit called itself 'Shukaku'…and the power of sand manipulation that it brought made it a commodity to Sunagakure. I am – or was – the fourth host of Ichibi no Shukaku." Gaara twisted the scroll until he got to a certain picture that only he could see. "The Desert Colossus was ordered destroyed, and its ruins were scattered to the winds."

Tsunade looked at Gaara, noticing the odd look in his eyes. It was a look of…what? She couldn't quite tell; it was as if he was still hiding something important. "And what is the importance of this?"

"As it turns out, however…it wasn't the Sand priest's corrupted spirit that became Shukaku…but it was Shukaku himself that corrupted the Sand priest." Gaara turned his gaze to the Fifth Hokage. "This is a picture of the Desert Colossus, before it was destroyed." The teen held the scroll up so that she could see.

Tsunade and Shizune paled at the picture. Old though it was, the outline and shape was unmistakable.

A gigantic humanoid, visible only from the waist-up.

Two large arms crisscrossing over the chest, hands clutching onto the shoulders.

A maw of large, flat teeth.

And a single eye.

"When your Envoy spoke of the Gatekeeper Golem, I remembered this image," continued Gaara. "Judging from the looks on your faces, then I assume that they are identical."

_The Desert Colossus was a Gatekeeper Golem…and if the number of eyes is what determines its level…then it was a Level 1 Gatekeeper Golem._ Tsunade suddenly went into deep thought at what this entailed. The Level 5 Gatekeeper Golem had five eyes. This one had only one eye. This was big; it signified that there HAD been more than one Gatekeeper Golem…that was an established truth now. It also signified that Shukaku had come FROM Makai…which meant the Gatekeeper Golem was a two-way portal. "Why did Shukaku leave Makai?"

"He told me that he had stolen the power of the One Tail from a horde of bat demons, and had sustained heavy wounds; he came here to Ningenkai so that he could take refuge as a spirit hiding in someone else's body. He did not intend to get sealed." Gaara took notice of the contemplative look in Tsunade's eyes. "I see that this new information has some use to you."

"It does. More than you know," finished the Hokage, a tone of relief creeping into her voice. _Now we just need to figure out how to open the gateway to Makai…Mantarou said we needed the chakra of at least five Biju in order to open that one…but why?_ Something about the requirement made no sense; the task of bringing five Biju together was monstrous. But during summon battles, rivalries between demons were commonplace; the odds of five Tailed Demons actually working together seemed slim, at best. So why…? _Had Mantarou been wrong about the requirements…?_

It was worth investigating.

"Thank you for this information, Kazekage-dono. It might be of some help to us in our attempt to bring Naruto back from Makai."

It was then that Gaara decided to broach another topic that had been on his mind. "Unfortunately, it would seem that some people would prefer that he remain in Makai…"

It was a loaded statement. One that Tsunade did not want to answer, for fear of what Gaara would say in response…but she had to. "What do you mean?"

"Posters."

Tsunade's face crumpled up at that word; Shizune didn't think that such a seemingly innocuous word would have such an effect on her. "Tsunade-sama…"

"It's okay Shizune." The Hokage leveled her gaze at Gaara, wondering what exactly he was thinking behind those teal eyes of his. Undoubtedly, as a fellow Jinchuriki, he must have been enraged at the sight of those posters; she would have to make sure he hadn't accidentally hurt anyone on his way here. "I'm aware of these posters. After a meeting where I discussed the matter of Mantarou and the battle with him, someone leaked the information to the public."

"Leaking classified information? And no one's been punished?"

Tsunade frowned. "I didn't formally say that the happenings in that meeting were classified."

Gaara's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Then you're a fool." Disregarding the look of surprise on Tsunade's face (and the look of indignation on her assistant's), the Kazekage continued. "I've been in this village for less than an hour, and I can already tell that most of the citizens, with a few exceptions, hate Uzumaki Naruto. They despise his very existence. Just as Suna despised me…but there's one key difference." Gaara looked down at his hands, which had once been stained with the blood of many. Compared to his hands, Naruto's were as white as snow. "Those who despised me came to fear me because I would retaliate. But I assume Naruto never did fight back, did he?"

Tsunade slowly shook her head. "No…he didn't…"

The dangerous glint in Gaara's eyes only sharpened. "This obviously emboldened them. Their hatred is not bound by fear…" If one didn't know any better, an almost disgusted snarl hung off the edge of his lips. "Was anything done to protect him?"

Somehow, Tsunade knew that her next reply was going to make the former Jinchuriki angry. "The Third Hokage forbade the villagers from revealing the truth about the Kyuubi to Naruto. They were also forbidden from physically harming or killing Naruto. An ANBU was ordered to watch him at all times to make sure he was protected. Anyone who broke these laws did so under penalty of death."

"And so they spoke of him behind his back and beyond your ears, within the confines of their homes, correct?" The simmering irritation in Gaara's eyes grew by the second. "He was effectively isolated from the outside world. What guarantee was there that the ANBU guard would not turn a blind eye to any 'misfortune' that might befall Uzumaki?" The Kazekage relented for a moment before saying, "How was he cared for? What were his living facilities?"

"…a house on top of an apartment that no one else lived in," muttered Tsunade. "No one was willing to live in an apartment with Naruto living right on top of it. It was easy to keep track of him this way." The Fifth's voice was laced with frustration; when she had first seen the files on Naruto's living conditions, she had nearly screamed. "At first, Naruto was sent to an orphanage during his early years…but it became clear by the time he was three that the caretakers weren't feeding him enough. They also kept him away from the other children; they just made sure he survived. Nothing more, not even to make him comfortable."

Despite the stoic scowl, Gaara's eyes could've killed at that moment, so angry they were. Tsunade couldn't blame him. "After the orphanage years, it was babysitters. At least, until he enrolled at the Ninja Academy…the Sandaime Hokage personally made sure that hired babysitters weren't so hateful that they'd just as soon choke him in his sleep." Tsunade paused for a moment, feeling a swelling of anger within her. Those people looked at a little infant, a mere CHILD, as the instrument of their doom. Naruto couldn't have done anything to them; the seal on Naruto's belly was too strong to let the Kyuubi out unless the boy _let_ him. "He entered the Ninja Academy at the age of five…earlier than other shinobi-in-training, simply because of how determined he was to become stronger, to have people notice him. It was to his benefit that he found a kindred soul in Umino Iruka…" The Hokage's eyes became downcast at the thought. It was truly shameful that, before Iruka, only the Third had seen Naruto as the human he was. "Even so, he failed the final exams three times…and was held back three years. Aside from Iruka, no one gave him the chance to succeed…until a traitor named Mizuki told Naruto WHY everyone hated him."

"None of this speaks well for the people of Konoha," venomously said Gaara. "Whatever intentions the Third Hokage may have had, his actions and laws isolated Naruto. He was hated, and he never knew why…and if things would have continued on the way they did, he still would never have known." As a Jinchuriki, he was accustomed to the notion that his life was merely a tool for others in their wars and conflicts. In his older days, when his life had consisted of 'Killing and hating those who I haven't killed yet', that had not been a problem. But now…now, the very idea grated against him in a way that enraged him, down to his very core. Had he been a more emotionally expressive person – and he was well on his way there – he would've probably strangled anyone who would dare say that to his face. Just because he was a Jinchuriki (had been, HAD BEEN), his existence, his _life_, was worth nothing? Just because he had been **_forced_** to be the host of a demon that he had never wanted?

No. Never. He would not resign himself to that life ever again.

"That would probably be the case," remarked Tsunade. It hurt seeing the bubbling emotions within the eyes of the Kazekage. It only reminded her even more of her own emotions about the whole predicament. "And I agree…" She snorted. "I think they're all fools…they can't see beyond the demon sealed within him."

Gaara sneered. "And they celebrate the fact that he's gone now, knowing that no possibility of reprisal exists…correct?"

"Unfortunately." A thoughtful look came to Tsunade's face. "In fact, I've been meaning to do away with the Third's law regarding Naruto's true nature for some time now…I believe it's time for the younger citizens of Konoha to know exactly what Naruto HAS done for this village, so they can determine whether or not the picture their parents have painted for them is true or not."

Gaara's frown slowly lessened, weighing the possibilities in his mind. This new option would either work bit-by-bit…or blow up spectacularly in the Hokage's face when the fools of Konoha would complain that she was trying to 'make nice with the demon boy'. "There are going to be some very upset people with this proposal."

"They can walk off a cliff for all I care," snapped the Godaime Hokage.

Gaara's frown finally disappeared, replaced by his usual expressionless stare. Shizune couldn't help but mentally sigh; the Kazekage was no longer irritated AT Tsunade, but irritated ALONG with her.

"I wish you the best of luck in your endeavor," casually said the Godaime Kazekage. "Considering what Uzumaki went through, you should count yourself as eternally grateful that he didn't end up like me."

_Don't I know it_, thought Tsunade with a relieved look on her face. Naruto, despite all of the abuse he had received, hadn't given up. _To think such a bright soul can still shine in one who had such a dark childhood…_

Oh, how she missed the brat. He had better be alive; she didn't want to think of an existence where he was gone for good. It was…too horrifying to contemplate.

"My last order of business here is actually a request."

Tsunade turned her attention back to Gaara. "Yes?"

"I need to speak with the shinobi you call Rock Lee."

Tsunade blinked. "Why Rock Lee?"

Gaara calmly answered, "It pertains to the Chuunin Exams from nearly three years ago."

An odd silence came to Tsunade; it pertained to the Chuunin Exams? Did he mean the preliminary round where Rock Lee and Gaara had fought? Why bring that up? "How?"

"The reason I need to speak to him pertains to that fight."

For the briefest of moments, Tsunade wondered if Gaara had suddenly developed a need to get back at Rock Lee for the damage he had dealt…and then she promptly dismissed it. For one thing, Rock Lee had been the one who lost…and besides, Gaara had changed. Naruto had seen to that. For now, she just had to trust him. "He's at Training Ground #31, in the northeastern part of the village."

"Thank you." The Kazekage bowed before making his leave.

Once the door closed, both women let out a sigh of relief. Shizune asked, "What do you think Kazekage-sama wants with Lee?"

"Honestly? I have no idea."

xxxx

/Training Ground #31, Konohagakure/

A single clearing of grass, surrounded by trees. Sandy pits dotted the area.

And at the moment, two Konoha-nin were training.

"**DYNAMIC ENTRY!**"

Maito Gai, holding himself with both hands planted on the ground, remained silent as Rock Lee's aimed his outstretched foot at his chest.

Suddenly, the Jonin pushed off of his hands, grabbed Lee's leg with one hand, and then twisted his right arm with the other.

Lee winced as Gai suddenly swung around, his legless body proving to be surprisingly nimble as he got his protégé into a chokehold. "HA HA HA! What's wrong Lee? I have no legs! Surely you're not beaten yet!"

"NEVER GAI-SENSEI!" roared the Chuunin as he managed to wrench Maito Gai off and throw him aside. The Jonin casually grabbed the nearest tree branch and swung around, decreasing his momentum before falling to the ground and landing light on one palm.

Rock Lee gave Gai his Nice Guy Pose. "Excellent form Gai-sensei!"

"Ha ha ha! You're much too kind!"

Hard work had its rewards. Despite Gai's seemingly devastating handicap, he had managed to come out quite nicely. Although his ability to gain leverage over an opponent was all but neutralized – one couldn't exactly overpower an opponent when you couldn't anchor yourself to the ground – his newfound agility and flexibility had made up for it. It was kind of hard to grab or pummel someone if they were so small a target that they could scamper onto you and attack without giving you a chance to reciprocate.

To be blunt, Maito Gai was now like the child that liked to latch onto someone's leg and beat at it. Except his punches had the force of a boulder going at 100 miles per hour.

It was still a work in-progress, but Gai was on his way to achieving his former capacity…and his lack of legs allowed for new tactical opportunities.

"So Lee, are you to commence with laps?" Gai propped himself up on his arms. "Let's see who's faster on their hands!"

"YOSH!" roared Lee as he stood on his hands, his legs dangling in the air. "Ready!"

At that moment, a figure clad in white and blue landed in front of them.

Gaara looked at both Maito Gai and Rock Lee, wondering why both of them were standing on their hands (well, it was more obvious for Gai; he had no legs).

"Kazekage-sama?" Gai blinked out of surprise.

Lee tilted his head up, remaining on his hands. "Gaara-san? What brings you here?"

The red-haired Suna-nin calmly took off his tricorne hat, saying, "There's a favor I need to ask of you."

Lee immediately stood at attention, trying his best to look respectful of the Kazekage. "Yes?"

What happened next was probably the weirdest scene Rock Lee and Maito Gai would ever witness.

Gaara, Kazekage of Sunagakure, quietly got down on his knees and bowed to the Chuunin. "Please teach me taijutsu."

The request was made.

The real reason he had come all the way to Konoha…to learn taijutsu.

From Rock Lee.

Naturally, Lee sputtered, "B-But…"

Gaara raised his head. "Is this not the proper way to respectfully ask someone for something?"

Lee shook his hands. "N-No! It is! But…" Lee momentarily frowned, remembering how Gaara had nearly ended his career as a ninja during the Chuunin Exams. "You are the Kazekage. What could you possibly gain from someone like me?"

"Akatsuki's Leader compromised my fighting ability by taking Shukaku," bluntly answered Gaara. "My sand manipulation has been dulled, and my chakra has been more than halved." The Kazekage stopped for a moment…as though he were thinking of what next to say. "Ninjutsu and genjutsu…those are things I would have no trouble grasping…but taijutsu…with my absolute defense and my sand manipulation, I never needed to learn it."

_That is true_, mused Gai as he watched the exchange. _His Shield of Sand and Armor of Sand protected him from almost all attacks…and his sand manipulation was formidable._ But even against Lee's true power, the absolute defense had been rendered worthless. _Is that why he seeks Lee for teaching?_

"To make up for the loss of Shukaku, I need to learn taijutsu. You are a taijutsu specialist…a master." Gaara kept his stoic gaze on Lee. "It would be best if I learned taijutsu from the first person to ever pierce my absolute defense."

Lee gulped, feeling oddly uncomfortable about Gaara's respectful tone. This was the Kazekage! Bowing down to _him_! "I was the one who lost to you. Remember?"

"The only reason you lost was because you faced me." Gaara's gaze suddenly intensified. "Your taijutsu would have defeated all others…no matter who. Your misfortune was facing me that day. Had it been anyone else…Hyuga Neji…Uchiha Sasuke…even Uzumaki Naruto…you would've beaten them all. And that's a fact."

Lee and Gai were stunned into silence by Gaara's admission. If anything, it was almost like…an endorsement. The Chuunin couldn't help but wonder; had he not faced Gaara…would he have made it to the final round of the Chuunin Exams. _I could have…I know I could have!_ The Konoha-nin suddenly felt empowered by the Kazekage's words.

"So please…" Gaara bowed his head again. "I must become stronger. A Kage should be the strongest shinobi of his village, so that he can protect them and lead them in times of crisis. If I am not strong, then I cannot fulfill my duty to the people of Suna."

Lee suddenly clenched his fist; Gaara was prostrating himself before him so that he could become stronger! He wanted to learn taijutsu! From HIM! _Who am I to deny the path to strength to someone who wants to protect his precious people?_ "…Gaara-kun." As Gaara raised his head, the Chuunin roared. "I will teach you! I will help you become stronger!" He gave Gaara his Nice Guy Pose. "And that's a promise!"

The Kazekage quietly rose. "Thank you."

Maito Gai grinned. "Ah Lee, you make me so proud! Truly, your youth is so powerful that it might even make Gaara blossom!"

"YES!" cheered the taijutsu specialist.

Gai turned an analytical eye toward the Kazekage, measuring him up. _Hmm…calm posture, but his musculature needs development. Cumbersome uniform, and a stoic gaze…he has a long way to go before he shows youthfulness like Lee._ "Gaara…before you begin the training, you must properly prepare yourself! In order to fully maximize your taijutsu capabilities, you must be able to utilize your youth! You must SHINE!" He briefly paused. "You wouldn't mind, would you?"

"You and Rock Lee are currently my sensei." The term felt odd to use; Gaara had never had someone qualify as sensei. Although his father had taught him how to use his sand and Baki had taught him how to be a teacher, their rather stoic and demeanor hardly qualified for the status of sensei. "I will do what you ask."

Maito Gai grinned. "Perfect!"

xxxx

An hour later, Temari – calmly carrying a bag full of casual wear (unlike most girls, she wasn't one to 'pretty up'; besides, those fancy clothes tended to be uncomfortable) – and Kankuro – quietly munching some caramel popcorn – were walking down the streets of Konoha, with Neji and TenTen by their side. As it had turned out, after heading to the Hokage's Palace, the two Suna-nin had discovered that Gaara had gone to Training Ground #31 to find Rock Lee. By coincidence, they had run into Hyuga Neji and TenTen heading that way as well.

"I know, those posters are horrendous, aren't they?" grumbled TenTen as she twirled a kunai around her finger. She needed to prepare for tomorrow's mission.

"Bad design too," added Kankuro, chewing some more of his caramel popcorn before continuing. "I mean, they overemphasize his nature as a Jinchuriki. Subtlety would've made people focus more on the actual message."

Temari groaned as they crossed the tree line that blocked off Training Ground #31. "Leave it to the puppeteer to gripe about the poster's 'design'. Don't you even care what they're saying about Naruto?"

"Of course I do!" protested Kankuro. "I'm just offering my critique as an artist!"

"Oh God Gai, you **DIDN'T**."

Everyone turned toward Hyuga Neji, who was staring straight ahead at Training Ground #31. The look on his face was one of utter shock and horror. "What's up Neji?" asked TenTen.

He pointed ahead, his finger shaking. "He…He…"

TenTen frowned as she turned along with Temari and Kankuro; what could've shaken up Neji so badly that he-oh goodness NO. **NO**. "Oh my." TenTen clapped her hands over her mouth.

Temari gaped. "_What…_"

"**_Is THAT?_**" finished an aghast Kankuro.

Maito Gai stood near the side of the clearing, shouting out cheers.

Rock Lee stood beside the Kazekage, performing a number of basic taijutsu stances. And speaking of the Kazekage…

"I can't believe it," muttered a mortified Neji as he shook his head. "I can't **BELIEVE **it…"

"What is that **_thing_** on Gaara?!" shrieked Temari.

Gaara's regal Kazekage robes were neatly folded up and sitting to the side of the training ground, his tricorne hat sitting atop them. Instead, he was wearing a green bodysuit with orange legwarmers, his Sand hitai-ate wrapped around his waist like a belt. He was mimicking Lee's every move.

With the exception of his hair and nonexistent eyebrows (and TenTen and Neji thanked all that was good and holy that Gai hadn't gone all-out just YET), Gaara was a clone of Lee.

"Excellent work Gaara! Given time, your youth will shine just as brightly as Lee's!" exclaimed Maito Gai.

**KAPOW!!**

Gai suddenly went flying as Temari's metal fan slammed into his head.

Neji and TenTen immediately dragged Lee away from Gaara, leaving Temari and Kankuro to their sibling. "GAARA!" howled Temari. "What are you DOING?"

"Learning taijutsu," casually remarked Gaara.

"Dressed in _that_?" sputtered Kankuro.

"Yes. Gai-sensei and Lee-sensei told me that this is the proper fighting uniform for a taijutsu specialist."

"**NO IT'S NOT!**" roared Neji and TenTen from the sidelines.

"Yes it is!"

"**QUIET LEE!**"

"Gaara…" Temari calmed herself down. Yelling at the Kazekage would get her nowhere. "Kazekage-sama. You surely can't think this is the right way to getting stronger, is it…? I mean, think of what people would say if they saw you in **_that_**."

Gaara frowned. Truthfully, he didn't quite understand all the talk about 'youth' that Gai and Lee were constantly sputtering. But it was only his first day; he was bound to learn. "I seek to learn taijutsu from the best. These two are the best. Of that I have no doubt." He continued practicing the stances he had been told to memorize. "And if something as insignificant as this outfit brings shame to Sunagakure, then we are in worse shape than I thought."

At that, Kankuro and Temari couldn't say anything.

It was at this moment that Hatake Kakashi walked by the edge of the clearing. He had been meaning to talk to Gai about something important…but once the Copycat Ninja saw Gai and Lee being berated by an unusually vociferous TenTen and Neji, along with Gaara – in a green bodysuit – practicing Lee's standard taijutsu stances with a dumbfounded Temari and Kankuro watching in silence, he wisely backed away without saying a single word.

xxxx

/Corridor, 1st Floor, Elder Hall, Hyuga Clan Grounds, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Late afternoon.

The floor of gray tiles calmly echoed with the footsteps of three Hyuga.

Hyuga Hiashi.

Hyuga Hinabi.

Hyuga Hinata.

Hiashi kept his eyes fixated on his eldest daughter, who walked slowly and silently. He had only called for a simple training session within the Training Hall; it wasn't something for her to feel so glum about, was it? She had become quite talented and skilled. He often entertained thoughts that she had finally gotten up to Hanabi's level, just through hard work alone. How else would one explain the **_Kaiten Hotaru_** (perhaps inspired by the **_Gatsuga_** that the Inuzuka and his canine partner utilized?) or the **_Shugohakke Rokujūyon Shō_**?

But Hiashi knew very clearly why his daughter was upset. _You miss the Kyuubi's vessel._ Honestly, Hiashi couldn't help but pity the boy, bound by the fate he had been cursed with. It would have been better if Uzumaki Naruto had been killed as a child, thus removing the threat of Kyuubi no Yoko forever. Yet the boy had been allowed to grow, and experience life…and although he was grateful for what the boy had done for Konoha, his daughter's infatuation with him was truly irritating.

_I guess a father can't choose who the daughter loves_, thought Hiashi with a frown. However, Hinata, as heir to the position of the Hyuga Clan's Head Elder, would eventually have to marry someone from one of the Branch Houses so that the Bloodline Limit of the Hyuga could be kept pure. Either that, or she could marry someone of royalty, but that hadn't happened since three generations ago, where a prominent feudal lord had married into the clan. The odds of Hinata falling for anyone of royalty seemed slim; oh, how he wished that she'd forget about the boy. Otherwise, if she didn't marry by the age of 23, then she'd abdicate the position of Head Elder to her younger sister Hanabi.

The Head Elder rubbed his temples. The thought of returning the birthright of heir to Hanabi again was agonizing; he had already switched twice; from Hinata to Hanabi then back to Hinata again. He couldn't bear the political infighting that declaring Hanabi as heir would cause.

"Father, I keep seeing all these posters over the village," spoke Hanabi.

Hiashi – barely noticing the twitch in Hinata's frame at the word 'posters' – answered, "Yes?"

"The have the image of the boy you always told us to stay away from."

"That is correct," answered Hiashi. "The reason is because he is the vessel for the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. The great Yondaime Hokage was unable to kill the demon, so he sealed it into the body of that baby to save us."

Hanabi frowned. "How come we weren't told?"

"It was decided by the Third Hokage that we never tell any of the younger children about the boy's true nature as a demon host, and that anyone who does so was to be put to death. Apparently, the Hokage did this to protect the child from those who would seek to harm himself, and from finding out himself."

Hanabi frowned. She didn't know 'Uzumaki Naruto' that much, so she didn't really care either way that he was 'finally gone' or something to that effect. "Huh. I heard he was the dead last of Hinata's graduating class as well."

Hiashi noticed Hinata barely flinch at 'dead last'. "Yes…he was. As if his existence hadn't been enough of a burden, it was also discovered that his father was the founder of a criminal organization called Akatsuki."

"Wow," nonchalantly said Hanabi. "A son of a criminal, a demon vessel, and a failure of a ninja all in one. I'd hate to be him."

Hinata flinched again.

"Though…I've heard Hinata talk about this boy a lot." She glanced at her sister's back. "This sure doesn't sound like the same guy Hinata talks about."

Hinata said nothing. The only thing Hiashi noted was the tightening of fists. _She hasn't spoken a word since the day the boy was taken…_ He briefly considered stopping Hanabi from speaking…but then she went and said it.

"I mean, this boy sounds like a loser! You have better taste than that Hinata," calmly berated Hanabi. "You're a Hyuga! Pining over a failure who's a demon host and the son of a criminal…you can't really go much lower than that."

Sometimes, it was better to be silent.

Because even the most meek of people have a breaking point.

"Naruto-kun…is **NOT** a loser."

Hiashi frowned at the minute pulse of chakra she felt emanate from Hinata's eyes. _She can activate the Byakugan like Neji? Without hand signs? When did she learn this?_

"He is far greater than people give him credit for…he is truly one of the kindest souls I know." Hinata turned around to face her family, her shoulder-length hair of dark-indigo swaying over her shoulder.

Those eyes…those EYES. The **_Byakugan_** could make one look fierce and frightening…but Hinata, right there and now, made the White Eye of he Hyuga look truly overwhelming.

Hiashi resisted the urge to pale; he had never seen Hinata look so angry before.

"You speak of someone you know nothing about Hanabi," said Hinata, trying not to growl. She couldn't believe the posters going up throughout the village. Were the people in Konoha truly so hateful of someone who had nearly died for them, over and over again?! "I watched him for years…I saw him as a proud failure."

"Proud failure?" queried the younger sibling.

"No matter how much Naruto-kun failed, he always got back up…and in so doing, he eventually moved beyond failure. He is NO loser." Hinata gulped as she clenched her fists. Just the other day, after being brought home by Neji and Lee…the first poster she had seen, she had cried. The people of Konoha were so ungrateful of the sacrifices Naruto had endured. For **_THEM_**. "He may be a Jinchuriki. He may be the son of an S-class criminal…but that does NOT define Naruto-kun. It never did. He never allowed other people to choose his own destiny…that's what I admired most about him."

Hanabi sighed. "I think you must be daydreaming Hinata. How could the dead last of your class be so great?"

Hinata tried to control herself. For so long, Naruto had been fighting to prove himself to others. He had long proven himself…yet there were still people who refused to see, or were simply ignorant.

It was time for someone to fight FOR Naruto's honor…because he was no longer there to defend it himself. "Because sister…I will show you by defeating you in battle." The look of shock on Hanabi's was immediate. "Little sister…it was because of Naruto that I became strong. I became strong for him. I will show you that strength."

Hanabi smirked. "You've never beaten me Hinata."

"Then come and face me in the Training Hall, if you are so confident," answered Hinata as she walked away, anger lining her every step.

Hiashi stared quietly at his firstborn, wondering silently if Hanabi knew what she was getting into.

He had never seen Hinata so angry before. _I wonder how much of it is my fault…?_

The Head Elder resigned himself to spectator; this would be as good a time as any to see how far both of his daughters had progressed. _Hinata…I know you admire that boy. I can see that. But how much have you truly grown?_

He was about to find out.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**Sister vs. Sister. Hinata Unbound!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: Four days. Holy CRAP I wrote this chapter quickly. o.o;

Hope you all enjoyed Gaara imitating Lee. I think that would just be the coolest twist ever if Gaara actually started training under LEE in the manga.

Anyhow, next chapter showcases Hinata! Wish me luck on my exams.

See you soon, and please review!


	34. Sister vs Sister! Hinata Unbound!

Standard Disclaimer: DYNAMIC ENTRY! I DO NOT OWN NARUTO! HOOOOOO! (leaps away)

Author's Notes: (clears throat) Ahem. Anyhow, there is a public service announcement for new readers all the way back in the prologue! Go and read it. Now.

Also, people love (or cringe at the thought of) Gaara wearing the green spandex suit! Will he ever dye his hair black and grow huge, bushy eyebrows? Only time will tell. :O

Due to the reaction, I now demand that someone draw Gaara in Lee's jumpsuit. I COMMAND THEE TO DO SO. SPANDEX GAARA WANTS YOU TO DRAW HIM. :O

On a final note, I eventually plan to write a spin-off of _Legacy_ to elaborate more on the tales of Akatsuki. To fill in the blanks a little. Maybe after this story ends. It shall be called **Akatsuki Gaiden**.

On a final FINAL note, I finished beta-reading Tellemicus's _Legacy of the Rasengan_ update. Go read once he updates it. Also, if anyone wants to know where my reviewer replies are, go to my bio and click on My Forums. There will be a Naruto: Legacy forum.

Now…

Begin!

xxxx

_**Sister vs. Sister. Hinata Unbound!**_

xxxx

/Backyard, Inuzuka Household, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Inuzuka Kiba scratched at his messy dark brown hair, watching as Akamaru – fully rejuvenated from the battle – playing about with Kuromaru and the three canine companions of Hana, **_Haimaru Sankyodai_**; the Haimaru Triplets. Speaking of Hana…

"Yo. Big sis."

Hana, her brown hair tied into a short ponytail, glanced down at her younger brother. "What is it?"

The male teen frowned as he stared at Akamaru, the tiny pup frolicking onto the back of a rather annoyed Kuromaru. His canine partner had been fighting by his side for a long time; although the **_Shikyaku no jutsu_** - **_Jujin Bunshin_** – **_Gatsuga_** combo was an established part of the Inuzuka Clan's repertoire, Kiba – due to Akamaru's rather small size as a pup – had used it quite often to offset Akamaru's small size. At least until the pup would grow. But alas, Kiba's overuse of the combo – which required the use of a soldier pill for Akamaru – had only done the opposite. "How long till you think Akamaru will start growing again?"

The accomplished veterinarian arched an eyebrow. "What brings this on? I've told you before; just stop giving him soldier pills, and nature will take its course."

"Eh, I don't know…" The boy frowned as the Haimaru Triplets watched Akamaru get tossed about by an annoyed Kuromaru. "I'm just…crap, I don't even know what I'm trying to say." Kiba stomped his foot on the stairway. "Damn it, this sucks."

Hana frowned at the sight of her younger brother, instantly figuring out what was eating at him. "You're upset over what happened. You're upset that you couldn't stop Akatsuki's Leader from taking Naruto away."

Kiba snorted at the thought of Mantarou. "Damn bastard. I'd like to get up close and give em' a dose of **_Waau-Rufu-Kyou_**! And those posters!" He angrily pounded his fist on the ground. "They're everywhere!"

"I know…some people choose to be fools." Though Hana had personally been indifferent to the fate of Uzumaki Naruto, that had changed around the time Kiba had fought him in the Chuunin Exams. Her little brother's opinion about the blonde had changed hers considerably afterwards. "He may be the vessel of the Kyuubi…but he is also a person. They just don't see."

Kiba snarled. "Yeah…" He was just supremely irritated. He couldn't help it! Seeing Naruto fight like he had, only to fail, had been utterly staggering…and then people had the gall to say all of the crap they did! "I'm just frustrated…I just need a way to vent. A mission, or SOMETHING!"

"You could wrestle like you used to."

Kiba thoughtfully considered that option. "Hmm…eh, why not?" Then he leapt into the fray between the canines. "YAR!"

Hana smiled lightly at the sight of her three dogs playfully mauling Kiba. But then she sighed; Kiba's frustration was a troubling sign. The boy had never been prone to thinking before committing to an action, unless he was forced to in the midst of battle; that sort of thing was best left to a Nara, or perhaps that pink-haired Haruno girl. Kiba? Nah. He preferred simplistic situations. See bad guy, defeat bad guy. See good guy, help good guy. See stupid guy, punch guy for being stupid.

However…the citizens of Konoha were now filling in as the "Stupid Guy", mocking and deriding Naruto, the "Good Guy". That caused a conflict of interests. Inuzuka tended to be rather headstrong, and Kiba was no exception. He preferred simplicity. So if there were a situation where he found himself despising the people he was sworn to protect, frustration would arise.

Kiba didn't like frustration. It led to headaches.

Hana sighed as she watched her little brother struggle with Kuromaru; the boy needed to go on a mission to vent some stress. Lord knows everyone needed to vent a little after the attack on Konoha and the subsequent assault of Akatsuki's Leader.

xxxx

/Training Hall, 1st Floor, Elder Hall, Hyuga Clan Grounds, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

The floor of white tile was pristine and cold. Stairs lined both sides of the room, leading to balconies in the two-story tall Training Hall that could, if needed, hold the entirety of the Hyuga Clan.

Currently, Hyuga Hiashi sat in a chair atop the balcony, with a few other Branch House members watching in silence on the other side. If things proceeded the way they usually did, there would be at least a dozen or so by the time the battle ended. Particularly with battles between members of the Main House; those often drew the most watchers from both the Main House and the various houses of the Branch Family. It was probably in the hopes that members of the Branch Family would be able to see some of the vaunted techniques of the Main Family.

_I wonder what we'll be seeing today…?_ Hiashi gazed down at his two daughters, watching them stare at each other. Both had their **_Byakugan_** activated. Soon, their training uniforms – black shirt, black pants, and black sandals – would be worn down. Possibly tattered, if things got too hectic. _Hinata has been training harder…her ninja training might give her an edge over Hanabi._ However, the younger of the two had been taught far more in the art of Jūken than Hinata; he had himself to blame for that. _Being cast out as the heir, she was not given the chance to learn all that Hanabi had…but now that she's back, we've begun delving deep into higher levels of the Gentle Fist._ But then again, Hanabi had also begun training on her own, particularly within the last year…

Either way, it would be close.

Mostly because of the fire that now burned within Hinata's eyes.

"Begin at your leisure," stated the Head Elder.

xxxx

"Hanabi."

Hanabi stopped; she hadn't even begun to enter the initial stance for the **_Hakke Rokujuyon Shō_** yet! "What is it Hinata?"

The girl, looking into her younger sister's eyes with deep conviction, quietly spoke. "Why…do you think Naruto-kun is a loser?"

Hanabi sighed. "Why are you asking this question? 'Dead last' ring a bell?"

"That 'dead last' you speak of defeated Neji." Hinata felt a small chill go down her spine; talking with such authority was almost unfathomable. How was it that so many people could be so wrong about someone though…? That was why; her precious person had been insulted and degraded for far too long. TOO long.

"I know…I was awed at first…but then I found out that he was the vessel for the Kyuubi." Hanabi smirked again; it was a smirk that Neji used to wear, before Naruto had given him a lesson in life. "It's kind of clear to me now; without the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, there was no way he could have won. Basically…he cheated."

Hinata's eyes narrowed. _I do not wish to hurt you sister…please don't say anything else about Naruto-kun._

Then Hanabi charged.

Hinata quickly slid backwards, bringing her palms up as she struck with two fingers towards Hanabi's shoulder. The younger sister quickly ducked around, spinning _around_ Hinata towards her open back. But her move was for naught; Hinata did a flip forward, swiveling around so that her hands could block any attack.

None came. Hanabi held herself back, calculating what move to make next. _Then I'll move_, thought Hinata as she pulled five shuriken out of the holster tapped to her thigh, flinging them at Hanabi.

The younger Hyuga snorted. She never saw any good reason to carry around shuriken or kunai; they always got deflected by **_Kaiten_**. Although she had trained with them under order of her father, she never had liked them. "Hmph. KAITEN!" She spun around like a top, sending the incoming shuriken flying away, like so much useless metal. A smirk crossed her face as she slowed down. _You'll have to do better than-_

**SLAM!**

Hanabi gagged as Hinata's palm, open and laced with chakra, slammed into her abdomen. She was sent skidding back across the floor, her gut roiling from the impact. She finally came to a stop, looking at Hinata with eyes wide with disbelief.

Hinata's eyes…filled with anger. But not hatred. She did not wish to bring harm upon her…but she was willing to do so to teach her a lesson.

She was being **_serious_**.

Hanabi grinned slightly; this was certainly a change of pace. Hinata, taking these training sessions seriously for a change?

How nice.

"Okay sister…I'll be serious too!" Hanabi's feet were blurs as she dashed toward Hinata. The 10-year old raised her hands, her fingers glowing with chakra as she struck. Hinata grimaced as she raised her arms, letting chakra flow through them so she could repel Hanabi's strikes with quick parries. Eventually, she countered by spinning and tapping at Hanabi's shoulder, barely missing as the young girl ducked and rolled to the side.

Hinata and Hanabi glared at each other.

Hands flew, clashing against each other as they tried to get a good hit in. Chakra seemed to dance off of their bodies as they went back and forth. Conflicts between Hyuga could take a while; the nature of Jūken meant that battles could go on for some time. Especially if the combatants were good at defending their tenketsu from pinpoint strikes.

Hanabi suddenly jumped, her hands clutching onto Hinata's shoulders as she landed on the other side. Just as quickly, her lithe limbs snaked around Hinata's neck.

It was pure impulse that made Hinata grab her sister's arms.

Hanabi tried to flip Hinata up into the air…only to pale as Hinata forced herself down on the ground. It was Hanabi's arms that had save Hinata; had she not grabbed them, she would've gone flying.

Now it was Hanabi's turn.

Hanabi grimaced as she became airborne. Her world became topsy-turvy before she could right herself; momentarily deactivating the **_Byakugan_**, the younger sister glanced down as she fell, watching as Hinata performed multiple katas. _What is she doing…?_

"**_Taju Bunshin no jutsu!_**"

Hanabi blinked. _Multiple Clones?_

Indeed; over seven dozen bunshin popped into place. Hanabi frowned as she landed; they all surrounded her. "Regular bunshin?" She sighed; what an utterly useless technique. "Come on Hinata…they're useless against the **_Byakugan_**."

Upon activating her Kekkei Genkai, however…

_What the…?_

To one with the **_Byakugan_**, bunshin were no more than mere outlines of chakra. They had no innards. No inner coils. To Hyuga, bunshin were as fake to the eye as they were in reality.

However…there was, apparently, one catch.

Hanabi grimaced as she looked all around her. Nothing but a mass of pure chakra, clouding her vision along the ground. _Where is she?_

From above, Hiashi narrowed his eyes. _So many bunshin…when overlapping each other like that, they seem to meld together into a mass of chakra that the Byakugan can't penetrate._ The Head Elder couldn't help but smirk; he could see the hand of Hinata's teacher in this technique. _Yuhi Kurenai. The genjutsu and illusionary specialist. Only someone like her would be able to use a simple technique like **Bunshin no jutsu** to get around the Byakugan._ Of course, from above, the mass of bunshin were not overlapping each other; seeing Hinata was easy. From Hanabi's standpoint, however, Hinata was all but invisible. _Hmm. Very clever Hinata._

Hanabi frowned. "Hmph." She leapt above, looking for-SHURIKEN! Her hands quickly flipped around, grabbing the projectiles. Unfortunately, she lost control of her flight path; she fell back down, growling as the bunshin moved so that they surrounded her again. _Hinata…_

She inhaled and exhaled, regaining control of her breathing. _Patience. Don't get flustered…father's watching._ Losing to Hinata? Unacceptable. _Okay Hinata…where are you?_

A fist came from her left.

**POW!**

Hanabi grimaced as Hinata emerged from amongst the clones, slamming into her cheek. The clones disappeared as Hanabi skidded along the ground; she leapt to her feet, glaring quietly at her older sister. That had been the second clean shot Hinata had gotten on her. _No more._ She wiped away the blood on her cheek before shifting into the Jūken stance. "Come Hinata."

"If you insist Hanabi," remarked Hinata as she dashed forward.

Hanabi raised her elbow, blocking Hinata's initial jab before striking at Hinata's bicep with the speed of a snake. The older sister grimaced before she grabbed Hanabi's outstretched arm, pulling her off-balance before getting a direct hit on one of the tenketsu in her arm. The younger sibling growled as her body became alight with chakra. "**_KAITEN!_**"

"AGH!" yelped Hinata as she was sent flying backwards. She groaned as she slammed against the wall; that had hurt. Hanabi was truly a skilled warrior; Hinata was actually surprised she had done as well as she had. _Thank you Kurenai-sensei, for teaching me that technique._ However, she doubted that **_Taju Bunshin no jutsu_** would work again; Hanabi would undoubtedly work around it.

Then she saw her sister's eyes. Eyes set into a narrow glare.

Hinata shivered; it was a look that reminded her of Neji, way back before the Chuunin Exams. She HATED that look. _Why are you looking at me like that sister…?_ "Are you that angry with me, Hanabi-chan?"

The younger Hyuga snorted. "Nice to see you taking these training sessions seriously for a change…but why did it take the disappearance of Uzumaki Naruto? Why HIM? What's so special about someone like that?"

And just like that, Hinata's doubts disappeared. Hanabi had no clue who Naruto really was. All she knew were the words of her father and those who hated Naruto. She did NOT know Naruto. Not at all. _I will help her learn…what it means to fight for someone precious to you. Someone like Naruto-kun._ "I am coming Hanabi."

Hanabi shifted into a defensive stance as Hinata charged.

Hands clashed against hands as the two Hyuga employed the Gentle Fist style with great delicacy, showcasing how learned they were with the taijutsu of the Hyuga. Hanabi's style was swift and strong; she favored strong movements and quick strikes, utilizing her agile form to dodge any attacks. Hinata normally used her long reach to pepper away at the enemy with multiple blows, utilizing slides and dodges to wear the opponent down. But this time…she was far more ferocious.

Hiashi stared quietly at his children, fighting below like dogs in a pit. _My 15-year old firstborn…and her sister, five years younger. Fighting now as frenzied pups. Had Hinata not been so angered, this might've ended by now._ Hiashi sighed; his girl's shy demeanor was often unsettling. She could drop it during missions, but it also hung around, on the peripheral of her mind. Although it was useful for establishing mannerisms, she was often far too willing to bend over for her peers. _Unlike Hanabi…although she is obedient, she is also headstrong and stubborn._ His eyes glanced across the balcony, falling upon one of the new Branch House members to join in the spectacle. _Like you once were, Neji._

Neji said nothing as he watched Hinata and Hanabi fight. But Hiashi knew, just by seeing how Neji's eyes tracked Hinata (and ONLY Hinata), that he wanted the eldest to win. _We shall see what happens, then shan't we?_

Hanabi thrust her palm forward, ducking immediately as the now-airborne Hinata countered with a kick. Hinata, falling down from her dodging jump, quickly lashed out with her right hand, the middle and index fingers glowing like beacons. Hanabi grabbed at her incoming jab with both hands, her chakra halting Hinata's.

Then Hinata came for the shoulder with her other hand, aiming to block off one of the right arm's major tenketsu. _I have you…!_

Then a glowing foot slammed into her chin.

_**BAM!**_

"AGH!!!" Dizziness hit Hinata like a tidal wave; Hanabi's chakra surged from the foot and into the inner coils around Hinata's head. Result: nausea. "Ooh…ah…" Hinata shook her head, trying to clear away the dizziness. "What…was…?"

"Jūken. With my foot." Hanabi grinned as she slid back, extending her arms to prepare for another assault. "Try to keep up."

Now it was Hanabi's turn to attack.

From above, various members of the Branch House were shocked at the sight of Hanabi using her foot in conjunction with the Gentle Fist. Even Neji was considerably surprised; although he had used his feet before in regular taijutsu, he had never utilized Jūken with his feet.

_And why shouldn't they be shocked?_ Hiashi mused as he noticed their reactions. _Jūken only involves the feet when you need to rotate for **Kaiten**. Chakra surging from the feet allows one to rotate at high speed. So using the feet as an offensive stratagem is unorthodox…but perfectly plausible._ He sighed; this new generation of the Hyuga had turned out to be completely unpredictable. Neji had mastered various secrets of the Main House on his own. Hinata, though weak at first, had grown and started developing her own Jūken techniques in combination with her shinobi talents. And last but not least, Hanabi was taking the very art of the Gentle Fist into a whole new direction.

A genius, a late bloomer, and a prodigy.

It tended to give older members of the Main Family some headaches, thinking about how to handle the wiles of youth.

Hiashi couldn't help but concur…but still, he was proud of the progress all three had made.

Although he wished he knew how Hanabi was causing the potholes. After every private training session in the Training Hall – and Hanabi _always­_ made sure no one watched – there would be potholes of various sizes in the ground. _What have you been up to?_

Hinata paled as she impulsively backed away, her mind immediately retreating into a defensive state. Hanabi grinned at the sudden hesitation in Hinata's eyes; she had unnerved her. _Perfect!_ She jabbed at Hinata's arms, trying to close the tenketsu; the elder sibling ducked, performing a sweeping kick to try and trip up the ten-year old. Hanabi smirked as she jumped, lashing out with a glowing foot that Hinata could barely block. Hanabi unleashed a furious blitz of shining jabs and kicks, forcing Hinata backwards. She was slowly gaining the advantage; this fight was in the bag.

Hinata pushed away at Hanabi's incoming hands, only to gape as she ducked and spun, kicking upward with a heel glowing with blue chakra.

It was a wonder that she managed to grab it.

Hanabi paled; her foot had been stopped mere millimeters away from her sister's face. _What!_

Hinata didn't waste any time. She quickly positioned her feet in the proper manner and forced chakra outward, creating the infamous spinning motion of the **_Kaiten_**.

Only this time, she had a passenger along for the ride.

"**_KAITEN!!_**"

"**UWAAA!**" yelped Hanabi as she was spun at high speed. Although it lasted for the previous of moments, her world was turned upside-down as she was released.

From the standpoint of the audience, it was almost comical, seeing Hanabi fly through the air, her body flopping around like a rag-doll.

**SMACK!**

Of course, it was nowhere near as jaw dropping as seeing Hanabi splattered against the wall, face-first, arms and legs splayed outward. It was as though she was a cartoon character.

One of the Branch Members couldn't help but chuckle. Neji couldn't help but sweatdrop.

The chuckles only increased as Hanabi slowly slid downward, her back finally landing on the tile floor. Neji was suddenly thankful for how much self-control he had, considering how narrow Hiashi's eyes were. _Although…it actually is kind of humorous._

Hanabi…let's just say she wasn't used to someone laughing at her expense.

"Grrr…" She leapt to her feet, rubbing away the blood on her face. Her nose was bleeding! _Dang it!_ She couldn't help but feel an odd rush though; Hinata was fighting with her all. She might as well return the favor…and showcase her newest technique.

"Hinata. Be honored." Hanabi flexed her neck, letting the chakra flow through her inner coils, the **_keirakukei_**. "You're going to be the first one to feel the power of my new technique." Her fingers glowed. "Prepare yourself."

Then she jabbed her own arm.

All of the Hyuga blanched. Hinata gaped as Hanabi quietly and systematically closed some of her chakra points. _Hanabi-chan…what are you doing?_

The answer hit Neji like a bullet. _She's closing the tenketsu to redirect her chakra flow!_ Although the chakra points on the inner coils could be closed to hinder an opponent's chakra flow, they could also be closed in a certain way…such that one's chakra flow could be concentrated to certain parts of the body. Neji's **_Byakugan_** narrowed at the sight of the tenketsu Hanabi were closing. _She's focusing the chakra toward her hand only, closing off those that end at the biceps or triceps…and she's directing all of the chakra in her legs towards the heel. What is she about to do…?_

Hanabi's fingertips glowed as she began striking the tile, causing fragments of the floor to break off. The tile was vaporized by her attacks, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Hiashi frowned. _A diversionary tactic, to hide the eyes of the enemy. But it's useless against the Byakugan…_

Oh, if only he knew the real reason why Hanabi struck the ground.

Hinata kept her distance away…what was her sister up to?

Hanabi calmly gazed at the roughly circular mound, untouched by her strikes. _Next step!_ She stood atop the small mound, jamming her foot onto its perimeter. She forced chakra out through her heel…and due to how super-concentrated the chakra flow was, it came out like a spike that cut through the ground. She rotated once, cutting away at the stone that kept the four-foot wide column bounded to the ground. Then she stomped once on the mound, letting her chakra weaken the foundations. _Now…let the chakra do the work._ Hanabi growled as she grasped the mound, pulling upward. She pushed a large pulse of chakra through her heels, causing a propulsive effect that allowed her to pull the carved-out rock out of the ground.

_Boom…_

That was the sound of a large column the size of Hanabi hitting the ground. The young girl panted; the exertion behind that part of the jutsu was always a pain…but it would be worth it.

The dust cloud finally cleared, and everyone stared at the circular column that Hanabi now stood behind. Hiashi now had an answer behind the potholes. But what was this for?

Hinata blinked. "Sister?"

Hanabi shifted into the Jūken stance. "**_Doton; Hakke Rokujuyon Shō!_** Earth Element; Eight Trigrams 64 Palms!"

She slammed two hands into the weakened stone column.

"Hakke two palms!"

Out of the other side of the column erupted two palm-shaped projectiles of white concrete, flying at high speed towards Hinata. The elder sister blinked as she rolled, avoiding the incoming palms.

"Four palms!"

Two more palms of rock. Hinata ducked backwards, narrowly dodging to the side.

Hanabi slid, realigning herself toward Hinata's change in position. "Eight palms!"

Hinata paled as they came at her. Her **_Shugohakke Rokujuyon Shō_** would've worked wonders against this move…but she didn't…have…enough…TIME!

One palm sailed past her ear. _She's getting closer!_

"Sixteen palms!"

Eight of the hands came flying at her. The column was slow disintegrating as more rock erupted from it, propelled by Hanabi's super-concentrated chakra. Hinata dove down, her body barely escaping the incoming barrage.

"Thirty-two palms!"

Hinata knew she wouldn't dodge in time.

So she had one last recourse.

"**_KAITEN!_**"

All sixteen palms dissolved into rubble as the dome of chakra blew them away.

It was exactly what Hanabi wanted. _Now you can't dodge!_ "SIXTY-FOUR PALMS!"

Hinata's rotation ceased…and her eyes fell upon the incoming storm. Impulse commanded her to raise her arms.

Palm after palm crashed into her. Blow after blow caused her to cringe and flinch. It was a hail of stone, delivered at the speed of rainfall.

The attack ended.

Everyone in the balcony stared in awe at what they had witnessed. Hanabi had utilized Jūken to use an attack more fitting in the realm of Gōken, the Strong Fist taijutsu. Hiashi's eye twitched as he saw Hanabi push the column – which now looked as if someone had taken a large bite out of it, as though it were an apple – aside. _Hmm. What purpose would that jutsu serve…? How can it help with the Jūken?_

Hinata grimaced as she lowered her bleeding arms, her body aching from the pain of thiry-two rocky palms slamming into her. "Urgh…"

Hanabi's eyes narrowed as she charged. _Now!_

Her fingers glowed as she got past Hinata's guard and stabbed at her bicep. Hinata winced as she backed away, trying to both block Hanabi's advances while ignoring the dull aching coming from her limbs.

Neji and Hiashi both realized it at once.

Hanabi's newest jutsu had slowed Hinata's reactions down. The amount of physical pain had clearly dulled her ability to retaliate or block Hanabi's chakra blows. In a way, it was a kind of armor break; the **_Doton; Hakke Rokujuyon Shō_** was allowing Hanabi to slip past Hinata's defenses. The Head Elder couldn't help but nervously grin. _Huh. A technique that serves as a precursor for an efficient assault with Jūken._ His gaze turned to Neji, who suddenly looked uncharacteristically frightened. _Are you also surprised by Hanabi's progress, Neji? At this rate, she'll be more proficient with the Gentle Fist by her thirteenth year than you were at that age. Though she tends to be just as arrogant on occasion…_

Hinata's face twinged with agony as one of Hanabi's blows hit her straight in the stomach. Old wounds from her fight with Neji began to ache as her insides suddenly quivered. _No. Not now!_

Hanabi twirled and delivered an uppercut with her open palm, sending Hinata into the air. She quickly grabbed onto one of the support beams under the balcony, dangling in midair, as Hanabi watched from below. "Come on down Hinata!"

Hinata frowned as she felt her chakra flow; several of her tenketsu had been closed. Fortunately, she could still use the Gentle Fist…and she could still use Kaiten. _Good._ She angled her legs backward and pushed off the wall, rocketing downward toward her sibling. She pushed chakra out of her outstretched arms, angling them so that her body began spinning at high speed. "**_KAITEN HOTARU!_**"

Hanabi grimaced as she jumped backward, avoiding the glowing bullet Hinata had become as she crashed into the ground.

**KABOOM!**

Dust lifted into the air, and rubble flew. Almost immediately, Hinata emerged from the smoke, striking at Hanabi. "HYA!"

"Grr!" growled the younger sister as she shoved Hinata's incoming hand aside, only to step backwards as Hinata came forth with a palm thrust with the other. A side kick from Hinata was pushed back as Hanabi retaliated with a glowing jump kick. Hinata _bent backwards_ – her feet not even leaving the ground! – as she retaliated with a swift fingerpoke, closing one of the tenketsu within the right pectoral. Hanabi's growl became fierce as she jammed both heels into Hinata's thighs – causing her to wince from the chakra output – before jumping off of them, _flipping_, and delivering a front kick to the chin. It was only due to Hanabi's forced redirection of her chakra to her heel that prevented Hinata's brain from being battered with more chakra. Out of reflex, Hinata delivered an open palm to Hanabi's chest.

The two backed away from each other, panting heavily.

Hanabi bore many closed chakra points (over half of which she had closed herself), and her face felt sore from the punch from earlier. Her insides felt a bit uneasy from the few blows her sister had managed to deliver to the main body, and she still felt sore all over from when she had been slammed against the wall by the Kaiten. Not only that, but she was beginning to feel strained from her chakra being forced to certain spots.

Hinata had several closed tenketsu, her body had been battered by her sister's earthen palms, she felt a bit dizzy from the kicks to her head, and her chin was bleeding. She coughed once, frowning as she felt a few droplets of blood in her hand. If Hanabi got another hit on her body…

This battle would have to end soon. Either way, it would.

_Okay then…I will now show you my own technique._ She gazed up at her father and her cousin, only two amongst the two dozen Hyuga that were watching. And yet…she couldn't help but see Naruto there, cheering for her. She knew that's what he would've been doing, if he had been there.

No. He would ALWAYS be there. She would never let his memory go away.

_Watch me Naruto-kun. Just like before._

Hinata closed her eyes as she straightened her legs. She slwoly moved her arms, her chakra coalescing on her hands.

Hanabi blinked. "Hmm?"

Then Hinata opened her eyes. "**_Shugohakke Rokujuyon Shō!_** Protection of the Eight Trigams 64 Palms!"

A thin line of chakra emerged from both hands as she held her palms forward.

Hanabi blinked as she felt the twin chakra 'lasers' cut her cheeks. "…" She immediately ducked and charged.

Hinata's arms became blurs as she attacked, trying her hardest to keep track of the agile Hanabi. Her lasers were only concentrated enough to cut and cause burning sensations. Hanabi grimaced as she felt some of the lasers nick at her form. However, her movements were erratic and almost impossible to predict. Hinata lowered her lasers, only to frown as Hanabi actually crawled to the side and leapt into the air, spinning and twirling to avoid the attack at all angles. It was as if Hanabi were dancing; Hinata frowned as her younger sister kept dodging.

Hanabi truly was gifted…but she would lose. She had to. Hinata had to win this time. For the honor of Naruto.

Hanabi suddenly bounced forward, palms glowing as she neared Hinata. _Time to finish this!_ But to her eternal shock, Hinata suddenly ceased her attack and spun, bringing forth both hands. _NO!_

"**_Hakke Rokujuyon Shō!_**"

Eight Trigrams 64 Palms.

Hanabi skidded to a halt as she brought her hands forth to defend.

"Hakke 2 hands!"

Hanabi blocked both jabs.

"4 Hands!"

She blocked those two jabs as well.

"8 Hands!"

Hanabi was slowly pushed back as Hinata continued her assault.

"16 Hands!"

Eight strikes. Hanabi winced as one finger got to her arm.

"32 Hands!"

A few hands got through, getting her thighs and shoulders.

"64 HANDS!!!"

Several tenketsu were closed along the arms. Hanabi growled ferociously as she leapt back from Hinata, who also leapt back. Both sisters glared at each other.

Neji stared in absolute silence. He briefly wondered how he would fare if he fought Hinata again.

Hiashi, however, stared at both of his daughters. This fight was going to end soon…and honestly, he had no idea who was going to win.

Hanabi nearly felt like swearing. Her older sister had done well. VERY well. Now she couldn't use the Gentle Fist with her hands anymore; too many tenketsu had been blocked off. Even the **_Kaiten_** was beyond her. _Oh well…I still have my feet._ She forceably deactivated the **_Byakugan_**; without her hands, she couldn't hope for pinpoint blows, and her Kekkei Genkai only sapped away at her chakra. _I'll do fine without it._

She blinked as Hinata pulled out a kunai. "Hm…"

Hinata, her eyes showing an odd convinction, threw the kunai.

Hanabi dexteriously caught it. However, Hinata immediately began running. "Here Hinata! Take your kunai!" She threw it back, expecting Hinata to catch it again or to use Kaiten.

_Thunk._

She didn't expect it to slam into Hinata's chest, causing an oddly meaty sound to echo through the room.

Hanabi, Neji, Hiashi, and every other Hyuga paled as Hinata doubled over…

_**POOF!**_

…only to disappear in a cloud of smoke. Neji blinked. _That's **Kawarimi no jutsu!**_

_Substitution?_ wondered Hanabi, her eyes narrowing at the sight of what was left in the cloud of smoke.

Her white eyes widened as the smoke cleared. It was the stone column that she had used for her **_Doton; Hakke Rokujuyon Shō_**, a kunai embedded in it. _Then…!_

She glanced over her shoulder.

Hinata was leaping at her, fist reared, her **_Byakugan_** making her look like an angry goddess…one of divine retribution.

_**KAPOOOOWWW!!!**_

The blow echoed throughout the Training Hall.

Blood rushed from Hanabi's mouth as she was sent hurtling backwards from the blow.

Hinata's landed on one foot, her fist still clenched.

Hanabi slid along the ground, her world rocked and frought with neverending waves. _Can't see…too dizzy…_

By the time her vision cleared, she felt pressure on her chest. It was because Hinata's foot was on it. Hanabi glared up at her sister's eyes…only to blink at the expression within them. Hinata's **_Byakugan_** was deactivated, her eyes no longer glaring and angry. All they contained was pity.

"Surrender sister." That was all Hinata said.

Hanabi frowned. _Surrender…?_ Let's see; a good portion of her tenketsu were closed. She was down. For all intents and purposes, Hinata, had managed to defeat her. Even with the **_Doton; Hakke Rokujuyon Shō_**, she had fallen.

Fine. She could take it.

"I surrender."

Hinata calmly stepped off of Hanabi…and extended a hand. Hanabi stared at the outstretched hand, wondering why she was giving it to her. "Huh…? I lost. What are you…?"

"Because…if he had to fight someone he considered precious…" answered Hinata, her eyes revealing the true depth of the pain she felt in her soul. "…then this is what Naruto-kun would do."

Hanabi stared, her mind honestly bewildered by this. "Hu…?" Nevertheless, she excepted Hinata's hand, letting her sister pull up.

"Come Hanabi-chan. Walk with me." Hinata quietly walked ahead, letting Hanabi follow her in silence.

Above in the balconies, several members of the Branch House applauded. That had been a battle for the ages! _Who can blame them?_ thought an amused Hiashi. _They witnessed not just a battle between members of the Main House, but a battle which showcased three original techniques._ He turned a warm gaze to Neji, who couldn't help but smile at how much Hinata had grown. _Indeed…she has grown much._ His **_Byakugan_** deactivated, and Hiashi took his leave. _Now if only Hinata would forget about that boy…_

If only. Knowing his luck, it would never happen.

xxxx

Hanabi and Hinata were both sitting on a bench in the courtyard of the Elder Hall, staring at the sky above, intermingled with clouds colored varying shades of red and orange. Night would be upon them soon.

For the next two hours, Hinata talked and talked. About Naruto. About his exploits. About how far he had come, from a 'Proud Failure' to a true hero. About his power. About how much he valued his bonds. About the truth of the battle with Akatsuki's Leader, and how Naruto was **_nothing_** like Mantarou.

Hanabi listened to every word, secretly marvelling at Hinata's ability to tell a story.

By the end…

Hanabi's eyes were wide as Hinata finished speaking. To be honest, the image she had gotten from Hinata had been a complete opposite of the image those posters had painted. "Really…?"

"Yes…" Hinata sighed with content as she looked at the look on Hanabi's face. She was reevaluating her opinion of Naruto, making it more in line with the one she had of him right after his victory over Neji. _Good…I made a difference._ She coughed briefly, frowning as she felt a bit of blood in her mouth. _I'll need to visit the hospital after this…maybe get help from Sakura-san._

Hanabi looked at her older sister with worry. Although she had thought of her as weak, she had never really hated her, per say. She just didn't like her weakness (after all, she was a Hyuga! Even Hyuga weren't supposed to lose in under five minutes during a TRAINING session!). But after THIS battle… "I'm sorry I injured you so much. It's just…usually, by the time I got rid of your Bunshin in this match, I had won in all the others. I'd always block your inner coils, quickly and efficiently."

Hinata smiled briefly. "Yes…I know. But this time…I fought for my precious person."

"…does fighting for someone precious to you really make you that strong?" asked Hanabi, honestly confused by the notion. "I mean, if someone is just flat-out stronger than you, won't they win anyways?"

"…maybe. But…" Hinata blushed at the memory of how Naruto had cheered for her. How Naruto had fought Neji so hard at the Chuunin Exams, before she had blacked out from her injuries. "…when fighting for someone precious, one will do whatever it takes to protect that person. For Naruto-kun…I became stronger. I trained hard so that he would recognize me, just as I had recognized him for so, so long…" Her gaze became downcast. "So, so, long…"

Hanabi didn't even need the **_Byakugan_** to perceive the emotion going through Hinata's eyes now. "…you miss him a lot, don't you?"

"…yes. Very much." Hinata's wearied and bruised frame started shivering as her eyes began to water. She missed him very much; he was gone now. In the world of demons…and when he had been taken (taken, taken, TAKEN! TAKEN FROM HIS HOME!) to Makai, he had been at Mantarou's mercy. Whether Naruto was dead or alive was up to debate…and the sheer uncertainty was murderous. "It's not fair…" Tears began to leak and fall. "He's suffered so much…why does he have to suffer even more?" Her crying became full-blown sobbing. "WHY…**WHY NARUTO-KUN? _WHY HIM?_**"

Hanabi stared at Hinata, mouth wide with shock as she watched her sister cry into her hands. To care for someone so much…to have someone mean so much to you…to have someone truly precious to you. Someone whose bond went beyond blood, family, or friendship. If there was anything that could even begin to describe it…it would be 'soulmate'. And even then, that word didn't do that kind of bond justice.

Naruto had managed to forge such a bond with Hinata…and many other people.

He was gone now.

And Hanabi couldn't even begin to fathom the pain Hinata was feeling right now. _Hinata-chan…_

All she could do was embrace her sister…to try and make the pain go away. But nothing more. She was literally in a new world…one she had no experience in.

xxxx

/Ichiraku Ramen Bar, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Nighttime.

"A great first day, wasn't it Lee-kun?"

"YOSH!"

"Are you satisfied so far, Kazekage-sama?"

"So far."

Ichiraku Teuchi grinned as three figures in green sat at his bar. "Well now, what do we have here? Triplets?"

Gai gave Teuchi his 'Nice Guy Pose'. "You bet! And we're all starving!"

"Very well then! What'll you have?"

Rock Lee glanced over at Gaara, who looked rather tired and dirty. "Gaara-kun, what shall it be? Chicken? Beef? Miso? Pork? Seafood?"

"I don't have any preference," muttered the Kazekage. "Pick whatever you think is best for me."

"VERY WELL!" roared Lee as he held up two fingers. "Two bowls for each of us! One with beef and one with shrimp! Beef so we can be as strong as the steer, and seafood so we can grasp the essence of the mighty ocean current!" His eyes became alight with fire as he stood on the stool, roaring, "**_HYOOOOOH!_**"

"That's the spirit Lee!" cheered Gai.

"…" Gaara's reaction pretty much said it all. _Odd…but they are strong. Perhaps that is a special technique of theirs?_

The old man chuckled at the display. "Just don't break anything boys! Daughter! We need beef and seafood, three of each!"

"Yes father!"

As the two cooks set about their task, Gaara thought about the day. Due to the fact that Gaara had been a shinobi for years now, he had been put on a 'fast track' program. After stances, there had been the repetitive workouts. To be honest, he had been appalled at how many jumprope-jumps, push-ups, crunches, and pull-ups Lee had been able to do. 5,000? 2,000? 1,000? 4,000? Gaara had only been able to get to 396, 201, 165, and 209 respectively.

He wasn't even in Lee's league yet.

_I'll make it there…I shall._ Gaara's eyes narrowed. He would make it to Lee's level. For the sake of Sunagakure, he would.

A few minutes passed, and three bowls of beef were handed out, while the seafood bowl was kept on the warmer. "Dig in boys!" said Teuchi and Ayame simultaneously.

"Ah…Naruto-kun's favorite food is always good for warming the body! Almost as hot as the Fire of Youth!" boasted Lee before slurping a long length of noodles.

The part about Naruto caught Gaara's attention. "Favorite food?"

"Yes," interjected Ayame. "Naruto always came here…this was his favorite place to eat." The brown-haired girl sighed. "I heard all about what happened…the news about the battle is all over the village. To be stuck in a demon world…? How horrible!"

"And those dirty signs!" Teuchi scowled. "One person came in earlier with one of those foul posters. He got kicked out before he ever knew what was coming! I won't have such signs around MY shop. No sir!"

Gaara's opinion of these people – total strangers he had just met for the first time – increased by a million points.

"Never seen you around here before…" Ayame looked quietly at Gaara. "You were called the Kazekage right? What brings you here to Konoha?" She ignored Teuchi's mutterings of 'show respect to him!'.

"Gaara-kun is here to learn taijutsu from my precious protégé!" proclaimed Gai as he sipped at his cup of sake.

"And to help out with the search for Naruto-kun!" proclaimed Lee as tears began running down his eyes. "It is truly…saddening!"

"Do not feel ashamed of tears Lee! To mourn for a friend is to show true youth!"

"Oh Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

Ayame and Teuchi sweatdropped as Gai and Lee embraced each other. Gaara was mostly indifferent. The female Ichiraku turned to Gaara as he quietly sipped at his ramen. "Is it to your liking?"

The Kazekage stared at the bowl, then at Ayame. "It is…good." The broth warmed him. The noodles were filling, if a bit bland…but the meat was what really made it good. He could see why Naruto liked it.

Gaara frowned.

"You miss him, don't you?"

Gaara stared quietly at Ayame. "Don't be ashamed. We all miss him."

The Kazekage couldn't help but agree. He missed Naruto…the first person he could ever call a friend. A true friend. "Yes." He continued eating with his new sensei, letting the memory of Uzumaki Naruto console him.

He would regain his strength as Kazekage. He would protect his own precious people.

He made that silent vow to Naruto.

xxxx

The next day.

On the path leading to Konoha's western gate, a horse-drawn wagon was pulling up. Within the confines of the covered wagon were a multiple of bladed weapons, from tiny shuriken all the way up to katanas and kodachis to spears and lances to arrowheads to axes; there were even two zanbato inside.

At the front of the wagon, reading a volume of _Tenjho Tenge_ in one hand and _Mobile Suit Gun-Gun_ in the other, holding the reins with his toes, was a man clad in scuffed-up pants of brown polyester, a simple black vest, and a head with unkempt brown hair, curly and tousled. His brown eyes glanced ahead at the gate for the briefest of moments before turning back to _Mobile Suit Gun-Gun_. "Huh. Made it here already…hope she's ready to see me…" He flipped the page with his thumb. "…okay, now I know Tallgeese is pretty strong, but he's not THAT strong…don't toy with my intelligence, Yu-san…"

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

**_My Father the Otaku? Behold the Master Bladesmith!_ **

xxxx

Author's Notes: If any of you guess who this guy is, keep them private. Please? Thanks.

Okay…I actually need to get the next chapter out so I can empty my Naruto juices. Then it's back to Digimon!

See you soon, and please review!


	35. My Father the Otaku?

Standard Disclaimer: Mekka lekka hi, mekka hiney ho! I don't own Naruto! But you know that.

Author's Notes: Blargh. One last chapter before I move back to Digimon. Hope you all enjoy the extra third chapter in this updating cycle!

Begin!

xxxx

_**My Father the Otaku? Behold the Master Bladesmith!**_

xxxx

/Outside Konoha's Western Gate, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Neji and Tenten knew that trying to stop Gai and Lee from training Gaara was impossible. The Kazekage was determined to learn taijutsu, and he was determined to follow their training program to the letter. All the way down to the green jumpsuit and orange legwarmers.

They only hoped that Gai and Lee wouldn't persuade Gaara to mimic the hairdo.

As for Temari and Kankuro?

Well, they were just content with watching Gaara try to climb the wall of Konoha…well, kind of. There was more to it than that.

"COME NOW GAARA-KUN! YOU ARE ALMOST HALFWAY THERE!"

Gaara scowled as his muscles strained. He glanced upward, seeing Rock Lee scaling the wall with the help of some _tekagi_: handclaws developed for the purpose of climbing trees and other upright objects. Gaara himself was using tekagi made of sand…but what made the climbing even more strenuous was the addition of weights. Heavy weights in a bag, tethered to the body via a rope tied around the waist.

Lee – already with his normal leg weights – hefted about an extra 300 pounds of weight.

Gaara carried an extra 200.

The strain on his arms and legs was murderous. And Lee was still higher!

Gaara growled as he moved his left arm upward, ignoring the aching in his right arm as he continued upward. He couldn't help but scowl with irritation as he saw Lee almost effortlessly ascend to the top of the wall; how in the world had he beaten this guy last time?! His claim had been truer than he realized; had it not been for Shukaku's power, he WOULD have lost to Rock Lee in the Chuunin Exams. Big time.

Maito Gai smiled as he watched Gaara struggle to keep up. "Oh Gaara-kun! It is truly wonderful that you are discovering your youth! Keep it up!"

Temai – sitting quietly in the grass alongside her brother – groaned as Kankuro glanced over at Neji and Tenten, asking, "Has he always been like this?"

"**Yes**," answered both Konoha-nin simultaneously. Tenten sighed as she threw multiple kunai at Neji, who was practicing his evasive manuevers (couldn't rely on Kaiten all of the time). Although she had graduated knowing Gai was a distinguished Jonin – a warrior on equal grounds with the legendary Hatake Kakashi – she had no idea that he'd be so…_eccentric_. Had she known just how far Lee would emulate their sensei, she might have asked to transfer to another team. Maybe trade places with Kiba on Kurenai's team; Kiba sounded like he'd get along with Lee. Though Neji probably would have cracked without her there to counter Gai and Lee's exuberant nature.

Neji, his **_Byakugan_** activated, suddenly paused.

"Hmm? What's wrong Neji?" Tenten noticed that his eyes were glancing toward the west, so she looked as well. She blinked as she saw a horse-drawn wagon coming up towards the gate…mostly due to the fact that the man in the driver's seat was reading two manga whilst holding the reins with his toes.

She only knew of one person who did that. Only one.

A warm smile came to her face; she hadn't seen him since becoming a kunoichi! "**OTOUSAN!**"

Neji paused. Gai blinked. Lee froze, inadvertently falling to the ground as his concentration slipped. Gaara frowned when he saw his sensei fall down. Temari and Kankuro…well, they were mostly indifferent. The first three had responded because of just what Tenten had said; the man riding up to them was, apparently, her father.

The lackadaisical man blinked as he was called. Moving his two manga aside, he smiled as Tenten drew near. "Well, if it isn't Tenge-chan!"

Tenten suddenly froze.

Neji blinked; what had just happened? She froze in response to her name…which suddenly made him blink even more. _Tenge? I thought it was Tenten._

"_Tenge's"_ father chuckled as he stopped beside the still Tenten, grinning at the look on her face. "Aw, what's wrong?" He frowned. "Hey. Tenge." Tenten suddenly twitched, as though the name were her greatest weakness. "Hello? Tenjho Youchi to Tenjho Tenge! Come in…the world is calling you! WAKE UP-" His nose was suddenly pinched. "Oh, you're awake now!"

Neji frowned, wondering what the heck was going on. _Tenjho Tenge is her name?_

"Who is that man?"

Neji glanced back at Gai and Lee, the latter of whom had asked the question. "Tenten's father, apparently. And judging from her tense frame and hardened jaw, she doesn't like her ACTUAL name." That alone was troubling to Neji; why hadn't Tenten revealed her real name? "Did you know anything about this Gai?"

The Jonin nodded. "Indeed." He had met with Neji, Tenten, and Lee separately after the Academy Cadet graduation; this was so he could gauge their personalities and personal habits before bringing them together for the first group meeting. Tenten had specifically asked him not to tell her real name to Neji and Lee. Apparently, it was a continuation of a deal she had brokered with the Academy teachers. Aside from her father, Gai, the Academy instructors, and those who had access to private records, no one in Konoha knew her real name. "She asked me not to tell you two…as for why? Well, I believe we're about to find out…"

Neji was silent. Lee was mostly perturbed by the fact that Tenten hadn't told them her name! _Does this mean we never knew Tenten? NOOOO! Such betrayal!_

We'll leave Lee alone.

"Daughter. Please let go of my nose," grumbled an irritable Youchi. "Why the hostility? First time I come back to Konoha in over four years, and you physically assault me. I'm wounded."

"First of all, with all due respect sir, I'm only pinching your nose." Tenten – or was it Tenjho Tenge? – released her father's nose. "Secondly, I've told you over and over before. NEVER call me by my real name around other people!"

"Oh come now, it's just a name Tenge."

"YOU NAMED ME AFTER A MANGA!"

"Not my fault our family's last name is Tenjho. It seemed fitting to me. I mean, **Ten**jho **Ten**ge? Tell me I'm not the only one who sees the resemblance. Because you did, obviously. Why call yourself Tenten? If you REALLY wanted to distract people from your real name, you would've named yourself Twenty."

"**_Otousan…_**" growled Tenten, looking uncharacteristically upset. She forcefully exhaled to calm herself. "Think about it. You named your own daughter after a manga. What does that say about you?"

"Don't know. Don't really care." Youchi casually turned a page in his own _Tenjho Tenge_ manga. "I could've been mean and named you Maya. Or Aya." He glanced down. "Who knows. Fate might've been kind enough to gift you with their bust size."

Tenten flushed a furious red.

_**SLAP!**_

Everyone blinked at the sight of the red mark on Tenjho Youchi's face. The horses neighed.

"Ow," nonchalantly muttered Youchi as he kept on reading. "Not bad. Could use some more gusto though."

Tenjho Tenge – the real name of Tenten revealed at last! – threw her hands up in the air out of frustration. "GAH! I give up." Her initial joy over seeing her father again lost, Tenten trudged over towards her teammates, looking absolutely and utterly defeated. "Well guys…now you know my name."

"I don't get it," said Neji, looking absolutely befuddled. "It's just a name. So what if he named it after a comic book? Odd, but nothing to get in a fuss over."

"Can you IMAGINE what the other students at the Academy would've been like?" Tenten grimaced as she began mimicking their old instructor. "Allow me to introduce Hyuga D. Luffy and Roronora Lee! Class, this is Hyuga Raito. Would you like to see his Death Note? Everyone, meet Rock Saito. Careful, his **_Gatotsu_** is deadly!"

Neji sweatdropped. Apparently, even he had heard of some of those (if only because some of the little ones in the Branch House could always be found reading them). "FINE. I get your point…but I don't see why you're making such a big deal out of it."

"Live with an adult who hasn't progressed past the age of 13, and you'll know why," explained an exasperated Tenten.

Tenjho Youchi snorted. "Hey now. I may have the emotional maturity of a prepubescent child, but at least I'm honest about it." He flipped another page.

"So Tenten…should I call you Tenge?" Tenten violently shook her head in response to Lee's question. "So then Tenten…you are saying that your father has _mocked_ you?!"

Tenten sweatdropped. "I…wouldn't say MOCKING exactly, but-!"

"**DO NOT WORRY!**" roared Lee as he pumped his fists, removing the weights strapped to his waist. "I will avenge your honor! HAAAA!" He jumped forward, bringing his leg around. "**_Konoha Senpuu!_**"

Tenten paled as Lee brought his kick around toward her father. "No wait Lee, he'll-!"

Youchi swiftly let go of _Mobile Suit Gun-Gun_, bringing his right hand up to grab Lee's ankle. With the help of the momentum from Lee's kick, he slung Lee into the ground. With less than a second gone, he grabbed the mecha manga again before it hit his lap. "Whew. Almost lost my page."

Gai and Neji stared. Tenten sighed, finishing her thought. "…do that."

Tenjho Youchi stared down at Rock Lee, his brown eyes narrowing. "Watch it kid. I may be a retired ANBU, but I've still got it where it counts." The man sighed as he rubbed his neck, putting his two tankōbon down on the seat beside him. "I'm off to sell my wares. If anyone's interested, come along." With a little tugging of the reigns, the horses quietly trudged along, their hooves clopping in the dirt. As the wagon passed Team Gai, Youchi waved. "Have fun my little Tenge-chan."

Tenjho Tenge scowled. "It's **TENTEN!**" The weapon specialist fumed as her father chuckled. "UGH. I had forgotten how annoying his tastes were."

And all the while, Kankuro and Temari just stared. "You guys…" drawled Kankuro. "…are all lunatics."

"Oh, and Gaara's done climbing." Temari pointed her thumb at the wall.

Rock Lee gazed up; Gaara had indeed made it all the way to the top. Apparently he had finished during the whole 'incident'.

"**OOOOOOOH! **Excellent work my student!" Lee gave Gaara the Nice Guy Pose to congratulate him.

Gaara nearly fell over the wall after being blinded. _Useful technique…I'll have to learn that pose._

I'll leave you to contemplate what Gaara would look like doing the Nice Guy Pose.

xxxx

/Market Square, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"COME ONE, **COME ALL!**"

Tenjho Youchi had stopped his wagon in the dead center of Konoha's massive Market Square, the commercial hotspot of the entire village. It was a large intersection, where most of the markets, bazaars, and stands were situated. It was a prime location to make a killing.

"Are you in need of a weapon for self-defense? Are you a shinobi who's tired of second-rate kunai? Well, look no further…crafted with Mujounium, strongest and rarest metal in the world, all the way from the northern mountains of the Earth Country, behold…" The former ANBU gestured toward the several stands he had set up around his wagon, showcasing a great number of bladed weapons: kunai, shuriken, fuuma shuriken, katana, kodachi, zanbato, spears, lances, axes, arrowheads, yari, hunting knives, machetes, senbon, kama, kusarigama (the infamous sickle-and-chain combo), nunchaku, sanjiegan (a three-section staff), glaives, pikes, trench knives, maces, hatchets, uchigatana, tachi, wakizashi, tsurugi, tonfa, nodachi, tantō, and tekkō (similar to brass knuckles). It was a weapon connoisseur's dream.

"**TENJHO YOUCHI'S EMPORIUM!**"

And business began. Shinobi were his primary targets; that was evident by the fact that a multitude of ANBU on patrol quickly stopped by his wagon to pick up some new weaponry. Eventually, several Jonin, Chuunin, and Genin were stopping back. Before long, the ryō was pouring in.

Let's take a look at his customers, shall we?

Sarutobi Asuma looked at a pair of trench knives, his eyes twinkling with inspiration. "Huh…mujounium, huh?"

Youchi nodded. "Yep."

Asuma took a long drag on his cigarette. Mujounium was unique because it corresponded with one's chakra alignment; weapons forged from mujounium were capable of espousing powerful elemental forces, if used properly. A katana crafted of mujounium would work differently for a Katon specialist than it would for a Raiton specialist. If one could handle two more elements, the weapon would become even deadlier. Although talented shinobi could channel chakra through other metals, mujounium was the metal that channel it the best. _Hmm…_

Youchi grinned as Asuma plopped down a handful of ryō. "Thank you for your business!"

Now for Kiba!

"Ooh…" The Inuzuka stared longingly at the tekkō. "Sweet…I'LL TAKE EM'!"

And Sasuke?

The Uchiha, clad in the custom black robes of his clan, quietly held a katana in his hand. The hilt seamlessly merged with the rest of the sheath. "…how much?"

"10,000 ryō."

Sasuke quietly handed the businessman his money. The Uchiha Clan had quite a large amount of financial capital that had gone unused over the years; it would serve him well in his quest to rebuild the clan. "Thank you."

Youchi was silent as the black-haired teen walked away. _Sheesh. What an icicle._

How about Sakura?

The pink-haired medic-nin quietly grabbed at least five dozen senbon needles. "Made of mujounium…I'll be able to charge these with healing chakra…excellent." She had been meaning to brush up on her acupunctural techniques.

"Pleasure to be a service to you little lady," casually remarked Youchi as he privately thought, _Good GOD her hair is frickin' pink. What does she think this is? An anime?_ Then again, he had seen that female ANBU earlier with long, _purple_ (???) hair.

Anyhow, what about Hatake Kakashi?

Tenjho Youchi blinked out of surprise at the sight of the familiar head of grayish-silver hair. "Well well…Kakashi. It's been awhile."

"Indeed," droned Kakashi as he stared at the 48-year old weapons-smith. "It has been a while…Youchi-sempai."

The otaku chuckled as he stared at a man over 18 years his younger. "Now now…I've retired from active duty. I'm certain you'd kick my ass in a battle now…but then again, I assume you're not here to reminisce or have flashbacks or display angst about your dead teammate…" Youchi took note of Kakashi's narrowed eye. "Just saying. I CLEARLY remember having to beat that whole thing out of you when you joined the ANBU."

"True," replied Kakashi, returning to a relaxed posture. "But I've apparently forgotten. Passage of time and all that…"

Youchi scowled at Kakashi's casual reply. He saw it for what it was: the first shot in a duel of wits. _Damn you, Kakashi._ "So…gonna buy anything? I recall your father's special chakra blade being made of mujounium…would you like another one?" He grabbed a tantō, bound in a sheath of black metal. "Special discount. Only 999 ryō."

Kakashi quietly reached into his pocket, asking, "What's the original price?"

"1,000 ryō."

"Cheapskate," grumbled the Jonin as he handed the appropriate number of gold coins to the former ANBU captain. "And I was going to buy the special deluxe edition of _Icha Icha Tactics_…"

Youchi snorted. "That bilge? You seriously can't tell me you're still reading that crap."

Kakashi sighed as he pulled _Icha Icha Paradise_ out. "This coming from a man who reads manga as a living instead of a hobby."

"At least manga has artistic value," retorted Tenjho Youchi.

Hatake Kakashi offered his own rejoinder. "You've obviously never seen the color illustrations. Extremely detailed, if I do say so."

"Coming from the guy who's never been married?"

"Which means I've been around more than you."

"Grr…point to you," growled Youchi. Damn that Hatake's wit! "Though I'd shudder to see the woman who'd settle for you. After all, I KNOW that's why you hide your face…can't let the ladies realize who their mystery date really is. I wonder how many sexual harassment complaints you'd have filed against you…"

"I'm sorry, were you saying something? I was too busy engrossed with this compelling book." Kakashi dramatically espoused, "Such engrossing literature…"

"…just go. I have more customers!"

Kakashi sighed. "So cruel…and I thought you wanted to talk to me."

Youchi nearly lost it. _I'M the one who said you weren't here to reminisce, curse you!_

Kakashi almost relished in Youchi's silent frustration. Dealing with an otaku for an ANBU captain had helped with his sense of wit. _Sorry Youchi-sempai. But I've outwitted better._ The Copy Ninja quietly walked away, tantō in hand.

"Kakashi. Get over it."

Kakashi stopped, not even bothering to look at Youchi. The former ANBU now sported an oddly serious look. "You may be good at hiding things…but I was your captain for five years. I got to know your mannerisms too much. I can tell something big went down here." Youchi glanced over at one of the demolished buildings, currently surrounded by construction crews. News didn't get around so quickly to the isolated mountains of the Earth Country's northern regions. Otherwise, he'd have made it here as soon as possible. "Don't know what exactly…but it was something big. And it's got you down…lose someone again?"

"Yes. I did." Kakashi tilted his head, letting Youchi only see the covered side of his face. "I am quite aware of that. Your point?"

"Get over it. Do whatever it takes to get it off your mind."

"Oh, I'm already on the road to a full recovery," nonchalantly answered Kakashi, once again in his noncommittal tone of voice. "Why do you think I finally accepted your offer for a successor to my father's blade?"

"Because your kunai suck."

"That's one reason," honestly remarked Kakashi, conceding one point to Youchi. The Jonin walked away, staring down at the tantō in his hand. He had done a lot of thinking over the past several days. A lot of thinking. His formerly ordered world had been thrown for a loop, and he needed to get some structure back.

Tenjho Youchi sighed as he watched Kakashi walk away. _Meh._ He hated matters of the heart. He had no experience there. Though, if one had a question about _Trigun…_

"Sir! I'll take this!"

Youchi blinked as he looked down at his newest customer, dragging a zanbato behind him. "…who the heck are you?"

"I'm a NINJA!"

"I can see that. Who _are_ you?"

"Konohamaru!" retorted the young Genin.

"Ah." _The Third's grandson._ "In that case…" Youchi casually grabbed the tip of Konohamaru's scarf and flung him aside.

"WAAAH!"

_**Klunk.**_

Youchi scowled as he saw Konohamaru land on his rump several dozen yards away. "YOU CALL YOURSELF A GENIN?! YOU COULD'VE AT LEAST LANDED ON YOUR FEET!"

At the very edge of the Market Square stood Neji and Tenge…er, Tenten…um…Tenjho Tenge? Oh my, this'll make things odd.

"He's not very mature…" muttered Neji.

Tenten sighed. "He only takes things seriously on missions…then again, you could say the same for a lot of ninja in this village. Kakashi, Gai, Lee, Chouji, Kiba-"

"I get your point." Neji frowned. "Tenten," He called her by her chosen name, knowing how much her original name seemed to irritate her. "Why does he choose now to return?"

The kunoichi replied, "He left on the night I graduated from the academy. It was on the day before we all met together as Team Gai for the first time." She looked over at her father, who was haggling with someone over the price of a nodachi. "That was also the night he retired from the ANBU; he no longer needed to support me."

Neji nodded, understanding her position. It was a universal truth that ninjas were legally considered adults, due to their hazardous occupation. Younger Genin tended to cede any legalities to their Jonin instructors (for they were technically serving as the guardian for their respective students), but they had all the privileges normal citizens enjoyed. Income was provided via mission payoffs; ninja were also able to apply for free housing due to the service they provided to the village. It was a rather cushy position, considering the risk that being a ninja carried. "So he left for the Earth Country?"

"Mm-hmm," said Tenten with a nod. "He's proficient with a multitude of weapons…I can guarantee that he tested them all."

"How would you know?"

The kunoichi smiled innocently. "Well…where do you think I picked up my habits?"

Hyuga Neji was silent as he thought of the various ways Tenten carried out her day. After practice, she would meticulously clean her weapons and reseal them. They were constantly honed and sharpened. Whenever she went to buy new weaponry, she had an uncanny eye for the kunai made of the purest metal, or the shuriken with the sharpest edge. When it came to target practice, only the **_Kaiten_** would make her miss. After missions, broken weapons were either discarded in favor of new ones, or melted down and forged into new weapons. In a way, her attitude around weaponry was almost identical to her father's. "I see what you mean."

"He got me hooked onto target practice when I was a kid…that's where I got my choice of specialty."

Neji nodded once more. Parents. Family. In some form, they always determined how the child would grow. He specialized in Jūken because he was a Hyuga. Tenten was a weapons specialist because her father was a weapons specialist. Chouji ate a lot because his clan's unique abilities required an immense amount of calories. Sasuke had become an avenger because his brother had slaughtered the Uchiha. Gaara had been a psychotic killer because his father had ordered that a bloodthirsty demon be sealed within him. Naruto…well, he defied categorization. Dead mother, a Jinchuriki, and his father was the head of Akatsuki. Yet he had still managed to retain his humanity.

That's when the Hyuga suddenly realized how much he missed the yellow-haired idiot.

Tenjho Tenge stared quietly at her father before walking away. Neji looked after her and asked, "Where are you headed?"

"Oh…just to go get my things." Tenten looked back at Neji, an odd smile on her face. "I want to show my dad something."

Neji was silent as his teammate walked away. "Hmm…"

xxxx

/Bathroom, Kakashi's Apartment, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Hatake Kakashi quietly washed his face in the sink, his tousled and dirty uniform looking out of place compared to the rather clean marble in his bathroom.

He was known for certain things…being chronically tardy was one. His addiction to porn was another (carrying on the fine tradition started by the Sandaime Hokage, naturally). His calm, even-handed tone was another, along with the mystery of his face. He preferred things that way; it left people guessing. That why, if he did something unpredictable, nobody would nag him for it.

But now, he desired predictability. Naruto had been as easy to read as a book, and no matter the situation, his reaction would have already been predicted by at least several people. And yet, he also found ways to surprise people. Defeating Akatsuki was one. Naruto was that kind of person; predictable in personality, but unpredictable in deed. It was the best of both worlds.

His absence however…that had led to a very dire kind of unpredictability. The events surrounding Mantarou's attack had dealt a blow more grievous than most would have thought. Several ninja had been injured; although Tenten, Kiba, and Chouji had recovered, Ino had been stricken with amnesia. Gai was now without legs (how he still persisted with his attitude was beyond Kakashi; it was truly one of life's greatest mysteries, right up there with what was inside the mystery box and whether the chicken came before the egg). Anko had been killed. And Naruto – who was in many ways, Kakashi thought, the heart and soul of Konoha, much like the Yondaime had been – had been taken to Makai.

Kakashi momentarily scowled, thinking of Mantarou. To think that a former Konoha-nin had been the leader of Akatsuki…and worst of all, that it had to have been Rin's lover too! That fact alone had sent Kakashi's world into a topsy-turvy; he had enough sorrow rising from Obito's death. Now he had to deal with the knowledge that his student had been the progeny of Rin and a criminal. As a Nara would say, the whole situation was 'troublesome'.

Kakashi forcefully sighed as he gazed into the mirror. His face was rather handsome for someone with a scar over his left eye. Plain, clean-shaven…almost boyish. But the minute frown on the face…it indicated a far deeper pain than what could be seen on the face.

Hatake Kakashi wore a mask for one reason: to hide the past. Whenever looking at his reflection, he would always see the faces of those that had been dear to him. Obito. Rin. Yondaime. The comrades that had fallen in battle over the years, including Gekko Hayate and Mitarashi Anko. And now Uzumaki Naruto. He supposed it was just how he saw things, his vision split between his normal right eye and the surreal power of his left Sharingan. Seeing the future, yet living in the present, with a mind dedicated to those lost in the past, all at once…it was a rather interesting existence, albeit a painful one.

Kakashi sighed as he pulled his facemask back up and shifted his headband down.

The visions of the dead and gone had disappeared.

The Jonin quietly glanced down at the tantō in his hand. Things had been far too unpredictable lately; the air carried a certain uncertainty that spoke of an ill future, fraught with death and danger. It was time for some routine.

Hatake Kakashi found himself walking through the streets, the sounds of a populace checking in for the night pouring into his ears. The night was slightly cold, but it wasn't as cold as the future that seemed to face the people of Konoha. Things were going to take a turn for the worse…but how? He didn't quite know.

He was now walking past the Uchiha Clan Grounds.

Kakashi glanced up, seeing the silhouette of Uchiha Sasuke holding his new katana in front of him. The teen sat on the roof, his hair fluttering in the wind. "Ever trained with one?"

"Some. From Orochimaru."

Kakashi wordlessly nodded, seeing the odd, contemplative look in Sasuke's eyes. The boy had been rather introspective for the past two weeks. It suddenly hit him; two weeks had already passed since Mantarou had taken Naruto from them. It had seemed so short. _Time can be cruel._

"Life on the edge of a blade…" Kakashi's eye narrowed as Sasuke spoke. "…on one side, there are those you care for. You fear getting close to them, because you don't want to ever hurt them…because doing so would be deadly to both you and them. Yet on the other side…is an abyss where you have all the strength you could ever want, but you lose all sense of who you are." He lowered the katana, gazing down at a Kakashi lit by the moon. "Have you ever lived that kind of life?"

"Yes," answered Kakashi. That question was a no-brainer. "I like to think I've gotten a thicker blade. More room to walk without tipping over…or did I just get more balanced?" Kakashi cupped a hand around his chin. "Hmm. Interesting to think about, eh…?"

Uchiha Sasuke stared quietly at Kakashi, the man he had once called sensei. "…thinking about such things…can be difficult."

"True. But I'm glad to see you're thinking." A sudden thought hit Kakashi. "That scroll Itachi gave you…what was on it?"

"Things."

_Don't want to say anything, hmm?_ Kakashi could only sigh; he supposed he would find out eventually. Whatever had been on that scroll had been forcing Sasuke to do a lot of thinking. Thinking was good; a Sasuke that was thinking was a Sasuke that could reorder his life. "Very well…I should let you know, once you start going back on missions, I won't be there as the team leader." This statement caused Sasuke to stare at the Jonin, some mild bewilderment in his eyes. "I'm rejoining the ANBU. Just to clear my head."

Sasuke snorted. "Missions for the ANBU black ops are a way of clearing your head?"

The Copy Ninja shrugged innocently. "Constant missions. Patrol. Assassinations. Classified strike operations. Lots of work, very little time to think about anything else other than the objective." The Jonin continued his trek, waving one hand toward Sasuke as he walked away. "Try to get your sleep. You'll be going on a mission soon…"

Sasuke gazed at Kakashi's retreating back before looking back at his new katana. Change was ongoing. Nothing stayed in stasis forever…but sometimes, the change was for the worse.

It was if Naruto's departure had set several things into motion…where would they lead?

Such thoughts were going through Kakashi's head as well. Thoughts that would accompany throughout the night as he set out for the Honorstone. He figured sleeping at the site of those who had died for the Leaf wouldn't hurt.

Who knows. Maybe he'd get a message beyond the grave from Obito about moping too much.

xxxx

The next morning…

xxxx

/Bookstore, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Tenjho Youchi calmly entered the bookstore, taking note of the various bookshelves gathering dust. It was a rather small establishment; mostly old books. A disinterested clerk sat at the front desk, looking at him once before turning back to a book she was reading. The former ANBU quietly strode to the back of the store, stopping at the last shelf way in the back. _Okay…got enough money from yesterday's sales…which book is it…? Ah! The Art of War by Danzo…classic one._

He calmly pulled out the thick, hardcover book and pressed a hidden switch in the back of the shelf.

**_Rumble…_**

The entire bookshelf slid away, revealing a door in the wall. A panel in the door slid open, revealing a pair of eyes hidden by shades. "Password."

Youchi grinned at the guttural reply. "Moon Prism Power, Make-up."

"Original series, R, or S?"

"Original series."

The man behind the door was silent as he suddenly went away. Moments later, a tankōbon was shifted out. "Directly imported from the Water Country."

Youchi looked at the cover; it read _Mobile Suit Gun-Gun: Destiny Blues – Vol. 3_. "Seems legit…" He opened the pages. "Usual quality…" He quietly reached into his black vest and pulled out a small bag with 20,000 ryō. "Here's your money."

The dealer quietly took the bag and muttered, "Pleasure doing business with you." He quietly closed the door panel, and the bookshelf slid back into place.

Youchi muttered, "Same to you," before walking back out of the bookstore.

Otaku took their hobbies seriously. And importing is a serious business.

The former ANBU grinned as he opened the page. _Finally! I've been waiting months for this new volume…_

**THUNK.**

As he stepped out into the street, a kunai struck the ground by his foot. A note was attached. "Hmm?" Looking up and seeing no one, he calmly picked it up and read the brief message. "Come to Training Ground #11 immediately…" The former ANBU smirked. Such neat handwriting. _Still the same, even after four years…_

Tenjho Youchi chuckled. "Okay daughter. I'll come along…" He quietly leapt onto the nearest roof and burst off for the training grounds.

xxxx

/Training Ground #11, Konohagakure/

Stone pillars, dotted across a field of dirt and sand.

Tenjho Youchi calmly walked through the forest of stone, weaving through the pillars before suddenly stopping. "…" He quietly tossed the kunai ahead, watching as a hand snatched it from beyond the next pillar. "You could've just asked me to come here."

Tenjho Tenge quietly stepped from beyond the pillar, looking into her father's brown eyes. How long had it been since they had met? Four years? Time certainly flied…but despite all of the change, some things remained the same. His fetish for all things anime and manga, for one. "True…but I needed to prepare." She pulled an invisible wire.

_Sproing!_

Youchi's eyes widened as he ducked, avoiding the hail of shuriken that struck the pillar he stood next to. He turned a stony gaze toward his daughter, who was pulling two scrolls out of her backpack. "**_Soshoryu no jutsu!_**"

The former ANBU scowled as a number of shuriken, fuuma shuriken, kunai, dosukunai, kusarigama, scythes, flails, and nunchaku came flying at him, directed by Tenge's chakra strings. He swiftly pulled a small piece of paper out of one of the pockets in his vest, activating the seal on it with his chakra. With a puff of smoke, two nunchaku made of steel erupted from within the paper seal. Wasting no time, he began spinning the nunchaku, the rods becoming high-speed blurs as he blocked all of the incoming weaponry, his trained eyes calculating their incoming trajectory and the proper angle of deflection.

The onslaught stopped, only to make way for Tenten, wielding two tonfa.

Youchi paused as she spun her tonfa, holding her arms out wide for a horizontal strike. He calmly swung upward as she struck…and to Tenten's shock, his nunchaku wrapped around her tonfa before they could hit. He held both rods with a tight grip, locking her weapons in place. With a twist of the wrist, he yanked them out of her hands, tossing them aside. "Cute. But a waste of good weaponry…tossing them like that? Messy messy…"

Tenge couldn't help but smile at the penetrating stare in her father's eyes. His skill hadn't changed either. How long had it been since she had looked at him out of admiration for his talents? "Hmph…" She smirked. "To show everyone that kunoichi can compete with regular male shinobi…to show everyone that even skilled ninja like you can be matched…that's why I wanted to become a ninja." Daughter stared at father, acknowledging the skills of her peer. "I'll show you how far I've come."

Tenjho Youchi stared. "So basically…you're just going to prove your strength to me by fighting me." He sighed dramatically. "Geez. That is…LAME."

Tenten facefaulted. "**WHY?!**"

"Do you realize how cliché that is? How many times that plot's been used?! If you wanted to be original, you could've said you're fighting me because of your name, or because your mother died giving birth to you, or SOMETHING!"

Tenge snorted. "Whatever." It wasn't exactly a sore point between them. Truthfully, Youchi's wife HAD died giving birth to Tenge. Tenten didn't blame herself, nor did Youchi; it was just a fact of life: sometimes, the mother died giving birth. Unfortunate and sad…but it was a fact of life. Youchi had mourned and moved on. Tenge, when being told at the age of 8, had also mourned and moved on. That's just the way things went. It was pointless to hate one's family over events beyond their control. "I'll show you anyway…!" She jumped back and performed the tora hand sign. "Take this!"

The explosive tags atop the nearest four pillars suddenly glowed.

**_KABOOOM!!!_**

Youchi ducked as the pillars exploded, showering the air with rubble and a cloud of dust. The former ANBU scowled as his daughter leapt away. _Going to make this tricky, eh…?_ He quietly slipped a hand into the back of his vest, pulling out a kodachi within a hidden sheath. _Time to give this old baby a workout…_

Further away, Tenten grimaced as she reached into her sleeves. _My Twin Rising Dragons didn't do anything…hmm._ She quietly pulled out two wakizashi. _Better be careful…he's not going to play around now…_

"Yo."

Tenten paled as she impulsively raised her blades, blocking Youchi's vertical slash with his kodachi. The girl grimaced as he pushed down…and then he disappeared. Tenge scowled as she looked all around. _Where is he…?_

The sound of shuriken zinging through the air, faint as it was, hit her ears.

_ABOVE!_ Tenge scowled as she weaved through the pillars, narrowly dodging her father's shuriken.

Atop a nearby pillar, Tenjho Youchi frowned. "Aw…I was hoping I'd get her at least once." That meant her speed was exceptional. "Oh well." He jumped from pillar to pillar, moving with an almost relaxed gait. He came to a halt when he saw his daughter jump atop the pillar in front of him. "Hey."

"Hello." Tenten slashed, grimacing as her father's slightly longer kodcahi nearly managed to slip past her guard. _I don't THINK so!_ She jumped back, landing on another pillar. Balance was key now; one wrong move, and she would stumble and be open to any attack.

Youchi grinned. "Well then…let's kick it up a notch." He performed a few hand signs as he poured chakra into his kodachi of mujounium…and then held it in front of him as the blade ignited with a fiery aura. "Katon." He swung it about a few times, watching quietly as a trail of flames followed the arc of his swings. "Gotten to this point yet?"

Tenten grinned nervously. "Unfortunately, I don't quite have weapons made of mujounium…" Now things were going to get trickier. "But…I have this." She stomped on her heel, and a spring-loaded knife launcher opened up at the tip of her shoe's sole.

Youchi paled as he flipped backwards to avoid the knife. Tenge quickly took this opportunity to charge forward, slashing at her father. The older Tenjho was forced on the defensive as he used his fiery blade to block his daughter's strikes. _Hmph. Tenacious little girl._ He jumped off the pillar towards the ground below, moving his kodachi back and forth to block each strike from Tenten's wakizashi.

_Doosh._

Feet met the sandy ground. The wind blew, causing sandy grains to fly.

Youchi suddenly spun and sliced upward, breaking through his daughter's wakizashi with ease. Tenge quickly pushed a hand against his vest, creating some distance between them. "Hu…not bad little girl."

Tenten smiled. "Thanks for the compliment."

"Although…" Youchi switched hands, holding the kodachi with his left hand while holding his right arm forward. "Not long enough for a real **_Gatotsu_**…but I'm fast enough to make up for it." Just as he was about to charge…Tenten pulled out a familiar seal. _What the? THAT'S MINE!_ Youchi grimaced. She must have snatched when she had pushed him! _Why you little…!_

Tenten – smirking at how similar her father's seals were to her own – charged the seal with her chakra, grabbing the weapon as it materialized. It was a glaive.

Youchi paled as he skidded to a halt. _Oh DAMN!_

Tenten quickly twirled the glaive, kicking up sand as she moved forward. Youchi hurryingly backed away, throwing several shuriken as retreated. Tenge struck the shuriken with the glaive, pressing off the nearest pillar to propel herself towards Youchi.

Tenjho Youchi gulped at the sight of the spinning blade. _Oh crap…oh geez…grr! I'm too old for this!_ Quicker than the eye could track, he did a sweeping kick, tripping Tenten up before slashing downward.

**KRISH!**

The fiery kodachi split the glaive in two. Tenten grimaced as she now held two halves of the broken glaive…for now the kodachi was right in her face.

Youchi grinned. "This was quite entertaining. Almost got me…but, I'm afraid I'm the Jackie Chun to your Son Goku…and just like during the 21st Tenka'ichi Budokai, you have lost."

Tenten had no idea what her father was talking about.

But then again, she didn't have to listen to him for long.

**BOOOM!!**

Youchi whirled his head around at the sound of the explosion, seeing a pillar explode. _What the…?_

Cold metal touched the stubbly skin of his neck.

Tenjho Youchi blinked at the realization that his daughter was right behind him…and then he suddenly chuckled. "Heh. Timed explosive tag…when you pressed off of that pillar just now, right?"

"Yes."

The flames around Youchi's kodachi died, along with his will to fight. "Well crap…you got me. Jackie Chun lost to Son Goku after all…damn. This can't be canon…" The otaku sighed. "Oh well. I'm beat."

Tenten smiled as she stepped back, looking at her father. So tall and strong…she was closer to reaching the plateau that was home to him and the rest of the elite. It was time to grow even more. "Otousan…I…"

"Wanna join the ANBU, eh?" Youchi delighted in the look of surprise on her face. "Don't look shocked. You've been looking at the backs of Konoha's strongest shinobi for years…me and all the others. But I know why…" He quietly reached into the back of his vest, pulling out the one item that was nestled in alongside his kodachi sheath…the one other item aside from the kodachi left over from his days as an ANBU.

Tenten paled as Youchi pulled out a white and red dragon mask. "…you just wanted to look cool in the mask." The Chuunin gingerly grabbed the mask, her mind barely making out her father's next words. "When you go to the Hokage to ask for an ANBU Entrance Examination, tell her you have Tenjho Youchi's endorsement."

Tenjho Tenge couldn't help but embrace him.

Youchi snorted. "Okay, ANBU don't hug other ANBU. You're slipping…"

"You're just trying to psyche me out."

"Guilty as charged," joked the dusty man as he wrapped one arm around his daughter. "Show them the meaning of the name Tenjho Tenge!"

Tenten twitched. "Maybe…not…" The girl sweatdropped before slowly backing away.

Youchi chuckled quietly as he watched his daughter walk away. _Heh…the next generation is growing to surpass us…_

But that's how things always went. The old would give way for the young.

As Tenjho Tenge quietly walked outside of the now-ruined training ground…

"Tenten."

The kunoichi turned around, seeing none other than Hyuga Neji, leaning against the outermost pillar. _Did he see the whole thing?_ "Hm?"

"No matter what path you choose…I will be there to back you up. And Gai and Lee will be there to support you as well." He raised his head, looking at the girl with tranquil white eyes that revealed nothing, yet somehow told all. "I wish you luck."

Tenten couldn't but slightly blush. "Heh…don't worry." Even as she walked away, Neji couldn't help but sigh.

_What should I do now…? _The Hyuga sighed once more, sinking deep into thought. He briefly glanced back at Youchi, who was gathering up the used weapons…both his and Tenten's. "What are you doing with your daughter's weapons?"

"Hey, she forgot to pick them up. Snooze you lose."

Neji sweatdropped. Perhaps his earlier thoughts about how much parents influenced their children could undergo a few revisions…

Meanwhile, the kunoichi leapt from rooftop to rooftop, a tiny grin etched onto her face. She couldn't believe it…if – no, WHEN – she passed the ANBU Entry Exam, she'd be an ANBU! They were the most prestigious group of shinobi of the Hidden Leaf, responsible for carrying out the 'dirty' missions that Konoha needed accomplished for the sake of peace. Such missions carried great risk, and they were expected to move about at a moment's notice should the Hokage call on them. They were among the strongest of all.

She was going to join them. No matter how hard the Entry Exam was.

As she entered the Hokage's Palace, she walked up to the receptionist at the front desk. "May I see the Hokage?"

The receptionist – who at this moment was a rather bored-looking Hagane Kotetsu – replied, "She's almost done with her meeting. You can wait outside her office."

Tenge nodded as she ascended the stairs towards Tsunade's office, eventually stopping in front of the double doors to her office. She quietly leaned against the wall, waiting for the doors to open.

Sure enough, a few minutes later…

_Creak…_

The double doors opened, and out came an ANBU.

Slim, gray body armor, complete with similarly colored bracers. Blue pants, blue shirt, bare arms, and a kodachi and a tantō strapped to the back. A white dog mask with red markings. However, the spiky gray hair gave it away. "Kakashi-san?"

Kakashi – now an ANBU once more – silently walked down the hall.

Out of Tsunade's office, going in the opposite direction that Kakashi took, were two other people.

One was someone with a similar build to Kakashi, wearing metallic silver headgear similar to what the Nidaime wore. His Jonin uniform was also standard-issue; black pants and satin shirt with a green vest. His short, spiky brown hair and dark eyes gave him a rather boyish look, but he had a tranquil nature.

The second one was a male, roughly around the same age as Neji or Sasuke. His skin was a rather sickly pale color – more pale than Neji's, astonishingly – and he wore dark gray pants, complete with a shuriken holster wrapped around his right thigh. His black leather shoes fit well with his black gloves, but his shirt was rather…odd. It was a gray shirt, with one long sleeve over the right arm, and a short sleeve over his left arm; also his entire midriff being bare from the lowest ribs down to the waist. A single tantō hung off of his back in a black sheath, and a wooden cylinder was tethered to the side of his pants. Finally, he wore a small red backpack that held – judging from the bulges in the fabric – several scrolls. His dark brown – almost black – hair was smooth and neatly combed, and his black eyes were so empty that Tenten almost thought that he wasn't human. Those eyes lacked emotion, life…they only possessed a sense of self-awareness, as though he knew he was alive…but in the dark as to why.

The girl frowned as the duo walked away. _Who were those two…?_

"You wish to speak with me Tenten?"

The Chuunin's attention quickly turned back to the Godaime Hokage, who stared at her with questioning eyes. "Oh! Yes." She scurried in, bowing once to Tsunade. "Hokage-sama…forgive me for sounding rushed, but I have a request for you."

"What is it?"

Tenjho Tenge sighed once before regaining her composure. This was her moment. "I would like to enter the ANBU by taking the Entrance Examination."

Tsunade arched an eyebrow. "You wish to join the ANBU? What brought this on?"

"Nothing in particular," remarked Tenten. "It's just another part of my growth…although…I do have the endorsement of Tenjho Youchi."

Tsunade boggled at the sight of the dragon mask. _The mask of Tenjho Youchi…codename: Kinryu. The Metal Dragon._ "Hmm…I see." _Her father hmm…didn't know he was back in town._ "Are you sure about this?"

"I would not have come if I wasn't sure."

The Fifth said nothing as she opened the drawer and began pulling shifting through some forms. Given Tenten's track record, she would probably be able to pass the ANBU Entrance Examination; she'd make a good black ops shinobi, in her opinion. And even if she failed, she'd still serve as a Chuunin. Win-win either way. "Sign this paper…and you will be admitted to an Entrance Exam at the next available date."

Tenten's eyes lit up as she quickly signed the form. "Thank you, Hokage-sama!" She stood up and bowed. "I'll prepare immediately!"

Tsunade stared quietly as Tenten, for all intents and purposes, bounced away. Well, not quite a bounce…but you get the point. _So excitable…I suppose this comes from having an ANBU for a father._ She quietly got back to filing out more paperwork (why in the name of all that was pure and good did being Hokage require so MUCH **PAPERWORK?**), dealing mostly with trade issues, reconstruction costs, and those damned posters. "Rrr…"

Before she knew it, a half hour had passed.

And someone else dropped by.

"Hokage-sama."

Tsunade suddenly looked up, surprised by her sudden visitor. "Hmm?"

"I'd like to partake in the ANBU Entrance Examination."

xxxx

/Western Gate, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Temari and Kankuro flanked Gaara, who now wore his Kazekage robes over his new uniform. Facing them were Lee and Gai. The Kazekage – his hair matted with sweat and his body aching all over – said, "An A-Rank Mission." At the sight of Lee's look of confusion, Gaara finished, "For three days every month. You will be paid the equivalent of an A-Rank mission to come to Suna to continue training me. Does that sound fair?"

Lee blinked. Being PAID to help Gaara discover his youth? _How fortuitous! Obtaining money for Konoha while doing the best work of all!_ "I will talk to Godaime-sama about this, but I will do my best to continue your training! It's a promise!" He performed the Nice Guy Pose to accentuate his words.

"Very well." Gaara's teal eyes stared at Lee's outstretched hand…the thumb…the sparkle coming off of the teeth…and the one closed eye. "Hmm…like this?" Gaara then performed his own Nice Guy Pose, best as he could.

Gai and Lee nearly broke into tears.

Temari and Kankuro both shared a glance that said, 'Baki is going to kill us for this.'

The sound of horses neighing caught their attention as a wagon pulled out beside them. "Yo," called out Tenjho Youchi, his hands preoccupied with his new _Mobile Suit Gun-Gun­_ tankōbon. "I've completely sold out of weapons…gonna head back to my warehouse on the border between the Rain Country and the Wind Country…figured you'd three might want a lift. You can get off once I move past the Banshee Highlands…sound fair?"

"Hey. Free ride's a free ride," muttered Kankuro as he climbed into the back of the empty wagon. "Wake me up when it's time to get off."

"Same here," muttered Gaara, his jaw tightening as he clumsily clambered into the back of the wagon. Although he had been trying his best not to show it, his entire body was on the verge of falling apart, so strenuous was the training. Lying down for the next few days sounded like his cup of tea.

Temari couldn't help but sigh out of hopelessness. _He becomes this guy's student, and Gaara starts loosening up…too much._ She thought of the green uniform and the recent Nice Guy Pose. _Okay, WAY too much…_

As the kunoichi got into the wagon, Gai called out, "Come back and visit soon, Youchi-san! Keep that childish core burning brightly!"

_Not sure if that's an insult or not, but whatever._ "Yeah, Power of Youth and all that…" Youchi was already lost in the manga, much like a child. With a flick of his toes, the reins slapped against the horses.

The two brown stallions neighed as they calmly trotted away. Lee narrowed his eyes once, managing to get one last glimpse of Gaara through the flaps of the wagon. He was out cold and asleep. _The training was hard on him…but it is all for the better!_

"So Lee…" Gai grinned, placing a hand on his chin. "Do you think Gaara will make a fine protégé to you? Just as lovable and precious as you are to me?"

"**_YOSH!_**" howled Lee as he pumped his fist. "With hard work, ANYTHING is possible!"

"As expected of you, my dear Lee-kun!"

Quick, scene change, before they hug!

"Oh Gai-sensei!"

"LEE!"

Ah crap. Too late.

xxxx

/Eastern Gate, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Haruno Sakura wore a brand new uniform for the mission: her red vest hung onto her via a zipper, and green shorts went down to her knees. A plethora of medical tools were kept in pouches around her belt, and her shoes were made of gray leather. Her headband was wrapped around her head, in a fashion similar to how she had almost always worn it. "Are you ready Sasuke-kun?"

Uchiha Sasuke was no longer in his ceremonial robes, but in an old gi that had belonged to his father. It was all black, with long, loose sleeves and a thick white belt to keep his pants on; the final touch was the Uchiha crest on the back. Bandages could be seen around his torso, keeping his frame stout and firm. His new katana was wedged in between his belt, hanging behind him. A kunai and shuriken holster could be found on both legs, and his Leaf hitai-ate could be seen on his forehead. "Yes."

Sakura smiled; it felt so good to see Sasuke with a Konoha headband again. _Now we only need Naruto…man._ A sigh escaped her lips. Things had been far too quiet without the blonde. "I heard from Tsunade that we'll be having a new team leader and a new teammate."

"Kakashi told me himself last night," remarked the Uchiha as his eyes suddenly fell upon two approaching figures. They were none other the ones that Tenten had seen following Kakashi the previous day (though he had no way of knowing that, we do because we're the readers! OOC knowledge FTW!). "Are you Kakashi and Naruto's replacements?"

The Jonin subtly flinched. "Well…I suppose you could say we're only replacements…though I hope we become more than that. Then again, I have the unenviable task of filling Kakashi-sempai's shoes."

Sakura blinked as his use of 'sempai'. "Kakashi taught you?" _I thought Team 7 was the first team he passed!_

"Well, sort of. In the ANBU, all new recruits are paired with an individual instructor before going on official missions. Kakashi-sempai was mine…and even afterwards, he was the captain of my unit for some time." He cleared his throat, before continuing. "In any case, my name is Yamato. Our mission: to head to the Wave Country and formalize a trade relationship with them…but that's only secondary to our primary purpose, which I'll elaborate on once we get further out."

Sakura and Sasuke nodded; the former couldn't help but smile. The Wave Country! It had been years since they had gone. _I wonder how Inari, Tazuna, and Tsunami are?_

"Who's he?"

Sakura, coming back to reality at Sasuke's statement, glanced at the one by Yamato's side. This pale-looking boy wore a smile that was so empty, it was almost painful to look at. "Is this our teammate?"

"Yes," said Yamato with a nod as he gestured toward his companion. "He's been my subordinate in the ANBU for over two years now. His name is Sai."

The boy politely bowed once before staring at Sakura. Something had been bugging him about her. "Did you dye your hair that color?"

Sakura blinked at the seemingly harmless question. "Huh? Oh…it's natural."

"Ah," calmly replied the teen. "So it's natural."

"Why?"

In his oh-so-casual tone of voice, he finished, "Because I was wondering why any ninja would dye their hair with such a garish color."

Sakura's eyes widened. "**_WHAT'D YOU JUST SAY?!_**" She would've pummeled Sai, had Sasuke not grabbed her by the collar. "LEMME AT HIM!"

Yamato sweatdropped. _Well this is a wonderful start…_

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**Return to Bridge where Destinies Clashed! Back to the Wave Country!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: Tell me I'm not the only who refuses to believe that Tenten is her real name.

And honestly, I loved writing from an otaku's point of view. Particularly with those various pieces he threw out there…I can imagine Kishimoto (or any manga-ka, actually) offering little Easter Eggs to reference the works of others that he likes.

Anyhow, a lot of things happened here. Tenten's father is revealed, Tenten's name is revealed to be Tenjho Tenge (It just came to me!), several people get new weapons, Kakashi rejoins the ANBU, Tenge fights Youchi before going off to ask for an ANBU Entry Exam, and Yamato and Sai are formally introduced.

Whew.

We'll move back to Jiraiya in the chapter after the next one and see what he's gotten into.

See you soon, and please review!


	36. Back to the Wave Country!

Author's Note: Universal disclaimer is now up. Go read.

(smells deeply of the air) Ah. It feels so good to be back…but it's been how long? Wow, over five months. C.C;

I MUST COMMIT SEPPEKU TO ATONE!

But I digress…time to finally get this story back on track! Expect at least four contiguous updates. Oh, and to the 700th reviewer; I will not abandon this story.

Begin!

xxxx

**_Return to the Bridge where Destinies Clashed! Back to the Wave Country!_**

xxxx

/Dorai River, En Route to Wave Country, Fire Country/

"This seems like a good place to stop for now."

Despite the oxymoronic name – Dorai River, or 'Dry' River – the small river (easily prone to drying up during the summer, so that might explain it) calmly rushed along, cooling the sandy banks at its edges. A forest lined both sides of the river, though the road to the Wave Country lied shortly beyond the left side. It was here that Team Seven had opted to stop for lunch.

Uchiha Sasuke calmly performed the familiar hand seals for **_Chidori_**. However, he quietly unsheathed his katana, letting the electricity surge from his right hand into the sword of mujounium. Sure enough, it crackled with blue electricity. _Hmm. This gives me an idea for a technique…_

"That is the **_Chidori_** of Hatake Kakashi, is it not?"

Sasuke glanced over at Sai, who sat on a large gray boulder, pulling out a scroll and that odd wooden cylinder attached to his thigh. "What of it?"

"The name is odd," commented Sai as he untwisted the small cap on the cylinder, pulling out what appeared to be a paintbrush dipped in black ink. "I see lightning, and I do not think of one thousand birds. I think of lightning. Or storms."

Sasuke arched an eyebrow as he jabbed his sword into the water. The electricity dispersed; moments later, dead salmon floated to the surface. "So?"

"It's just an oddity. Much like your friend's pink hair."

"Stop making cracks about my hair!" retorted Haruno Sakura, her feet silently dunking into the river after Sasuke removed his katana. Her toes basked in the chill of the water.

"Stop squabbling; it's counter-productive," remarked Yamato as he performed several handsigns. "**_Mokuton; Tsukenebou no jutsu!_**" His chakra surged through the ground as roots suddenly erupted, twirling about each other to form a net that crossed the Dorai River. The fish that were being swept downstream were quietly pulled into its cradle. "Wood Element; Root Net."

Sakura stared. _Wood element ninjutsu…_

Sasuke was quiet.

"Yamato-sempai is the best in the Leaf when it comes to Mokuton techniques." Sai quietly kept doodling on his scroll. "That he was chosen to replace Hatake-san is only natural."

Yamato shyly rubbed the back of his head. "Now now Sai, no need to praise me. I'm not that good."

"I am only stating facts." He gazed over at Sakura. "Haruno-san is the apprentice of Godaime-sama. She is a medical-nin with very advanced chakra control, enabling her to achieve forces far beyond the capacity of her musculature alone."

Sakura frowned. _This guy must have researched our techniques before coming… _

"She also has a gaudy hair color and is exceptionally loud when she wants to be."

Sakura snarled. "Say **_WHAT?_**"

"I am only stating fact," remarked the unblinking ninja, his face contorted into that quiet, unfeeling smile of his. "Haruno-san is also very prone to fits of anger and is easily provoked. She also does not hesitate to get into a fight. Very lacking in feminine traits."

Sakura snarled. Only Sasuke's left hand – gripping her shirt collar – was holding her back.

Then, Sai quietly stared at Sakura. He kept staring as he put away his paintbrush and rolled up his scroll. What in the world was he thinking?

Then…_it_ happened.

"Haruno-san, considering that you seem to be more masculine than feminine, I must ask: do you have a penis?"

Yamato stared. Sasuke blinked. Sakura's jaw dropped. Squirrels watched in curiosity. The dead fish were still dead.

Moments later…

"_You…"_

Sakura's subsequent right hook to Sai's cheek echoed throughout the woods. "**_DAMNED HENTAI!_** **_SHANNARO!!!_**"

"Ow." The Konoha-nin calmly landed on his feet over forty yards away, rubbing his aching jaw. He still kept that affable yet empty look on his face. "If you are trying to assure me of your femininity, you aren't succeeding."

Sakura was beginning to see red. This guy was almost as annoying as Naruto! "Get over here, YOU-!"

"**_Mokuton; Shichūrō no jutsu!_** Wood Element; Four Pillar Prison!"

Pillars of wood suddenly burst from the ground, imprisoning both Sai and Sakura. The medic-nin immediately came to a halt, balking at how quickly Yamato had been able to entrap her within the rectangular prison. _So quick!_

"I really don't think it's in our best interests to be nipping at each other's heels so soon. Besides, Sasuke and I have already finished making lunch." He gestured over to Sasuke, who – most likely after Sakura had unleashed her rage upon Sai – had started a fire to roast the fish with a simple **_Goukakyuu_**. "Now…will you two behave?"

Sakura nodded; the pillars quietly fell down.

"I will continue to behave," answered Sai as the pillars fell as well.

Sakura couldn't help but twitch. _'Continue' to behave? Yeah, RIGHT._

A few minutes passed in silence.

"Uchiha Sasuke."

Sasuke, looking up from his second fish, mumbled, "What?"

"Last of the Uchiha. Highly skilled in Katon ninjutsu. Graduated at the top of his year's class. Proficient in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu." Sai spoke as if reading from a list. "Possesses the **_kekkei genkai_** of the Uchiha, the **_Sharingan_**. Has mastered its ultimate form, the **_Mangekyou_**. Learned the **_Chidori_** from Hatake Kakashi…though the blade of mujounium was not included in the report." Sai glanced at the katana once, before turning his gaze back towards Sasuke's eyes. "Had a brother named Itachi, who not only slaughtered the Uchiha, but joined the criminal organization Akatsuki. Betrayed Konoha to join Orochimaru in exchange for the power to kill Itachi. Received amnesty from Godaime-sama in exchange for becoming a Konoha-nin again." Sai – did his expression _ever_ change? – calmly finished, "Is that everything, Uchiha-san?"

Sasuke could've reacted in any number of ways. Indignation, snorts, anger…or he could've just ignored it.

But all he did was quietly, with a small smile, reply, "What of it?"

Sai stared. Sasuke did not react with any apparent pain toward his past. Or anger. The reports he had read told of a morose and stern Uchiha from his days before the betrayal…yet one who was constantly driven to become stronger. Quite vociferously, especially as time had passed…or, to be more precise…as he began to learn about his other teammate more.

The one aside from Sakura.

The Jinchuriki.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

Sakura's stare suddenly hardened. Sasuke's lips were pressed thinly together, his lucid gaze matching Sai's perfectly. Yamato watched in silence, nibbling away at his roasted salmon.

"Graduated at dead last of his year's class. Stole a hidden scroll and learned the forbidden **_Kage Bunshin_** ninjutsu. Student of the Sannin Jiraiya-sama. Host of the Kyuubi, a Jinchuriki. Son of Uzumaki Mantarou, leader of Akatsuki." Sai's smile remained fixated upon his face; how could his tone remain so even? "His academic record notwithstanding, his actual mission record is more impressive. Unfortunately, he willingly accepted the power of the Kyuubi. A very odd choice, if I may so." No change in tone. None. Did he feel ANYTHING? "His father is also someone to note. The leader of Akatsuki, whose goal was to obtain all Jinchuriki for the sake of finding a way to the demon world Makai. Naruto's very existence drew the attention of Akatsuki to Konoha. Also, according to the reports I've read of Mantarou's history, it was his influence that allowed Orochimaru to accrue the resources needed to stand up Otogakure. Resources that enabled Orochimaru to eventually invade Konoha, killing many of our shinobi in the process. Then Akatsuki's Nukenin attacked more recently, invading Konoha – alongside a multitude of Oto-nin – and killing even more shinobi and civilians. And then Akatsuki's Leader came himself to Konoha, seeking Naruto. In the process, he killed one shinobi and wounded several others. Naruto's mere presence in this village seems to have been nothing more than a burden. As a matter of fact…" He kept staring. What would their reactions be? "Had things proceeded a bit differently in the battle against Mantarou, the Kyuubi would have been freed to do as it pleased. Highly irresponsible behavior."

By this time, Sakura's stare had morphed into a deadly glare, her fists tightening. Sasuke kept staring quietly, thought the tenseness of his frame couldn't be ignored.

Sai kept going. "Although I personally see Uchiha-san as worthless trash because of his betrayal, I would have to regard Uzumaki-san, because of the trouble he's brought to this village, and because of his decision to accept the Kyuubi's power without thinking of the consequences, as something even lower than trash. I have several words in mind. How does 'scum' sound to you? Or perhaps 'weakling'? 'Dumbass'?"

"_You…_" Sakura prepared to stand, her fist itching to smash Sai's head open. _How dare he talk about Naruto that way…HOW DARE HE?_ "I'LL-!"

"Sakura."

Sakura paused. Sasuke held his hand out in front of her, staring intently at Sai. "You'll have to understand, Naruto means a great deal to the two of us. And to a lot of people. So despite your little 'testimony'…I have to say that it's a load of crap." His **_Sharingan_** flashed to life, and his lips twisted into a small scowl. "Since you don't seem to know Naruto at all, I suggest you keep your mouth shut. Only Naruto's friends can insult him…_and you're not one of them_."

Sai kept on smiling. "So you do show emotion…" The ninja calmly stood up, pulling out his scroll. "It seems that your buttons can't be pushed very easily, unlike your teammate…but I'll keep your reaction in mind." He performed several handseals, muttering, "**_Ninpou; Chōjū Giga._**" He unrolled the scroll, and out leapt lions…made of ink.

Sakura and Sasuke stared out of bewilderment. Seven leonine felines stood, their forms quivering from the ink that comprised their being. Eyes glared, despite their transparent nature; they were like liquid wire frames, with nothing in between. The ninja closed his scroll again, saying, "Ninja Art; Super Beasts Imitation Picture." He turned his gaze over to Yamato. "Yamato-sempai, I'll be patrolling the perimeter. Signal me before we head out."

"Very well," remarked the Mokuton user as he bit into his fish one last time, removing the last piece of meat from the bone.

Sai nodded as he and his seven ink lions split up, leaving not a trace of their presence. Not even the lions left any tracks.

Once he was gone, however, Sakura growled. "UUUUGH! I **_HATE_** that guy!"

"I take it you're displeased?" asked Yamato.

"To say the least," muttered Sasuke, his eyes returning to their normal hue of black.

"Don't hold it against him personally. He's like that." Yamato sighed as he gazed at the flickering flames, as vibrant and lively as Sai was not. "He has no emotions…a side-effect of his ANBU training in **Root**."

"…Root?" confusedly asked Sakura.

"A subdivision of the ANBU Black Ops that went defunct shortly after Orochimaru's invasion three years ago." Yamato kept his ears open. He couldn't hear Sai or his lions; good. "Root was founded by Danzo, a militaristic shinobi who had once been considered for the position of Sandaime Hokage before Sarutobi-sama was chosen. Root's prime directive was to succeed at any mission they were assigned, no matter what it was. Nothing else mattered." The Mokuton user sighed out of frustration. The whole idea of Root put him on edge. "In order to make sure nothing else mattered, all emotions were eradicated through psychological training and psychiatric therapy. Because of this, Sai knows what emotions are, but he cannot 'conceive' them…but he uses his emotionless nature to poke and prod at his allies, determining their weaknesses by exploiting any emotional or mental loopholes they possess."

Sasuke frowned. Sai sounded like a real head case. Then again, he supposed a large number of shinobi were head cases in a way. Both he and Naruto could attest to that. And Gaara. DEFINITELY Gaara. And Orochimaru…yeah, he'd better stop now. Too many to list. "So he was testing us?"

"As a former member of Root, the mission matters more to him than anything else. He won't let anything get in the way of its successful completion. He did the same thing with me when I took him under my wing over two years ago." Yamato sweatdropped as he recalled how Sai had pinned him down as a calm guy who could get stern if pushed, but also a suck-up. He had never really gotten over that. He inwardly moped, _I'm NOT a suck-up._ "Ahem…in any case, he did that to gauge your weaknesses. He wants to know if he can depend on you all in battle. Or whether or not you will break under interrogation if captured."

Sasuke chuckled. The guy had jerked them around as a test? _He played us for a fool._ He'd have to get revenge one day. "Hmph. He shouldn't worry."

"Still, he didn't have to go so far," grumbled Sakura, still sore over the Sai's insults. (Inner Sakura: Me? WITH A PENIS?! -rips clothes off- _See these?!_ **I'M SEXY DAMMIT!**)

Yamato sighed. What an eccentric group he had. _I'm already beginning to miss being an ANBU._ "Anyhow…the mission."

Sakura and Sasuke became silent.

"Although the official reason is that we're supposed to establish a trade relationship with the Wave Country, our true reason for being there is far more clandestine," explained Yamato as he recalled his meeting earlier that morning with the Hokage.

xxxx

/Flashback/

/Hokage's Office, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"Sit Aoneko. And remove your mask."

The ANBU quietly sat down, pulling off his red-and-white cat mask. The brown-haired shinobi asked, "May I ask why you have summoned me here?"

Tsunade pointed over to the silver-haired man leaning against the wall, his dog mask strapped onto his face. "Kakashi is returning to active duty as an ANBU, and you're taking his place as captain of Team Seven for the time being. However, given certain 'difficulties', I would rather not have your actual name be known. For this purpose, you will be given a different name during your service as the Team 7 Captain: **Yamato**."

The newly-christened Yamato nodded as he momentarily glanced at the Copy Ninja. _I hope Kakashi-sempai is okay._ "Very well then Hokage-sama. Is there a mission assigned?"

"Yes." Tsunade calmly pulled out a portfolio full of sheets, graphs, and maps. "You are to go the Wave Country and formally establish a trade relationship with them. Team Seven has been there before, and the populace will have fond memories of them…of course, I wouldn't request you to come out of the ANBU simply because of that."

"Of course," remarked the even-headed Jonin as he thumbed through the folder of pages. Geographical information about the Wave Country, economic data, maps of the ports…wait. "What's this?" His eyes narrowed at the sight of the specs for a rifle.

"Intelligence shows that a large tanker from the River Country will be docking in the Wave Country tonight. Official information lists that petroleum comprises most of the tanker's cargo hold, with iceboxes of beef, pork, and poultry taking up the rest of the hold." Tsunade frowned, feeling a headache coming on. Why did this upcoming mission seem so foreboding? "Although this seems fine enough, a quick look will show that the company that owns that tanker is actually under the control of the River Country's military. I want you to check that tanker out."

Yamato frowned. "To be honest Tsunade-sama, it's not odd for a number of private companies to be under some measure of military or governmental control. We do this here in the Fire Country as well; a small number of Konoha's businesses are operated by shinobi. Why is this tanker such a concern?"

Tsunade rubbed her eyebrows. Saying this would be difficult…because it sounded like justification for the actions of a group of deranged and depraved criminals. "As much as I hate to say this, the River Country's advances in military technology were hindered for a long time by Akatsuki."

Yamato blinked while Kakashi scowled. The former asked, "How so?"

"Despite Mantarou's actual plan, he had to keep up pretenses for the sake of appeasing his fellow Nukenin. That's why a good number of Akatsuki's missions were aimed at hindering, subverting, or cutting down various aspects of the River Country's growing military. According to our spies, the following can be attributed to Akatsuki: the assassination of multiple military scientists. The confiscation and destruction of military hardware. The elimination of infantry weapon blueprints. Sowing dissent and suspicion amongst the higher echelons of the military command. So many actions were able to hold back the River Country…by my estimations, the River Country's military, assisted by the shinobi of Sawagakure, would have allowed that country to become a major power by…five years ago."

Yamato and Kakashi both froze. Had the River Country really become that much of a threat? "So you're saying…that Akatsuki was beneficial in this aspect?" asked the Mokuton user.

"Yes, as hard as it is for me to say." Tsunade gazed at Kakashi, taking note of his terse grunt. _I'm sorry Kakashi, but it is true. Mantarou provided a service for us by holding back the River Country_. Even if the River Country made a move now, Konoha's newest generation of shinobi had finished maturing. They would be prime for war, should that ever arise. "But word on the ground says that the River Country is making a number of moves now. Word of Akatsuki's fall must have spurred them into a frenzy…and such a large ship moving towards the Wave Country? It's unsettling. I want it investigated."

Yamato nodded. "Yes ma'am." He gazed over at the wall that Kakashi stood next to. "Sai, did you get all of that?"

A mat suddenly flipped over, and Sai was there. Kakashi stared at the teen in mild surprise. "I was wondering what the odd presence I felt in here was…a more advanced version of **_Kakuremino no jutsu_**?"

Sai replied with a smile. "I am glad I was able to please, Hatake-san. I've been waiting here for everyone since before Godaime-sama came in this morning."

Tsunade shook her head as Yamato grinned. _His special ink enables him to bend the light reflecting off of the mat, making any discrepancies between him and the wall vanish._ Despite his oddities, Sai was a bonafide genius.

"You have your orders." Tsunade glanced over at Kakashi. "You'll be notified of an assignment when one is available." She glanced over at Yamato and Sai. "You two. Go meet up with Sasuke and Sakura and head to the Wave Country ASAP."

"Hai," replied all three shinobi as they bowed.

"Dismissed."

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Dorai River, En Route to Wave Country, Fire Country/

"And that is our mission," finished Yamato, a stern gaze adding to his serious countenance. "The River Country might be making a move towards the ports of the Wave Country: a valuable asset for any military force looking to invade the Fire Country."

"A pincer maneuver," commented the Uchiha, his mind contemplating the various angles of this mission. New parameters meant new risks, new dangers…but also new ways to approach the problem at hand. "The River Country from the west, and an invasion force from the Wave Country in the east…"

"All in all, this is a stealth mission more than anything else." Yamato quietly stood up, kicking some dirt over the fire to snuff it out. "You all know the mission. Now we must hurry; I want to make it to the Wave Country before nightfall." He calmly pulled out a small whistle and blew into it, releasing a melodious sound into the air, not unlike a pigeon.

But there were no pigeons in this particular part of the Fire Country. Only natives would know that.

Sai and his lions appeared moments later, hearing the pigeon call. "Are we ready to depart?" A trio of nods told him the answer. "Very well then." He opened up his scroll and performed several katas. "**_Ninpou; Chōjū Giga Gyaku!_**" His scroll glowed, and the lions suddenly leapt back onto the scroll, shrinking down into the form they once held as a tiny picture. "Ninja Art; Super Beasts Imitation Picture Reverse." He rolled up the scroll and returned it to his backpack. "I'm ready."

Yamato took note of the stern gazes Sakura and Sasuke gave Sai. Sai – as if noticing the looks being sent in his direction – said, "I would like to apologize for my actions, except I do not feel any regret."

Sakura's eyebrow twitched. "Rrr…" Sasuke only sighed out of irritation.

Yamato, on the other hand, sighed out of remorse. _Such horrible group dynamics…why me?_ "Well, let's go."

And then the four shinobi were gone, dashing to the east.

xxxx

/Yamanaka Household, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"So…this is where I live?"

God, he hated to hear her ask that.

Yamanaka Inoichi managed to choke out, "Yes Ino…" He calmly led her through the halls, giving her a tour of the clan's ancestral home. That he had to do this with his daughter was horrific enough. No…what was truly horrific was that his daughter might not remember anything at all. "This is where you live. For lunch, you usually ask for broiled tomatoes with a side of goma dango."

"…goma…dango…?"

Inoichi winced inwardly. He had to explain THIS? "A dumpling made of rice flour. That's a dango. The goma variety is covered with sesame seeds."

"…it…sounds good…"

Well, that was some progress. But it irritated him to no end. "Your teammates should be waiting for you outside."

"Teammates…you mean the people called Chouji and Shikamaru?"

'The people called Chouji and Shikamaru.' Why did she have to phrase it like that? Was her amnesia THAT far-reaching? "…yes."

Yamanaka Ino sighed as she stared down at the wooden floor beneath her feet. Her feet. Her. Was anything 'hers'? She couldn't even fully grasp the idea that this man was her father. Was she supposed to feel sad about that? Such questions plagued the girl's mind…yet they didn't bother her. They didn't make her feel sad or angry. Just an emptiness, an oblivion of confusion and uncertainty. It was actually worse that way, to be so apprehensive of what was what. At least with anger or sorrow, there was some emotion attached: she would have at least **_understood_** why she felt that way. She would've known what she had lost. But now…she had no idea what she had lost. Or how to grasp what meant what. Or how she should feel about certain things.

If anything, it only made her feel fear.

Inoichi took note of this look and felt nothing but rage. How could this have happened to his _daughter?!_ To think that she had amnesia! _Damn you Mantarou._

A father's rage knew no bounds.

The doors were slid open, and Ino stepped into the sunlight. She saw her two teammates; the fat one with the long spiky chestnut-colored hair (he was kind of shaped like a chestnut too…) and the guy with the pineapple head. Why did she think of food when seeing these two?

Chouji glanced at Ino, and then he turned to Shikamaru. "Okay Shikamaru, you ready?"

The black-haired Chuunin sighed out of irritation. "Fine, fine…" He sent an annoyed gaze towards his plump friend. "You know, I never figured you'd use your fight to hold off Jirobo from me and my team as leverage."

Chouji couldn't help but chuckle at how he'd forced Shikamaru to go along with this. Definitely out of character for him to use a battle he had nearly died in to make Shikamaru do something, but it was for the greater good. "Yeah, but remember: it's for Ino."

"Yeah, I know," grumbled Shikamaru. _Troublesome…_

Yamanaka Ino slowly walked forward. All of her platinum blonde hair was let down, and she was dressed in only a white T-shirt, gray sweatpants, and blue sandals. Not exactly similar to her shinobi uniform, but hey, she was considered off-duty for the time being. "Um…hello…"

"**_Kage mane no jutsu!_**"

Ino paled as Shikamaru's suddenly zoomed towards her shadow, linking up with it. Her body was suddenly paralyzed. "Eh…wha?"

Shikamaru then placed his hands on his head, dancing around in a jerky, oddball manner. _I cannot believe I'm doing this. Damn it Chouji, I'm not paying for your meal next time you ask!_ Even if this was for Ino, there was a limit to what was acceptable! And since he was a Nara, that limit was exceptionally tiny.

And apparently, Ino was feeling the same way as well. She didn't take kindly to suddenly being moved against her will (even amnesiacs have base feelings you know). "Hey…stop it…what's…stop it…I MEAN IT…!" She was getting irritated right now…more so than she really felt. How come?

Finally, Shikamaru stopped and released his jutsu.

Ino promptly came over and smacked him in the face, shaking him by the collar. "WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA YOU MORON?!"

Shikamaru stared grumpily at Chouji. "I think it worked."

"WHAT WORKED?!" roared Ino.

Chouji smiled with slight relief. "Well, whenever we'd make you mad, you'd often throw a fit and smack either me or Shikamaru. We wanted to see if the same thing would happen."

This immediately made Ino pause. _A…test then…?_ "So you wanted to see if I still…reacted the same way?"

"Pretty much," muttered Shikamaru as he rubbed the new hand mark on his cheek. "And for the record, it was Chouji's idea. Slap him if you're angry."

Ino just stood back for a moment, thinking about what had just happened. So…what she had just done…was something she would have normally done? Then…there were still some things that she could remember? Did this new information give her a goal? Or an objective? Possibilities, means to an end…so many thoughts swirling through her mind now. But they were charged with hope. It made the apprehension she felt wane. Somewhat. And that was good enough for her. "Um…I don't feel like slapping anyone anymore." She bowed to both Shikamaru and Chouji. "Thank you."

Shikamaru and Chouji both shared a glance that said 'Well, it's a start.' The latter happily said, "Well, **Operation: Make-Ino-Remember-Who-She-Is** has met its first goal! Let's go eat to celebrate!"

"You're paying Chouji."

"Aw, come on Shikamaru!"

Ino followed the bickering duo in silence.

Inoichi watched from afar; if anyone could help his daughter, it was those two.

xxxx

/Fire Country-Wave Country Border/

Sakura hated graverobbers. As a medic-nin, she knew that those who died were to be respected, even if they were lost forever. Basic human decency called for graves to be respected. Those who defiled them…were utter lowlifes.

Which was why the sight of two familiar graves – upturned and torn apart – made her recoil.

She remembered helping to bury the two who had once lied there.

"Zabuza…Haku…?" Sakura stared out of shock. Their corpses were gone, along with Zabuza's sword and Haku's belongings. "Who could have…?"

Sasuke frowned. These graves had been placed fairly deeply within the forest near the bridge connecting the Fire Country to the Wave Country. It was also in close proximity to the nearby cliffs, which plunged directly into the ocean. Nobody would go out here unless they did so with intent. _So who…who would come out here with the intention of robbing these graves?_

Yamato knelt down at the upturned soil, grabbing it and sniffing it. "Hmm…the dirt's not stale…still a little moist…these graves were dug up fairly recently. I'd say within the past week or so." _But we can worry about this later._ He stood back up, walking over towards the nearest tree. Using a kunai knife, he carved out a small strip of bark. Encompassing it in his palm, his chakra flowed into the bark; when he opened his hand again, only three small pods remained. The wood had been condensed into seed-like objects. "Swallow these: they correspond to my chakra. I'll be able to keep track of you this way."

Sai swallowed without hesitation. Sasuke quickly examined the pod with his **_Sharingan_** before swallowing it. Sakura just stared at it momentarily. _Man, Mokuton techniques are incredibly useful…hmm._ She swallowed it.

"Good. We can submit a report regarding Zabuza and Haku once we get back. Until then, focus on the mission at hand."

"Hai," replied all three shinobi.

Yamato calmly led Team Seven out of the forest and back onto the road towards the bridge. Traffic – horse-drawn carts, animals for sale, and merchants carrying sacks of their wares – loudly moved back and forth along the road leading to the bridge. The commercial traffic had gotten far more prevalent the more they neared the Wave Country.

It made Sakura smile. It was a sign of economic vitality. And for the Wave Country, that was a sign of life.

_I wonder how well off Tazuna-san, Tsunami-san, and Inari-kun are…_

They came to the bridge.

Large, strong, and wide. Capable of holding tons and tons of weight, as evidenced by the heavy traffic crossing it. Armed guards wielding spears and daggers stood at the sides of the bridge, presumably to alert security further inland of any potential troubles.

But the sign atop the front of the bridge made the four Konoha-nin stare out of shock.

**THE GREAT NARUTO BRIDGE**

Yamato and Sai stared out of slight curiosity. Sakura stared out of mute surprise. Sasuke stared before chuckling. "Kukuku…poor Kakashi. Looks like they didn't think enough of us to include our names on this bridge. What a gyp." Sasuke didn't sound too irritated…well, maybe a little. He had fought just as hard as anyone else…though Kakashi had had to fight Zabuza twice. _Why not call it the Great Kakashi Bridge? Damned favoritism._

"Man, if Naruto saw this, he'd get a huge ego trip," commented Sakura, a small smile on her face.

The smile swiftly vanished as she thought of Naruto. He was gone…he'd never get the chance to see it. _Naruto…_

Sai noted the suddenly sullen looks on Sakura and Sasuke's faces. "My. Uzumaki-san must have been far more than the sum of his parts to have this kind of reaction."

Before the two original members of Team Seven could retort, Yamato interrupted, "Now now, let's just keep going. We'll meet with the Wave Country's Administrative Council before anything else." He briefly recalled the portfolio of notes Tsunade had handed him. They had included notes on the Water Country's system of government. "Considering the paltry size of the Wave Country, they have a rather simplified system of government." A large billboard could be seen affixed above the bridge; it had a map of the Wave Country on it, along with the message 'YOU ARE NOW IN THE LAND OF WAVES.' "The 23 small islands that constitute the Wave Country are each considered districts, each one headed by a democratically elected daimyō. These 23 daimyō constitute the Council of Lords, which is responsible for administrating the Wave Country."

As Yamato spoke, Sakura's thoughts drifted to how busy the place was. _Three years makes a huge difference…_

Merchants bartering with customers. Bazaars lined with people. Markets rife with goods.

A stark contrast to the scene of yesteryear, where poverty reigned supreme.

"Sakura? Sasuke?"

The two turned around, causing Yamato and Sai to stop.

Standing before them, holding a basket of freshly baked loaves, was a kid with dark brown hair; his lightly-tanned body was lean yet muscular, gleaming with sweat (finished with a hard day's work?). Green pants wrapped around his waist by a belt matched the dark blue T-shirt he wore; a belt lined with pouches full of tools crisscrossed his torso, giving off the appearance of a repairman or a maintenance worker. Those dark eyes stared at them, his face lighting up with a smile. "Guys! It's been years!"

Sasuke blinked while Sakura muttered, "Inari-kun…?"

xxxx

/Tazuna's House, Naminou District, Wave Country/

And that was how Team Seven suddenly found themselves in front of the old house of Tazuna, practically dragged there by an exuberant Inari (so exuberant at seeing a couple of old friends that he hadn't asked about Naruto. Had he only assumed that Naruto was simply on another mission? Sakura hoped so.).

"This child is quite loud," remarked Sai.

Inari huffily glanced back at the artistic shinobi, as if finally noticing the third member of Team Seven wasn't Naruto but someone else. "Who's this creep?"

Seeing the opportunity, Sasuke quickly replied, "His name is Sai. Naruto was switched out of our team for this guy for this particular mission."

"Man, that sucks," grumbled Inari.

Yamato shifted his eyes over to the Uchiha. _Good move Sasuke. The less questions about Naruto, the better._

The young man of the Wave Country rapped on the door with his knuckles, calling out, "I'm home! And I have guests!" Opening the door, Inari stepped inside towards the kitchen, where two more familiar figures awaited.

Stirring a pot of rice was a 32-year-old woman with long, navy blue hair, clad in a long skirt the color of cherry blossoms and a blue cotton shirt with white flower patterns. Her dark eyes lit up at the sight of Sasuke and Sakura. "Sakura-chan! Sasuke-kun!" She whirled her head around towards the other figure. "Otou-san! Look who's here!"

The wizened old man of 62 leaned forward out of his chair, a gleam lighting in his eyes out of recognition. His gray hair had thinned a little more along the crown, but he still managed to exude an aura of strength that belied his age. Clad in an elaborate kimono of dark purple with light red patterns in the shape of crashing waves, his red obi managed to come across his entire stomach, which had gotten a tad tubbier since Team Seven had last come to the Land of Waves. Readjusting his glasses, the old man grinned with pleasure at the sight of his old bodyguards. "Well well, ain't this a sight for my sore eyes!" The old man's narrow eyes widened out of considerable joy. "Long time no see!"

"It's good to see you Tsunami-san, Tazuna-san," respectfully replied Sakura. She was glad to see that everyone remained relatively unchanged…except Tazuna. "What's with the kimono?"

"Heh, must look odd!" Tazuna groaned as he stood up, letting everyone see his kimono. "Just a lowly bridge builder, yet enough people thought I was fit to be elected daimyō of this district!"

Sasuke arched an eyebrow. _This drunkard, a daimyō?_ Would wonders never cease.

Tazuna's eyes scanned over the four Konoha-nin. "Say, where's that bratty blonde and that silver scarecrow with the weird eye?"

"Naruto and Kakashi? They were assigned to different missions," explained Yamato.

"Fah!" Tazuna snorted. "That Kakashi fellow, I can understand…but that Naruto? Like he'd turn down the chance to come back and see us. He's that kind of guy."

"Ninja don't choose their assignments."

The daimyō chuckled as scratched at his facial hair. "I seem to recall that same blonde complaining so much that your village's leader gave him a C-Rank mission just to shut him up."

Yamato sweatdropped. _…well, never heard that._

"It would seem that Uzumaki-san can also be quite rude," commented Sai.

"Hush you," grumbled Sakura.

"So… you could at least tell me what they're up to now," asked Tazuna.

Sasuke was quick to answer. "Kakashi is with a new unit now. Black Ops. Classified."

"Ah…" Tazuna turned his eyes to Sakura. "And missy, where's the idiot?"

Sakura couldn't help but flinch. "Well…he…"

Yamato grimaced at Sakura's stuttering. Sasuke merely sighed inaudibly. Sai kept the same lucid expression on his face.

But Tazuna saw that look. Barely managed to catch it…but he caught it anyway. That hesitance and discomfort that bubbled to the surface whenever the blonde's name was mentioned…

"Shinobi Rule #25: No matter what the situation, a shinobi must keep emotions on the inside. You must make the mission your top priority, and you must possess a heart that never shows tears," stated Tazuna, as if reciting something from a book he had read a long time ago.

Sakura blinked. "…?"

Tazuna smiled sadly at Sakura, as if he already knew why she had hesitated. "You told me that on the bridge, a long time ago. I think you still need work on it."

_Shoot, he knows._ The pink-haired shinobi nervously replied with a sad smile on her face. "Yeah…I guess so…"

Now Inari was smart enough to get what was going on. Then again, even a fool would be able to pick up on the subtext of this conversation. "Wait…what happened to Naruto?" When he got no immediate answer, the 11-year-old's lip began to tremble. His eyes narrowed out of frustration. "Why aren't you answering? WELL?!"

"He's gone."

Everyone paused and turned towards Sasuke, who was leaning against the wall with his katana in hand. Before anyone could even elaborate on what he meant, the Uchiha continued on. "He was taken away by someone. Someone very powerful…stronger than all of us. And where he took Naruto…we don't know how to get there." The thought of Makai drifted into Sasuke's mind. How hellish of a place was the world of demons? "But Naruto and I…our last match ended in a draw." He pulled out his katana, letting its surface gleam in the dim light of the kitchen. "I still have to settle things with him…and he wants to settle things as well. He's not the type to give up. So either we'll find a way to get to him…or he'll find a way to get back to us." He sheathed his weapon. "That's all there is to it."

Sakura blinked out mute surprise. _Sasuke-kun…_

"Put it that way…then all we can do is worry about how long it'll take," remarked Tazuna with a grin. "That blonde may be crazy, but he'll find a way. In the meantime…Tsunami, let's get some extra seats!"

"Of course!" answered Tsunami as she gladly pulled four extra dinner chairs out of a storage closet. "I hope you all are hungry."

"I would be lying if I said no," gratefully replied Yamato. Not only were they in the residence of a daimyō that happened to be an old friend of Sasuke's and Sakura's, but he didn't have to pay for Team Seven's meal. It was win-win!

As it turned out, the meal consisted of a bed of white rice that was covered by steamed shrimp and broiled scallops in a soy sauce mixed with garlic flakes. A bowl of soup filled with bamboo shoots, crabmeat, and soba.

The sight of the meal at the beginning had warranted a hearty 'Itadakimasu!' from Sakura (Sasuke, Sai, and Yamato were naturally far more subdued).

At the end of the meal, Yamato turned to Tazuna. "Sir, when is the next meeting of the Council of Lords? We're here on business from Konoha."

"Tonight!" answered Tazuna as he readjusted his glasses. "Why do you think we have a big meal?"

"Because it's a special occasion?" replied Sakura.

Tazuna snorted. "Because several of them are windbags who make the meeting last hours."

Even Sasuke couldn't help but snicker slightly. Politics sounded so troublesome. Why in the world would Naruto ever vie for that kind of position? He glanced over at Sakura; she was nodding fervently, as though she had an eyewitness account of Tazuna's words. Not surprising, considering she was the Godaime's assistant.

"Anyhow…" The old man rumbled as he stood up, stretching his back and getting a few cracks out. I'd best be going. This meeting's taking place in the Namimori District straight up north. Should get there in twenty minutes if I hurry."

"And I have to go to," muttered Inari as he got up as well. "Got a big ship coming in tonight at the port in the Namienkai District in less than an hour."

"That tanker from the River Country you told us about yesterday?" remarked Tsunami, missing the suddenly stern gazes in the eyes of the Konoha-nin.

Inari grinned as he picked his belt of tools up off of the floor, putting it back across his torso. "Yep! The dock foreman wants everything to go well; considering how big of a shipment this is, everyone's likely to get a raise if things go off without a hitch!"

"Then you're doomed," taunted Tazuna.

"OLD MAN!"

As Tsunami and Tazuna shared a laugh at Inari's outburst, Yamato quietly glanced at both Sasuke and Sai. Turning back to Tazuna, he asked, "Tazuna-san. Forgive me for not formally introducing myself earlier, but I am Yamato, current captain of Team Seven. Sakura and I would like to accompany you to this meeting of the Council of Lords."

"What about Sasuke and your other team…mate…?" Tsunami looked around out of curiosity. Sasuke and Sai were gone. "Where'd they go?"

Yamato replied, "It doesn't matter. Sakura and I will be able to accomplish this mission on our own." _At least, this PART of the mission. Besides, Sai isn't the diplomatic type…and Sasuke doesn't appear to be one either._

Inari shrugged. "Oh well. I'll be heading out now. See ya'll later!" With that, the young boy left.

"Be safe Inari-kun! Try not to get hurt!" called out Sakura. She only hoped her warning wasn't prophetic.

Yamato turned towards Tazuna. "Well…shall we?"

xxxx

As Inari calmly exited his home, two shinobi quietly stood upon the rooftop of his home, their bodies mere silhouettes against the light of the sun that was nearly below the horizon.

"He's heading east," commented Sai. "According to the Wave Country map we saw on our way in, Namienkai is directly to the east of Naminou. I would estimate…less than three miles."

"Then we just have to determine which dock the tanker will be coming in." Sasuke had to admit, he found Sai's seriousness one thing that he wished Naruto had. Then again, he hadn't gone on a mission with him since…well, the battle with Akatsuki (and he hadn't been an official Konoha-nin at that point) and the battle with Mantarou. Not exactly similar to this current one.

Sai glanced toward the ocean; Inari's home was built directly next to the ocean that bordered Wave Country to the south. Pulling out a pair of binoculars from his backpack, he gazed at the dark horizon. "I see our target."

Sasuke grabbed the binoculars from Sai and gazed to the south.

Sure enough, there it was: a long, gigantic behemoth of a ship, painted black. A flag could be seen flying above the tanker. It was the flag of the River Country, consisting of a green rectangle with a stripe of blue across the middle. "Hmm. Think we can run all the way there?"

"At top speed, it should take…ten minutes. Though the waters are quite choppy. You don't intend to fall, do you?" asked Sai.

Sasuke snorted. "Of course not."

"Then by all means, let's go." The former ANBU stood up, fastening his tools tightly. "For the sake of the mission."

The two shinobi landed in the water and burst off, their chakra surging through the feet, altering in flow and concentration with each step.

They were as blurs in the darkness.

xxxx

/_R.C.S. Shindaisha_, En Route to Wave Country/

The gruff man clad in a dark gray shinobi uniform with a dark green vest glared at the men milling about, all wearing casual clothing befitting seamen who had been out in the sun all day. But he couldn't afford to be lax.

His hitai-ate – bearing the symbol of the Marsh, a small ovular pond with three grass chutes sticking out of it – reflected the last light of the eve, the western sky nearly completely dark now. His face was laden with scars; his body undoubtedly had more.

The man's dark eyes narrowed as he scratched at his mane of rough, gray hair. "You!"

The nearest seaman gazed over at him, his orange lifejacket glowing brightly as the white, fluorescent lights of the _R.C.S. Shindaisha_ kicked in. "Yes sir, Numa-sama?"

Numa growled, "Is everyone in position below?"

"Yes sir. Everything is ready."

Numa frowned. "Good. Make sure to be innocuous. We don't want to draw any unnecessary attention until we land." His head suddenly whirled around; his eyes glared at the covered lifeboats hanging over the side of the tanker. "…"

"Numa-sama?"

"Hmm…nothing." Had his ears been playing tricks on him? He could have sworn he had heard the ruffling of fabric in the wind…

Meanwhile, underneath one of those lifeboat covers, Sasuke and Sai sat in silence; they quietly suppressed their chakra as much as possible before talking. "Did you see that shinobi?"

"Indeed I did. Did you see his hitai-ate, Uchiha-san? The symbol of Sawagakure: the Hidden Marsh Village."

"His body and hair color indicate that he's in his late 40s at the least…and all of those scars on him…he's a survivor of many battles. I bet he's a Jonin. Seems that the old lady was right to have us investigate," muttered the Uchiha. "But whatever's inside this ship will determine our next course of action."

"I agree wholeheartedly, Uchiha-san." Sai calmly pulled out his scroll from earlier, coming up to the picture of his lions. He pulled out his familiar canister of ink and drew a single stripe across it. Performing a few handseals, he whispered, "**_Sumi Bunshin no jutsu._**"

The lions suddenly began to come forth from the scroll, as before…but their bodies were bound by the stripe, mixing them together into one solid being. A humanoid resulted…and in a few seconds, it looked exactly like Sai. "Ink Clone."

"How does your ink do that?" asked Sasuke.

"My ink is special: it is mixed with my blood, and I infuse it with chakra. That way, it is bound to my inner coils…so I can manipulate in any way I wish." As if to make his point, Sai performed a few more handseals. "**_Sumi Henge; Aburyū_**. Ink Transformation; Horsefly Style."

The ink clone of Sai suddenly liquefied and dispersed, becoming hundreds of horseflies that quietly flittered about. Without so much as a word, they separated and flew about outside of the lifeboat.

"They will enter the tanker from numerous entryways and make their way inside. Then they will reform at an opportune spot." Sai leaned back and closed his eyes, keeping his hands in their final kata: **Nezumi**, the Rat. "I will need you to keep watch while I do my work."

Sasuke was silent as he kept a hand on his katana.

The tension was getting intense now.

xxxx

So many horseflies.

Buzzing about, entering in at random intervals. All in all, it took them about ten minutes to file into the tanker, entering through ventilation shafts and the various nooks and crannies that abounded aboard the ship.

The last horsefly to come in was suddenly smashed against the wall outside the bridge door by Numa. "Damn flies…" Removing his hand, he suddenly paused.

Why had he sensed a flow of chakra escaping from the horsefly as it had been squashed?

Raising his hand, he grimaced. _Ink?_

His nose began twitching. Something was wrong.

"Hmph." The Sawa-nin kept his senses open. Something was fishy.

xxxx

/Supervisor Compartment, Within Hold, _R.C.S. Shindaisha_/

A man in the uniform of the River Country's military – dark green, with a long triangular cap bearing a badge with the symbol of the River Country – calmly spoke into the microphone, directing instructions throughout the hold.

Dull duty, really. Not much to prepare for now. Not when everything was almost complete.

Still, it was his job.

"Make sure your rifles are in working order. Review on what to do if they jam. Raise the bulkheads in preparation for the operation."

Etcetera.

Boring.

Alas, it was his job.

But he didn't notice a horde of horseflies quietly converging behind him, morphing and coagulating into the form of a Konoha-nin.

Sai's clone stared at his surroundings. Dim and murky; a single glass panel separated this room from the hull. Even from here, the hold's dusty yellow lighting revealed that the tanker's bulkheads were rising. But why? _Hmm._ He glanced to his side; a small door led to the communication equipment that relayed the microphone's transmissions to the rest of the ship.

Perfect.

The **_Sumi Bunshin_** quietly crept up behind the man, his right hand swiveling around his left hand's index finger, lengthening into a long, sharp, inky spike. His right hand then slowly reached for the microphone's On/Off switch.

The man droned on. "Make sure all shells have been loaded. All vehicles must be fuelled to maximum levels."

The microphone was suddenly turned off. "Hey-!"

**SHICK.**

Through the neck. A cut through the brain stem from below, skewering the actual brain as well.

Quick. Painless. The man was gone in seconds. He blacked out and was gone. The shinobi of ink retracted his finger and returned it to normal.

Sai's clone calmly dragged the body into the equipment closet and closed it tight. Turning off the only light in the compartment – which really didn't do much to illuminate the place anyway – he immediately left, creeping towards the nearest set of pipes and latching onto them. Clambering in absolute silence, the former ANBU slinked along the walls and then along the ceiling, using his chakra to cling to the pipes. Although the hold was reasonably well-lit, the light did not extend to the ceiling.

Sai's doppelganger was nothing more than a shadow.

He finally reached a set of rafters that along the edges of the hold (apparently for maintenance use). Fortunately for him, the bulkhead sluices – small openings in the bulkhead that could be opened or closed from the deck above – were open, allowing the rafters to span from compartment to compartment in the hold.

Sai's clone gazed at everything he saw. "Hmm." Settling on one image, he closed his eyes.

A small cloud of horseflies drifted away from his body; a large chunk of his back was gone, revealing only ink in its wake.

Sai repeated this process seven more times. By the seventh – the eighth one in total – he was nothing more than an inky stick figure with a human face.

His work done, the clone dispersed into horseflies, flittering about for the nearest exit to the outside.

It was about this time that the dead body was found.

Numa snarled at the stench of the man's blood. But what made his eyes narrow in a dangerous glint was the sight of ink at the wound.

Ink. Just like that horsefly.

Numa immediately reached for the small radio transceiver attached to his neck and set it to the open frequency of all nearby Sawa-nin. "We have an intruder onboard. Considering the political situation back home, I'd say it's either a Suna-nin or a Konoha-nin…my money's on the latter. Be on the lookout."

"**Hai.**" Twenty voices replied.

Numa switched his frequency to that of the bridge. "This is Numa. Increase speed. Ram into the port."

"**Sir, but-!**"

"We've been compromised. No use in pretending anymore. DO IT."

"**…yes sir.**"

Numa scowled as he stormed out of the Supervisor Compartment. The plan had to go forward now…but now he would have to take a more proactive role. No matter though; he was in command of twenty Sawa-nin, all Jonin and Chuunin. They were here for one reason: to counter any shinobi that threatened to circumvent this first strike.

Nothing would stop their **_Raigunryo_**… the Lightning War of the River Army!

xxxx

/Daimyō Suimaru's Residence, Namimori District, Wave Country/

Suimaru, the daimyō of the Namimori District, had a much larger residence than Tazuna. Almost like a mansion; he was a businessman in the transport industry who had hit it big after Gato kicked the bucket. Granted, he was more humble and modest in his business pursuits (no one wanted a Gato copy); he was very much a good man.

And he was good at business.

Which was why he was considering the various advantages and disadvantages of setting up a trade relationship between Konohagakure and the Wave Country. "Hmm…you make a compelling case Yamato-san…" The man rubbed a hand through his slicked back hair of light brown, his wrinkles and defined cheekbones making him look older than he really was. "A trade agreement with Konohagakure will allow our country's products to be distributed through the second most important city in the Fire Country, behind only its capital. Konoha's relatively close proximity to the four countries of Waterfall, Grass, Rain, and River makes it a lucrative place to set up shop. Likewise, the presence of businesses here in the Wave Country would allow your local businesses easy access to our ports: a very attractive venture for a landlocked village like yours. The only disadvantage I could see is that business from other countries like Water and Lightning might worry about a close relationship between us and Konoha, especially if their own shinobi villages carry enough clout."

Yamato sighed as he glanced at Suimaru, Tazuna, and the other twenty-one daimyō of the Council of Lords. "Well, I'm sure it's a concern of sorts. However, considering how a number of your districts possess ports of their own, I'm sure it could be arranged that businesses in Konoha have access to only a few of them. Water access won't be monopolized by us; after all, we are just one village. Concentrating on just a few districts is better than trying to spread ourselves thinly over all twenty-three."

A number of murmurs came across the circular table, as the daimyō debated amongst themselves about the merits of Yamato's proposal. Sakura couldn't help but marvel at how well he had worked the room. _Wow. He should be Konoha's official negotiator._

"I can't find myself disagreeing. It allows us to work around other trade agreements as it is; for instance, my district is out of the question." The bald daimyō of the Namienkai District twirled his moustache with a smile. "If you all will recall our last meeting one month ago, the trade agreement we established with the River Country gave them exclusive use of the Namienkai District's port. A bit exclusive, sure…but it's been a boon for us."

A chorus of nods from the other daimyō greeted him…but Yamato and Sakura both frowned.

Namienkai was where the tanker was supposed to be docking.

Sakura grimaced as she gazed out the window to the south. _Sai-baka…Inari-kun…Sasuke-kun…be careful…_

And you can't really blame Sakura for calling Sai a baka.

xxxx

/Lifeboat, _R.C.S. Shindaisha_, En Route to Wave Country/

Sai opened his eyes. "Done." He sat up, looking at Sasuke. "Any disturbances?"

"No."

"Good." He looked down at the open scroll in his lap, his hands still in the kata of the Rat. "The first picture should be arriving any second now."

As Sai had said, a stream of horseflies quietly filtered in under the covered lifeboat, merging with one segment of the scroll, forming a square-shaped picture.

It was an image of a soldiers, all in uniform, standing in position. All in the hold.

Sasuke frowned. "Are those rifles in their hands?"

"Apparently so," remarked Sai.

"…so this is an invasion force."

Soon came the second stream. This was an image of a rack of rifles. The third picture was of number of boxes that the soldiers had gathered around, pulling out supplies and other equipment. The fourth picture was of three Sawa-nin.

Sasuke scowled. "Marsh ninja."

"Protection for the soldiers, apparently."

"How many?"

"Unknown. If I were staging an operation of this scale, at least ten."

The fifth picture was of soldiers participating in a target practice drill. They were all pretty good shots. The sixth picture was of wheeled machines that could hold one driver and a person in a passenger pod to the side. "What are those? Bicycles?"

Sai answered, "Considering the River Country's rapid technological advancement, I would surmise that they are self-propelled vehicles."

"Kind of like small carriages that don't need a horse. Sounds interesting," replied Sasuke with a smirk. This was getting to be an interesting mission.

The seventh picture was of large, cylindrical shells. And the eighth…

Sasuke and Sai's frowns deepened. "This is…"

"I believe the parameters of this mission officially need changing," remarked Sai. "This picture shows at least thirty."

"They aren't playing around." The Uchiha felt an odd tingle down his spine. The battle against Akatsuki and Orochimaru had presented its own unique challenges…but this was honestly something he had never encountered before. A force of at least several hundred men, bearing advanced weapons…accompanied by shinobi, to boot?

_Four Leaf ninja against all these guys, huh?_ Sasuke chuckled. The odds of victory against such an overwhelming force were slim.

But it didn't matter.

As if feeling the silent eyes of Uchiha Itachi staring at his back, Sasuke quietly thought, _Don't worry about anything…my victory over you was no mere fluke. I'll prove the strength of the Uchiha here and now!_

Sai gazed outside of the lifeboat to the north. With a casual tone – as though he were discussing what to wear for the day – he observed, "Hmm. We're about to ram into the port."

xxxx

/Port, Namienkai District, Wave Country/

"Why isn't the _Shindaisha_ slowing down?"

_Good question_, thought Inari as the massive tanker neared the docks. A number of rafters and railways had already been extended to service the ship and let the crewmembers onshore. Pumps were set up to suck out the oil and store it into large storage tanks.

They should've slowed down by now.

Why not?

The workers all began to sweat as the _Shindaisha_ kept coming closer…and closer…AND CLOSER…

"It's not stopping! RUN!!!" screamed one of the workers as he fled for his life. Naturally, most of the people took his lead. The men ran for all the worth as the tanker neared.

Inari grimaced as he hid behind one of the large storage tanks. _What's going on here?!_

Collision.

_**THOOOOOM…**_

An immense, booming sound as wood splintered, concrete cracked, and metal crumpled. The bow of the tanker rumpled from the blow…but it still floated.

That's when a large hatch – certainly not a specific part of any tanker Inari had ever seen – dropped, allowing access to the hold via a ramp. The hatch slammed into the ground, embedding itself in the rubble of the docks.

Then they came.

Dozens of men, garbed in dark green uniforms with gray backpacks, thick helmets, and long sticks that had a hole in the tip. Inari had no idea what the odd contraptions were…but he knew an attack when he saw one. _What the heck is going on? Are these all Nukenin?!_

No…it couldn't be. Something felt off about these guys. What was going on?!

Then…the things emerged.

Their wheels, covered by treads, whirred. Thick, gray metal stood hardily, reflecting the light of the rising moon; the only discoloration came in the flag of the River Country that was painted on their sides. Long barrels gleamed in the dim light, screaming a deadly aura that was completely offsetting. How could such odd contraptions – as large as two horse-drawn cargo carts put side-by-side – exude such a lethal presence?

They were accompanied by smaller vehicles; the motorized bicycles, each housing two men: one as the driver, one in the small pod that was attached to the side.

So many men, so many things…Inari's mind boggled at the scale of it all. _What the…?_

Then the twenty-one Sawa-nin hopped down from the tanker, landing atop the large vehicles to the rear. The color drained from Inari's face as the shinobi began to disperse. _What the! Ninja?!_

Numa grinned. "Now…the tanks shall strike first! Unleash the River Army's **_Raigunryo_** upon this puny land! Front line of **Kurohyougunsha**: FIRE!!!"

The barrels of the Kurohyougunsha – Panther Tanks – in the front unleashed a salvo of fiery metal.

Explosions lit up the night, signaling the arrival of war.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

**_The River Army's Raigunryo Strikes! What will Team Seven do?!_**

xxxx

Author's Notes: Well. It's certainly been a while. College is painful…and I am never beta-reading ever again. Sorry Tellemicus, beta-reading _Legacy of the Rasengan_ was nice, but it absolutely killed my updating schedule.

NEVER SHALL I ABANDON MY WORK!

Chapter turned out to be longer than I thought. The battle takes place next time.

Well, war is once again back. Astute readers will obviously note that the River Army's inspiration was the army of Nazi Germany: down to the style of warfare (Lightning War: Blitzkrieg and Raigunryo).

Sai is going to be an interesting character for me. I think his abilities have a lot more practical uses than have been currently shown in the manga. And his comments about privates now center on Sakura instead of Naruto. Personally, I think they're more appropriate. ;)

Expect some contiguous updates. Hopefully ya'll won't go that long without an update ever again!

See you soon, and please review!


	37. The River Army's Raigunryo Strikes!

Author's Note: Okay. Back up again. Most people are anxious about Naruto, I know…but you'll have to wait. I've got a war that's about to explode in more ways than one. It shall be several chapters at least until we see Naruto again.

Again, sorry about my uber-slow update last time (remember, I have THREE other stories to write on as well). The lack was an anomaly due to a mix of beta-reading and college. Won't happen again. Hopefully.

And for those weirded out about the presence of high-tech weaponry…honestly, it's not that odd. Heck, we've seen trains in the Narutoverse (in the movie granted, so it might not be considered canon to some), electronic billboards, neon lights, and frickin' COMPUTERS. Heck, in the most recent chapters, Akatsuki's Leader – Pain (canon AL, not my fanon AL named Mantarou) – is seen in a metropolis. A METROPOLIS. A city with lights, skyscrapers, and everything!

To be honest, I'm surprised I've yet to see a single car in the entire manga. They do have motorboats and cranes (as some will have seen in volume three of Naruto, during the original Wave Country arc), which are certainly vehicles that require gasoline or some type of fuel (not many of you are as concerned about the tanker I notice). I mean, even the concept of gunpowder and explosives shouldn't be a problem: Tenten essentially uses a GIANT FRAGMENTARY GRENADE against Kisame in chapter 256! Granted, she used a combustible tag to cause the explosion, but the leap from that to a tank shell shouldn't be THAT huge.

I don't really like using OOC space to rationalize things, but I have to say, I don't want people worrying too much. It's not like we're going to be seeing airplanes and missiles (the shinobi of _**Raigunryo**_ replace the Luftwaffe of the _**Blitzkrieg**_. I personally like the former more: a lot more variety). The high-tech comments are things I really don't want to see, since the Naruto manga has featured videotapes, computers, and advanced medical equipment that came along much later than the first tank, motorcycle, or RIFLE for that matter.

And that's it.

Anyhow…

Begin!

xxxx

_**The River Army's Raigunryo Strikes! What will Team Seven do?!**_

xxxx

/Daimyō Suimaru's Residence, Namimori District, Wave Country/

The minor quaking in the floor caught everyone's attention.

"What in the blazes is that shaking for?" muttered Tazuna.

Yamato was already at the window. His eyes narrowed at the sight of smoke and fire rising from the Namienkai District to the southeast. "It seems we have a situation."

The daimyō of Naimenkai paled. "What? What situation?"

"I am forced to be forward: our primary purpose for coming here was to investigate whether or not the incoming tanker from the River Country was benign. It seems that Hokage-sama's bad feeling proved true." Yamato mentally calculated Sasuke and Sai's chances of fighting an invasion force that could fill a whole tanker. At the moment: not that good. "I suggest you all stay here, or at least move further away from the Namienkai District. Things will get messy…"

Sakura's eyes suddenly widened. "Yamato-san; do you feel that?"

"Yes." Three chakra signatures. Relatively high ones as well. Which meant two things.

One: they were relatively skilled warriors.

Two: they weren't bothering to hide their chakra, which meant they were seeking battle.

"Sakura, you rendezvous with Sasuke and Sai. Try to keep civilians out of harm's way if you can." He gazed at the Council of Lords. "I suggest you flee. Now."

Yamato immediately opened the window and leapt out, landing silently in front of three Sawa-nin that had just emerged from the forest bordering Suimaru's home. "Ninja of the Hidden Marsh, I assume."

The three Sawa-nin – all bearing shaved heads – chuckled. The center one – the only one of the group with shades and a mustache – replied, "Yes. And you are a ninja of the Hidden Leaf."

The former ANBU sighed. "And I wouldn't suppose you're here to do any negotiating."

"You're smart," muttered the mustachioed Sawa-nin. "Surrender now if you know what's good for you."

"I'm afraid I must decline," said Yamato as he quietly performed several handseals, all within the span of a second. "_**Mokuton; Shichūrō no jutsu!**_"

The three Sawa-nin blinked as a number of pillars emerged from the ground, surrounding them in a prison of wood. "NOW SAKURA!"

The pink-haired medic-nin immediately burst out of the mansion, taking off to the southeast. One of the Sawa-nin scowled as the kunoichi disappeared into the forest. "DAMN IT! That girl's getting away!"

"It doesn't matter," remarked the mustachioed Marsh ninja as he performed a few handseals. "_**Suiton; Shoutakukirite no jutsu!**_" Expelling a blast of murky water from his mouth, the man sliced through the Four Pillar Prison with a wave of razor-sharp liquid. "Water Element; Swamp Cutter." The three Sawa-nin stepped forward, their feet sloshing against the now-muddy ground. "There are plenty of our brethren here. She won't last long…we'll be done with this man soon enough anyway."

Yamato calmly massaged his neck. "You know, I could end this rather quickly…but depending on how much of a fight you offer, I'll know how much danger they'll be in."

The Sawa-nin with shades blinked. "Eh?"

"If you take a long time for me to defeat, I'll know to assist my team posthaste. If not…then I can continue on with a little less worry." A steely glint came to Yamato's eyes. All pretenses of settling this matter peacefully were gone now. "Try not to make this too long though."

Yamato charged.

xxxx

/Namimori District, Wave Country/

Sakura's legs pumped as she leapt from rooftop to rooftop towards the site of the smoke. Brief thoughts of her last mission here came to mind: the thick mist of Zabuza, obscuring sight, sound, and smell…the blood of Kakashi staining the ground, shortly thereafter followed by Zabuza's, and then Haku's…

Back then only three people had died: Haku, Gato, and Zabuza.

She hoped that no one would die this time. Even though reality often did not come to her expectations…she dared to hope anyway. She was a medic-nin; bringing life and hope to those who were dying was her specialty.

Her feet landed onto a mangrove…

"_**Suiton; Suiryuudan no jutsu!**_"

…and she immediately leapt to the side, landing on a wooden bridge.

The watery dragon suddenly emerged from the water separating the Namimori and Namienkai islands, roaring as the long, spindly roots of the mangroves were revealed by the sudden lack of water. Twisting and curling, the dragon tried to smash Sakura along with the bridge, but she avoided it by leaping backwards onto another mangrove.

**SMASH!**

The wooden supports for the bridge buckled and snapped like frail legs; water seeped back into the strait as Sakura stared at the one responsible. "…"

Two Sawa-nin stood on one mangrove, grinning as they performed several katas. "_**Kokekire no jutsu!**_" Lengths of moss snaked out of both shinobi's sleeves, wound together and sharpened with chakra. One of the Marsh ninja smiled. "Only one? This will be quick." Rearing his arm, he lashed out with the blade of moss, its flexibility making it like a whip.

Sakura leapt off of the mangrove, landing on the side of the broken bridge that still stood. Her eyes, however, did not fail to note that a branch suddenly fell off from the mangrove she had just been on. _That branch…it was cut._ Her eyes narrowed at the sight of the whips of moss…no, not just whips. _Blades that are as flexible as whips._

"One of the distinctive techniques of Sawagakure…_**Kokekire**_, the Moss Slicer! You'll be cut into ribbons!"

Sakura frowned as she clenched her fists. "We'll see." _Sai-baka. Inari-kun. Sasuke-kun. You'll have to wait for just a little while longer._

xxxx

/Port, Namienkai District, Wave Country/

"Spread out. Anyone who attacks us is to be eliminated on sight! Prisoners of war are to be gathered and sent back here to the _Shindaisha_!" roared Numa, giving out his commands to the army before him. The walls of the port, now blown open, allowed more soldiers and motorcycles to come through even as more men and vehicles slowly filed out of the massive tanker.

Currently, six hundred and twenty-three men had emerged from the tanker; between them were sixty-three motorcycles and twenty tanks…as well as the twenty-three Sawa-nin, most of which had already begun searching the island for the presence of enemy shinobi.

Any more, and things would get truly hectic.

_That just won't do_, thought a certain Konoha-nin as he reached for a scroll in his backpack, his form safely concealed upon a catwalk in the shadows of the docks. From above, he could see quite clearly. _Once Uchiha-san has finished his business in the tanker, we can proceed._

Sai honestly didn't know his true mission parameters now. All he had been given was the order to investigate the tanker and determine whether or not an invasion force was coming. However, considering Hokage-sama's concern about the River Country…

_Hmm. What a mess_¸ nonchalantly thought Sai as an idea came to him.

He called out, "Hello down there!"

_**Pow!**_

Sai did not blink at the sight of the bullet hole on the ceiling above him, barely missing his head by inches. "Oh my. I've been shot at." Quietly pulling out a scroll and painting canines on it, he tranquilly finished, "Everything I do now is all in self-defense. _**Ninpou; Chōjū Giga!**_"

The soldiers below suddenly paled as dozens of black, inky dogs descended, howling as they attacked.

Numa scowled. _What kind of jutsu is this?_ "All men, FIRE!"

Bullets erupted from rifles, .30 caliber projectiles zooming through the air. Soldiers ejected square-shaped cartridges on the bottom of the firearm and reloaded them as swiftly as possible. The beasts, although hit by the bullets, did not stop; their inky bodies had to be completely severed for the jutsu to be broken. It was too late anyway; there were at least seventy…and these dogs were far more ferocious than a rabid Rottweiler.

For these dogs – their instructions on what to do spawned from the mind of an ANBU – knew to go for the neck.

It wasn't long until blood stained the ground.

That's when Sai made his move.

Gripping his tantō tightly, the Konoha-nin dashed amongst the soldiers. His canines had been crafted for one purpose: distraction.

His blade made nicks in the skin of each soldier he passed by. He did not seem interested in striking them or killing them with a single shot; a Sawa-nin with a scarf around his mouth scowled at the shinobi's actions. Did a jutsu of his require open wounds? Or was it something else entirely?

It didn't matter. The Marsh ninja immediately began his pursuit, leaping into the air as he pulled out two kunai and threw them at the back of the boy's skull.

Sai immediately whirled around, deflecting the knives with his tantō before leaping up and bouncing off the back of a soldier's head. The Sawa-nin blanched as he raised his arms out of self-defense; moments later, a grimace came to his face as the Konoha-nin sliced across his arms, drawing blood. _Why you!_ The Sawa-nin landed and began his pursuit; the Leaf ninja was back to work carving his way through the River Army, giving nicks and cuts to all he passed. In the chaos of the black canine assault, the Konoha-nin was able to do his work with little interruption. _Fast little creep. It doesn't matter though…I'll finish him off with a Suiton jutsu!_ But as he began performing the necessary katas, he heard screams behind him. _Hmm?_ Turning around, the shinobi saw something inexplicable.

The River soldiers that had been cut by the Konoha-nin's blade had all fallen to the ground, their mouths wide as they screamed from some unknown pain. A truly horrific pain, to make them scream like that. _What-?_

Then his body was racked with spasms, his muscles feeling as though they had been set aflame. His frame stiffened – causing him to lose his balance – and slackened; his body fell to the ground…yet the pain continued to come, rising and rising. His blood had been replaced with fire…such _**pain!**_ _What's…going…on…?!_

The shinobi of the Hidden Marsh thought no more.

Sai, by this point in time, had reached the other side of the docks, taking refuge on of the catwalks up top. He turned around, gazing at his handiwork. _At least a hundred casualties._ The shinobi quietly twisted at the hilt of his tantō, letting a capsule fall out. It was laden with a green liquid…and in the dim light, one could barely see that liquid dripping from small, imperceptible slots in the tantō, so close to the actual blade that they might as well have been on it. "Hmm. The poison killed them in two seconds less than my last mix. Quite satisfactory." He reached into his scroll and put another poison-filled capsule into his small dagger, twisting it in tightly.

Five Sawa-nin showed up, perched on opposite sides of the catwalk. Numa was one of them. "Konoha-nin."

Sai stared at his foes, saying nothing.

"Don't resist or you'll die."

Sai…merely smiled. That same empty smile that was somehow so disarming. "I believe you should be more worried about my companion. He hasn't quite seen fit to leave the tanker yet."

The shinobi of the Marsh paused at what those words might have entailed…and then Numa paled. _NO!_

Sai's words were prophetic.

_**KABOOOM!!!**_

A gout of fire tore through the back end of the _Shindaisha_; water began to gush inside, causing the tanker to tip backwards. Soldiers yelped as their access out of the ship was taken away; tanks and motorcycles began to slide backwards as more water began to flood in. Although the water was far too shallow for the tanker to sink completely, it still listed and dropped. The access ramp crumpled from the stress; the rest of the soldiers were still trapped inside.

A giant, fiery _**Zanbato**_ suddenly tore through the top of the _Shindaisha_, and out emerged Sasuke. Running lightly across the deck – his _**Sharingan**_ swirling – the Uchiha leapt into the air, twisting his wrist and swinging his arm, letting the fiery blade loose. The giant sword zoomed downward, a living rocket that found its way to one of the Kurohyougunsha. Piercing through the thick metal, the blade pierced its fuel tank.

**BOOM!**

The explosion caused the Panther Tank to slow to a halt, its treads locking in place. Thick, black smoke emerged with the flames as its drivers roasted alive on the inside.

Numa saw all of this and paled. _Another Leaf ninja!_

Sai took the opportunity presented by Sasuke's sudden commotion to roll off of the catwalk, using his fingers to dangle off of the edge before falling down to the catwalk below. Bursting off as fast as he could, his eyes turned to the tanker. _Uchiha-san must have destroyed the engine room and ignited the fuel tanks._ No more reinforcements; the ramp now led down to the water. _But some of the soldiers might try to get out of the hold through the passages of the ship itself. That would not do._ Reaching for another scroll, Sai also pulled out another canister of ink, similar to his usual one. However, when he unscrewed the brush from the canister, the paint was a dark green color.

Ink mixed with poison.

Sai liberally applied the liquid to the scroll parchment before performing the necessary handseals. "_**Ninpou; Chōjū Giga: Inagoryū!**_" The mass of dark green suddenly began to enlarge, emerging off from the scroll as it dispersed into dozens upon dozens of tiny little insects. "Ninja Art; Super Beasts Imitation Picture: Locust Style." This technique required more chakra than if he had just taken the time to draw all of the locusts, THEN empower them…but alas, that would've taken time. He was quick enough to draw a few dozen crude dogs in less than thirty seconds, but hundreds of locusts? Nope.

And judging by how Sasuke was now enmeshed in battle with the River Army and a few Sawa-nin, time was precariously short.

Quietly directing the locusts, the inky insects hopped through the air, landing on the tanker. They would seek and enter the mouth of anyone wearing the uniform of the River Army. This poison, once ingested, would kill them within ten minutes.

Not as quick as if it had been injected directly to the bloodstream, but beggars couldn't be choosers. A bit messy…but for the sake of the mission, anything would be done.

_Now,_ thought Sai as he gazed at the battle below. _What should I do next?_

xxxx

Uchiha Sasuke's _**Sharingan**_ was working in overtime right now.

The Konoha-nin grimaced as he ducked underneath a hail of bullets, performing the necessary handseals for one of his trademark techniques. "_**Katon; Goukakyuu no jutsu!**_" A gigantic fireball, flaring to an extremely large size from an extra helping of chakra, emerged from Sasuke's mouth. Several soldiers were incinerated, but others had the good sense to get out of the way. "Tch," growled the Uchiha.

Things were going badly in a hurry.

Although Sai's dogs had managed to instigate a fair sense of chaos to the port, the higher-ranked soldiers – he thought he had heard someone call out for a 'sergeant' – had begun corralling the new recruits (that was a good thought for another day; Sasuke wondered what 'Genin' meant in River Army-speak) into small squads and units. The dogs, despite their resistance to the bullets, were eventually being weighed down too much by the metal projectiles; their wire-frame bodies couldn't handle the extra weight. And the Sawa-nin – those that hadn't left the port by now, that is – were also establishing a sense of order. Most of those tanks had already left by now; judging by the explosions and fires springing up outside of the port, they were already hard at work leveling the Wave Country to the ground.

"OPEN FIRE MEN!"

Sasuke would have to save his thoughts until later. A horde of rifles was now spewing metal at him.

Ducking and weaving, twisting and turning. The Uchiha was like an acrobat, his _**Sharingan**_ helping him see where to go…but only barely. The bullets truly were far faster than any shuriken. One wrong move and he'd be toast. _Damn it, this is getting irritating._ Spiraling upward into the air, Sasuke performed the necessary katas. "_**Katon; Karyuudan no jutsu!**_" A serpentine dragon suddenly erupted from the Uchiha's mouth, snarling and roaring at the men below. They were naught but victims, scurrying away like mice trapped by a cat.

Sasuke panted as he leapt back onto the catwalk. His eyes managed to catch a glimpse of Sai on the opposite side of the docks; the catwalks extending at various points from the walls owned by this particular dock company that Inari worked at (speaking of Inari, had he gotten out of here before the soldiers had landed?). He would have appreciated any assistance by Sakura and Yamato now; even though his ninjutsu techniques could easily tear through their ranks, all it would take was one bullet…and he doubted that he'd be able to avoid hundreds of men firing at once. Even with the _**Sharingan**_ aiding him.

Then there were those pesky Sawa-nin. He couldn't afford to focus too much on the River Army; those Marsh ninja would be on him in moments if they saw that his attention was elsewhere. But if he focused too much on the Marsh ninja, then he might get caught by a stray bullet. Or perhaps a tank shell.

Truly a dicey situation.

How irritating. He almost preferred the battle royale against Akatsuki. At least they were predictable: all S-Class Nukenin with deadly talents that could render asunder anyone they got their hands on. But a bunch of B to A-Class Sawa-nin, alongside weakling soldiers all armed with rifles that could kill him if they managed a decent headshot?

_Meh_. That was all Sasuke could think.

Then he noticed a varied amount of fireballs floating about, like fireflies. Sasuke's eyes spun as the fireballs twitched and twinged, charging forward towards his body.

The Uchiha unsheathed his katana and stabbed above and to his left, at a forty-five degree angle.

Blood stained his blade as the genjutsu vanished. The Sawa-nin he had impaled his sword on gagged through the bandana on his mouth, coughing up blood. "How…could you see…?"

"The _**Sharingan**_ can differentiate between various chakras by color. Not as in-depth nor as precise as the _**Byakugan**_ of the Hyuga…but sufficient enough for me to tell what's a genjutsu and what's not." He gazed at the dying man. "Those fireballs all consisted of the same chakra color…except the one you disguised yourself as."

The Sawa-nin snorted as he laid his head back. He never moved again.

"So you're an Uchiha."

Sasuke whirled around. He was face-to-face with the old, scarred man. "And?"

The man chuckled. "Then I'll have to forgive Usui for dying so quickly. His genjutsu has never been pierced by an enemy he intended to kill…but seeing as you're an Uchiha, I'll give him some slack." Pulling out a small bottle from his vest, the man stated, "I am Soui Numa, Jonin of Sawagakure and commander of this operation." Shifting his legs into an offensive stance, Numa finished, "Your intrusion on the _Shindaisha_ annoyed me for a time…but I suppose nothing goes perfectly in life."

"You're practically preaching to the choir," unenthusiastically agreed Sasuke, his sarcasm sounding lukewarm. The Uchiha scowled; he felt no passion at the moment, despite his earlier thoughts. Probably because of how different this battle felt from previous ones? He supposed it was a bad thing to think about (who enjoyed war, honestly?)…but he at least wanted something to engage his interest. When he had fought Itachi, his rage had forced him to give his all. When he had fought Naruto, his excitement had forced him to think creatively. But now? Dullsville. He didn't want to accidentally get hit because he found himself bored.

Numa smirked as drank from the small bottle, relishing the taste of the liquid within. "Your face tells me a lack of interest in your current predicament." His smirk turned into a deadly glare. "I care not of your lineage nor your abilities…but underestimating me, much less Sawagakure, the River Army, or our _**Raigunryo**_…what a fool."

He charged and leapt over Sasuke.

The Uchiha tracked the man easily. _He's not too fast. This shouldn't last long._ Turning around to stab the man, Sasuke could only blink as he was kicked in the face. Hard.

The Sawa-nin grinned as he stepped back, looking very amused by the Konoha-nin's perplexed and bewildered expression. Sasuke boggled, how had he done that?!

"Keep your eyes open kid," remarked Numa before he charged again.

Sasuke frowned as he slashed horizontally, boggling as the man ducked. The Sawa-nin's fist clenched._ He's going for an uppercut._

Then his legs were tripped up by a sweeping kick.

Sasuke paled. _WHAT?!_

Numa fluidly spun upwards and elbowed Sasuke in the back, grabbing the back of the boy's head with his opposite hand before throwing him off the catwalk. The Uchiha growled as he immediately grabbed the railing – feeling his arm's tendons strain – and pulled himself back towards Numa with his katana at the ready. The Sawa-nin calmly fell downwards onto his hands, lashing his feet around Sasuke's neck. The Uchiha paled as his head was bashed into the metal catwalk. "Geh…!" Numa calmly hopped back, even as Sasuke got back on his feet – sheathing his katana simultaneously – and performing a familiar jutsu. "_**Katon; Goukakyuu no jutsu!**_"

Numa fell onto his back, letting the giant fireball barely pass over him. He rose once again, rotating as Sasuke charged; the back of his hand rose to smack the Uchiha across the face.

Sasuke raised his arms to block.

**POW!**

Sasuke's eyes bugged out as Numa's _**other**_ hand slammed into his stomach; the backhand had been a ruse. Numa followed his strike with a quick headbutt. Sasuke deliriously brought his right leg up in a crescent kick, only to have the Jonin slide under it and spin around, hooking the back of his head and slamming his face into the catwalk again.

Numa seemed to enjoy smashing Sasuke's face into the metal grating of the catwalk.

The Sawa-nin inhaled the open air with a happy smile. He was feeling quite loose now. "Heh…take it you've never fought a master of the Drunken Fist before."

"Can't say I have," grumbled Sasuke as he stood up, wiping the blood coming out of his nose. _And you're now officially a nuisance._

Numa charged once more.

xxxx

Needless to say, Inari was very, VERY astonished.

First of all, there was the fact that soldiers, motorized bicycles, and giant armored vehicles were storming out of the tanker. So many vehicles in one place was odd enough; the fuel for vehicles – processed petroleum, AKA gasoline – was a rather rare resource; this was why most vehicles tended to be in the hands of construction companies: they were more useful in going to cranes, bulldozers, and other such things. But the River Country had recently mined out a new oil vein…a huge one. This tanker was the first in a shipment of oil to the Wave Country (well, it was SUPPOSED to have been a shipment of oil).

Secondly, there was the absolute chaos that had gripped the docks. Black dogs had attacked the soldiers, and one of the Konoha-nin – that new guy with the weird shirt, as Inari remembered him – had gone through the throng of uniformed soldiers with his tantō. Then Sasuke had emerged from the tanker after the explosion, and he himself had entered the fray. Ink, bullets, fire…utter chaos.

But the third and final factor had Inari worried the most.

Many of the soldiers and tanks – that scarred guy had called them 'Kurohyougunsha' – had left the docks. To do what though?

He worried about his mother and grandfather.

Inhaling deeply, Inari quickly emerged from behind the storage tank and ran towards one of the exit doors. He managed to make it there without anyone seeing him; apparently, the soldiers were far more preoccupied with Sasuke and Shirt Guy (wait, his name was Sai! Now he remembered).

That was just fine by him.

Inari quietly stepped outside of the docks, fleeing through the alleys between various warehouses; he had to get out of the port and back to the Naminou District. To Tsunami. _Mom…I'll be there!_

xxxx

/Daimyō Suimaru's Residence, Namimori District, Wave Country/

The daimyō of the Wave Country all looked astonished, their faces practically glued to the windows; what had just transpired was nothing less than breathtaking.

Yamato had, for lack of a better word, _**destroyed**_ the three Sawa-nin.

One of the Sawa-nin had tree roots worming through his body. Another actually had a plant growing out of his sweat pores, as though it had sprouted in his body. The mustachioed Sawa-nin – the third and last one – gurgled as he tried to move, despite the fact that his arms had been broken by Yamato when his arms had been hardened by an odd Mokuton jutsu. _This guy…this guy…!!!_

Yamato stared quietly at the Marsh ninja. "Surrender now, if you will."

The Sawa-nin scowled. _No…can't fail…WON'T FAIL…!_ "RAAAAAA!" roared the man with shades as he charged at Yamato, his arms flailing in the wind behind him.

Sighing, the Konoha-nin dove to the side, performing handseals as he did. "_**Mokuton; Suikyuushuu no jutsu!**_" Small, root-like extensions suddenly protruded from _beneath his fingernails_, growing and stabbing into the Sawa-nin's body. The mustachioed shinobi gasped as a horrific dryness recoiled through his body. This feeling was horrendous…the feeling of aging and wasting away in seconds, as though a parched desert had taken up residence in his very being.

His body wrinkled and crumpled as the water within his cells was sucked away.

Collapsing to the ground moments later, the Sawa-nin felt nothing as Yamato retracted his 'finger-roots', letting them recede back into his body. "Wood Element; Water Absorption."

Suimaru blanched. "Incredible…shinobi are truly monstrous…"

_Well, that takes care of that,_ thought Yamato as he turned to the south. More fires could be seen. Had the River Army spread even further? Had Sakura made it to her teammates? _In any case, it didn't take that long to defeat these three…barring some unfortunate circumstances – or bad luck – I should be able to get back to them in time._

Without saying another word, the former ANBU departed.

At this time, Suimaru suddenly noticed Tazuna leaving. "Tazuna…where…?"

"Feh," grumbled the old man as he scratched at his kimono. The stupid thing always felt constrictive. "Can't say I appreciate the idea that I'm here while my home might be in danger. After all, I _am_ the daimyō of Naminou District." Tilting his head to flash a grin at the other daimyō, he added, "Where else should I be but there?"

He ran out, leaving the twenty-two men behind.

xxxx

/Namimori-Namienkai Bridge, Wave Country/

The Sawa-nin glanced one more time at the still figure of his comrade, his top half buried in the cement. _That damned girl!_ "**HAAAAAH!!! **_**Suiton; Suiryuudan no jutsu!**_"

Haruno Sakura's eyes glittered like jade as the watery dragon neared her. Coiling and roaring, Sakura leapt for a mangrove – one of the few that hadn't already been uprooted during the battle – and leapt for the Sawa-nin, who stood quietly on the edge of the Namienkai District. She barely avoided the incoming dragon of water, brushing by its face.

"YOU'RE MINE!" cackled the Marsh ninja as he reared his whip of sharpened moss and swung.

Sakura brought her right arm up and her left arm down, rotating in midair; the _**Kokekire**_ lashed behind her back, missing completely.

The Sawa-nin boggled. "_**WHAT?!**_" _How'd she dodge that? That should've hit her!_

"**HYAAAA!**" howled Sakura as she landed, clenching the Sawa-nin's neck with her left hand and pushing him up against the wall of the nearest building. The Sawa-nin scowled as he kicked at her chest, pushing her away. The Marsh shinobi immediately performed several katas. "_**Suiton; Mizu bunshin no jutsu!**_"

Water emerged from the nearby strait, morphing into several clones that surrounded Sakura. The Marsh shinobi chuckled as he and his Water Clones pulled out kunai from their dark green vests. "DIE!"

Sakura's eyes narrowed into a razor-sharp glare…and then she flipped backwards. Her feet crashed into the chin of the first attacker; it dissipated into water. She ducked under a lunging strike, elbowing the Water Clone in the ribs before grabbing the outstretched wrist of another Water Clone. She immediately swung that clone about, slamming it into the two Water Clones that had jumped before slamming it into the ground with a tremendous splash. She narrowly avoided a horizontal kunai slash with a sidestep, bringing her arm down in an elbow drop to the back of the neck. She destroyed the last Water Clone with a left jab…and then lashed out with her back foot, kicking the real Sawa-nin in the torso. He crashed against the wall, and he found himself once again held by the neck.

Five seconds to defeat the Water Clones.

Sakura panted out of slight exhaustion. "…huu…you almost had me there."

"How…how'd you dodge everything…?"

"I am a medical ninja of the Hidden Leaf. Even though we are well-trained in the healing arts, we medic-nin must be capable of two things above all else in order to be effective on a team." Her eyes hardened. "We must be capable of utilizing strong, offensive tactics and abilities…but most importantly, we must be able to observe and dodge any enemy's attack. After all…" She gazed right back into the eyes of the Sawa-nin. "If the medic-nin dies, who will heal the team?"

The Sawa-nin said nothing.

Sakura smiled, as if trying to reassure the shinobi of the Marsh. "Don't worry about why you couldn't hit me. I trained with Tsunade-sama, the Godaime Hokage, and the world's greatest medic-nin. She's MUCH faster than you."

A right hook knocked the shinobi senseless. His body went limp as Sakura let him droop to the ground.

"Sakura."

The pink-haired Chuunin turned towards Yamato, who stood atop one of the mangroves. "Hai, Yamato-san?"

The Jonin leapt and landed quietly beside her. "We need to regroup with the others."

"Hai!"

"HOLD IT!"

The two Konoha-nin paused as two motorcycles swerved around the corner, the soldiers in the side pods aiming the rifles.

"Get down Yamato-san!" Sakura roared as she punched the ground with all her might.

_**Crack…!**_

The road crackled and upturned; the newborn fissure suddenly swallowed the motorcycles whole, soldiers and all.

Sakura cracked her knuckles. "Done."

"Good. Let's go."

And then they were gone.

xxxx

/Port, Namienkai District, Wave Country/

"Hmm. This is quite a pickle."

Sai looked down at the scene below. He had utilized his _**Chōjū Giga**_ to materialize a herd of bulls, their black horns gleaming wickedly under the moonlight. A good fifty of them, charging en masse at any soldier in their path…but the River Army had finally organized itself. Even when the herd had split up to attack – a surprising move that actually caught a few people off-guard – it didn't work for long. The soldiers had coalesced into units that moved as one, firing and dodging with great efficiency. The few Kurohyougunsha that remained in the port were aiming at open sections of the ground, making it harder for the bulls to keep their footing…while unleashing a shell in his general direction every now and then. He'd had to move about five times already.

So this was the River Army.

Even so, they were all still human.

Humans that Sai **sincerely** doubted had undergone the same mental and physical training as the average shinobi. Quality of any commercial product tended to decrease as quantity increased. Perhaps the same applied here.

An idea formed. _Hmm._ Making sure none of the shinobi or the soldiers saw him, he quietly swung off the catwalk and into the shadows, sneaking towards one of the storage tanks. Hiding out there, Sai immediately began drawing humanoid figures on a scroll, liberally applying his ink; he would need at least fifty for this task.

When his task was complete, he performed the needed katas. "_**Sumi bunshin no jutsu!**_" Sai was silent as his Ink Clones clustered around him, standing quietly in the dark. Glancing over at the soldiers, Sai focused in on one soldier. Cue several more katas as he closed his eyes. "_**Sumi Henge; Bijuarumozouryū!**_ Ink Transformation; Visual Imitation Style!"

Several of the clones suddenly shifted…taking on the appearance of the soldier Sai had last looked at.

He repeated this several times with different soldiers each time. By the time he was finished, his Ink Clones had become a relatively varied group of River Army soldiers. "Proceed."

Already knowing what to do, the fifty clones departed for one of the exit doors so that they could reenter through the hole that had been blown open earlier in the docks. It had to be natural. Sai quickly scurried back upward, leaping from catwalk to catwalk as he ascended to the top of the dock walls; his bulls had still managed to keep the River Army's attention.

Good thing too; if his new strategy didn't seal the battle in his favor, he'd be limited to only his tantō, kunai, shuriken, and close-range Taijutsu: he was officially low on chakra now. He wouldn't be able to use anymore of his artistic techniques for a while.

Oh well. He had killed a great number of soldiers, and a Sawa-nin or three (or was that four?). Acceptable, but not satisfactory.

Sai resigned himself to watching his transformed clones suddenly reenter through the hole that had been blown open earlier by the Kurohyougunsha; instead of a backpack and various shinobi tools, the ink had been condensed into rifles. It helped cement the illusion.

One of the sergeants blinked as an Ink Clone ran up to him, none the wiser of what was going on. "Hey! What are you doing here?!"

The Ink Clone fluently replied, "We were sent back to aid in the battle with the Konoha-nin-LOOK!" The transformed clone pointed towards Sai, who was still ascending. "There's one of them!"

Sai kept his lucid smile as bullets began to pepper his general area, the only soldiers NOT firing being his clones. This was good; it had to be believable. Insertion into enemy territory – particularly for espionage missions – required utter believability. Situations had to be plausible if they were to be believed. If that meant he had to have his clones direct enemy fire to him in order to cement the illusion of actual soldiers, so be it.

He'd even deal with the bullet that suddenly rammed into his right forearm, making him grimace out of pain. A clean hit…but for the sake of his new plan, a bullet in the arm was nothing. It certainly wasn't fatal by any means.

Anything for the sake of the mission.

It was with this in mind that Sai's Ink Clones dispersed, grouping up with various units…and then it began.

An Ink Clone suddenly sharpened the tip of his rifle into a kind of inky bayonet, stabbing the back of the nearest soldier. Similar incidents began to occur all over the battlefield.

One of the soldiers screamed, "IMPOSTERS! **WE HAVE IMPOSTERS!!!**"

Ignoring the bulls for the moment, many of the soldiers began to turn on each other, looking warily at their fellow man. One enterprising Ink Clone had the idea to stab himself in the shoulder while no one was watching; in the dark of night, who could tell the difference between blood and ink? "ARRGH! THAT GUY STABBED ME!!!" The clone pointed towards his particular unit's sergeant.

The sergeant snarled as he stomped towards the Ink Clone (not that he knew it was a clone), angrily raising his rifle. "Why you lying _son-of-a-!_"

**BLAM!**

The sergeant's head snapped back as he collapsed to the ground, a bullet lodged directly into his forehead. The culprit had been a panicked new recruit. "Oh man…what's going on…?"

The 'injured' Ink Clone immediately roared out, "THEY'RE IMPERSONATING THE SERGEANTS! THE SERGEANTS ARE **TRYING TO KILL **_**US!!!**_"

This resulted in untold havoc as the chain of command all but disintegrated. Soldier turned against soldier as the disguised Ink Clones kept on attacking, while the bulls remained on the loose, taking advantage of the sudden lack of order. The Kurohyougunsha still inside the docks were now devoid of any target that did not include a River Army soldier as a casualty.

Panic. Mayhem. Chaos.

A pleasing sight, in Sai's opinion. He couldn't help but occasionally marvel at times how easy it was to use emotions and mental tricks to manipulate people: in this instance, he had exploited fear and confusion to capitalize on distrust and fatigue…and the result was this.

The River Army – at least the portion within the Namienkai District's port – had turned against itself.

"Do you disapprove of my tactics, Yamato-sempai?" asked Sai out of the blue.

Behind him was none other than Yamato and Sakura. The former replied, "No. I assume you went with the 'acted out of self-defense' excuse again?"

"Was I not supposed to?" calmly asked the enigmatic ninja as Sakura silently knelt down, examining his wound and reaching for her medical tools. She was awfully quick to recognize that he was injured, especially considering how dark it was.

"No. In any case, our current mission parameters are to contain and stop the River Army invasion force while minimizing civilian casualties." Yamato turned his attention to the catwalk that Sasuke and Numa were fighting on. "Sakura. Go aid Sasuke once you finish with Sai."

"Hai!" replied Sakura as she calmly sprayed an anesthetic onto the open wound; this would make pulling the bullet out less painful for Sai.

Yamato turned to Sai. "I take it your chakra is running low?"

"Yes. I've utilized one _**Sumi Bunshin**_ for reconnaissance purposes. I've used _**Chōjū Giga**_ a few times as well. I've used a number of _**Henge**_ techniques in conjunction with my jutsu, as you can surmise by the transformed Ink Clones you see causing havoc down below. And we won't have to worry about reinforcements from the tanker either."

"Quite a load."

"Indeed."

Yamato stretched his fingers. Things were going better than he had initially thought; Sai's creative thinking had alleviated the situation considerably. "I suggest you head outside of the port and incapacitate any River Army soldier you come across once Sakura is done. Avoid the tanks if you can. I'll take over from here."

Sai bowed. "Hai, Yamato-sempai." As a greenish glow emerged from Sakura's hands and covered the artist's wound, Yamato kept staring at the carnage below.

Ink and blood mixed together seamlessly.

Battlefields were always so messy.

Yamato leapt down into the thick of it. It was time to clean things up.

xxxx

It was official.

Uchiha Sasuke hated _**Suiken**_: the Drunken Fist.

A palm slammed into his gut when he had been expecting a roundhouse to the temple.

Scratch that: he **REALLY** hated Suiken.

"Come now, surely this isn't all you've got," muttered Numa as he seemed to stumble on his feet, his momentum shifting every which way. But don't underestimate him; the man knew how to fight.

Sasuke grimaced. He had tried Katon jutsus, his standard Taijutsu techniques, and even tried fighting with his katana. The Sawa-nin was practically unflappable. _This man's a master of the Drunken Fist…but I'm the last of the Uchiha, and the killer of an S-Class Nukenin. Yet this guy from some backwater village is kicking my ass._ He could've sworn he heard Itachi chortling somewhere in the back of his head.

Soui Numa suddenly fell backwards, lying down on the metal catwalk. Apparently, the sounds of the soldiers' miniature civil war didn't concern him. Then again, the Konoha-nin in front of him was more important. "Well…I suppose I'll just wait for you to make a move."

_Stab him. Stab him. STAAAAB._

At least, that's what Sasuke's instincts were telling him to do. An enemy was prone, lying down, and completely defenseless. Defenseless. Completely ripe for stabbing.

Uchiha Sasuke grimaced at these odd thoughts. Totally unlike his rather stern, emotionless state that he had lived with for roughly the second half of his life (AKA, the 'Itachi Must Die' half of his life). Well, except anger. Anger had been pretty common. Along with rage, or any variation of that. Plus the occasional brooding.

But now? His thoughts sometimes drifted to downright weirdness. Mentally saying 'stabby stabby stab stab'?

Odd.

Perhaps he had begun to thaw or loosen up after Itachi's last words to him?

_Wait, why am I thinking about this right now?_ Sasuke shook his head, unsheathing his katana as he leaned back. He held his left arm forward, holding the katana back with his right so that it was held parallel to the left. A preparation for a charge.

Numa still did not move from his prone position.

Like a sitting duck.

_STAB!_

Sasuke growled. He didn't want to; the damned Suiken user would inevitably attack him again through some oddball move.

_Why am I hesitating?_ Sasuke's _**Sharingan**_ eyes spun like wheels. _I'm an Uchiha. I will not lose._

He charge forward, closing the distance like lightning. At the very last moment, he thrust his arm at Numa.

And just like that, the Jonin's legs snapped up, his feet snapping onto the blade.

Sasuke paled as his momentum carried him forward; Numa used this to whip his legs upward, slamming Sasuke down behind him as he stood in his hands. The Sawa-nin flipped up, stumbling backward. "Ah. So close."

Sasuke grimaced as he sat up, his back aching. The Uchiha sheathed his sword, performing handsigns as he stood up. "_**Shinsoku!**_"

God Speed. A genjutsu technique that slowed down the target's perception to the point that it made it seem like the user was moving at super speed.

Sasuke quickly leapt onto the rail, running behind Numa before leaping towards him, a kunai extended.

Numa's legs suddenly buckled, his head lowering. Sasuke's kunai sailed through the spot where his head had once been.

_**Thump!**_

Sasuke gagged as Numa suddenly shot upward, his head impacting the Konoha-nin's stomach. The Sawa-nin slid around, facing the boy that now crawled to his feet. "Bruised, beaten…you haven't really been able to get me yet."

Uchiha Sasuke scowled. His _**Sharingan**_ wasn't helping. Like the few genjutsu techniques he had used before, _**Shinsoku**_ had failed to affect Numa. _How…?_

The Sawa-nin smiled. "Take it you've never fought an alcoholic before." He lazily pointed up at his brain. "Genjutsu techniques affect the senses, manipulating them to the user's own desires. To do so, your chakra must be able to connect with the opponent's brain and be able to manipulate it. Some are capable of handling such things; genjutsu that targets vision can be thwarted by special powers such as your _**Sharingan**_. But a drunkard's brain…it operates on a different chemistry, as all brains do when the body is drunk." He hiccupped. "Hic…ooh." He grabbed his bottle and took another sip. "Ah…"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. _So that's what he had before. Sake._

"Helps with my Suiken…" Numa shook his face. "Your _**Sharingan**_ is awfully vaunted…looking at it, I can see why. Quite interesting. Don't know whether it truly does allow you to look into the future…or just increases your perception to a nigh-improbable degree…but you still must cast genjutsu the same way. And the alcohol in my body is affecting my brain…same with the inner coils. Your techniques can't target me."

Uchiha Sasuke was actually impressed. He had never actually fought a drunken shinobi before (and no, he hadn't fought Jiraiya, and even he doubted that the Sannin went into battle drunk), and the idea of being impervious to genjutsu techniques due to the body's chemistry struck him as ingenious. However, not everyone reacted to alcohol the same way…the drink was actually a depressant. Too much would doom a shinobi in battle…but even a little could cause a lightheaded, giddy feeling that would doom one's concentration on the battlefield.

But Soui Numa was a master of Suiken.

That changed everything. _Just my luck._

Sasuke frowned as his eyes continued to swirl. Suiken was an interesting style; it enabled one to make incredibly deceptive movements. So much so that when Sasuke expected Numa to strike with a reared fist, his Bloodline Limit's vision revealed a headbutt. Such odd, contradictory movements that came out of _nowhere_…there was no rhyme or reason to each strike. His movements could not fool the _**Sharingan**_, but he was having uncomfortable flashbacks to when Rock Lee had nearly thrashed him before the Chuunin Exams. _I can see the moves coming…but I'm not quick enough to react._ It wasn't that Numa was faster than Lee…far from it. But his instantaneous changes in direction whenever he attacked were like lightning.

Sasuke frowned. He didn't dare try to mimic Suiken; Numa would undoubtedly thrash him. It wasn't something that was as easily defined as Rock Lee's Gōken, or even a Hyuga's Jūken. Suiken was basically 'Improv for Fighters'.

_And I just happen to go up against a master of it. How irritating._ Still, the Uchiha couldn't help but smirk. Perhaps he could actually think his way around this strategy. It wouldn't do for him to use the Curse Seal so soon; he wasn't THAT weak. Using that cursed power as a crutch would only hinder his own development.

An idea struck. _Hmm…yeah. That'll work. And…I think that would make a perfect finishing combo._

Numa chuckled as the Uchiha bit his thumb, sucking on it. He drew a few lines on his arm before he began performing handseals. "Ah…we have ourselves a summon here…let's see what you have!"

The Sawa-nin blinked as Sasuke charged forward. _Eh?_

"_**Chihakku no jutsu!**_"

A shower of acidic blood erupted from Sasuke's mouth. The Jonin paled as he immediately ducked, avoiding the acidic spray. But this action allowed Sasuke to knee him in the face. "GAH!" screamed the Jonin as his nose suddenly erupted with blood.

Sasuke slid down and kicked Numa in the chin, sending him into the air. Sasuke pushed off of the ground, hanging behind the Marsh Jonin. "_**Kage buyo**_." Sasuke's movements mirrored Numa's ascent perfectly, his hands flashing through multiple katas.

Numa paused as he his hairs stand on end. _Wha-?_

Sasuke grimaced as he felt the familiar electrical charge manifest on his hand. _Remember how it felt to channel the electricity through the blade…channel the chakra through the entire body…like a current!_

_**CHIIIIIIII!!!**_

His entire form suddenly became alight with crackling blue electricity; the power of Chidori forcefully channeled through his entire inner coil system. "_**Chidori Nagashi;**_ One Thousand Birds Current!" _Now for the finish._

Uchiha Sasuke swung his left leg up into Numa's ribs. The Jonin's teeth gritted together as electricity surged through his nervous system. Sasuke followed up by twisting his body, slamming the back of his left fist into Numa's face. As the Sawa-nin's downward momentum increased, Sasuke twisted his torso, bringing his right fist down into a tremendous punch to the gut. Numa's body twinged with electricity as his form soared down towards the catwalk. It was just wide enough to hold his whole body.

Sasuke roared as he swung his left leg all the way around, timing the final blow as Numa's back crashed into the catwalk. "**HYAAAAAA!** _**Raiton; Shishi Rendan!**_"

Sasuke's heel met Numa's stomach.

"LIGHTNING ELEMENT; LION COMBO!!!"

"_**ARAGGGH!!!**_" gagged Numa as his entire body was seared by lightning, blood rushing out of his mouth.

CREAAAAK… 

The catwalk cracked and crumbled from the blow. Sasuke leapt back as Numa was sent hurtling towards the ground, his body crashing through the catwalk.

**CRASH!!!**

Concrete split and cracked. Numa exhaled forcibly, his entire body felt tortured by the barrage of Taijutsu and electricity. "Egh…you killed my buzz…nice job with that trick summoning ploy…"

Sasuke landed beside Numa, his _**Sharingan**_ disappearing. "Don't complain. You did much better than you had any right to do."

"Heh…" The Sawa-nin smirked. "How arrogant…then again, I guess you Uchiha are entitled to be arrogant."

The Uchiha smirked back. "Not really. It's just that drunkards aren't usually sober enough to fight, much less fight _well._"

"_**Doton; Tsuchigen'ya!**_"

Sasuke suddenly turned around to see Yamato – mouth full of soil – performing handsigns. The number of soldiers had drastically decreased…at least, those that were still alive. But only a few of Sai's Ink Clones – and ink bulls – were left. This was Yamato's opportunity to act.

"Earth Element; Soil Wilderness!"

That little mouthful became a torrent, covering the entirety of the docks with soil. Multiplied and replicated by Yamato's chakra, the soil was now the ground.

Yamato wasted no time in performing another jutsu. "_**Suiton; Kaisuihadou!**_" The water in the nearby ocean began to swirl upward, like an airborne spiral. "Water Element; Ocean Surge!" The blast of water rained over the entirety of the battlefield, inundating the soil with the salty water. However, Sai's creations were also doused, turning into gooey messes on sight.

This allowed the River Army to regain its bearings. Even the Kurohyougunsha had a target again: Yamato.

Yamato was quick to perform one last set of katas. _The Wave Country is home to many species of mangrove trees…and due to their proximity to salt water, they have buoyant seeds._ He could already detect the multitude of seeds that had washed up with his last Suiton jutsu. "Now…" He slammed his hands into the ground, his palms glowing with chakra. "_**Mokuton; Naegiure no jutsu!**_"

The Panther Tanks turned their turrets to fire.

"Wood Element; Growth of Seedlings Technique!"

His chakra surged.

And the seedlings suddenly sprouted, growing, enlarging, shifting…an entire forest of mangroves emerged amidst the docks, entrapping the surprised legion of River Army soldiers and the few tanks that remained at the port. The mangrove roots cracked into the concrete, seeking out the moisture of the nearby ocean.

An entire forest of mangroves, grown in the blink of an eye.

"Whew." Yamato stepped back to gaze at his handiwork. "Not too shabby."

Sasuke stared. _Huh._

"Sasuke-kun."

The Uchiha turned towards the pink-haired kunoichi that dropped down right beside him. With a cursory glance, she noticed the bloody nose, the busted lip, and the bruises on his face. She calmly placed a palm on his wrist. The movement of the chakra in his inner coils told her of the varied bruises around his arms, legs, and torso…and his actual coils were slightly scarred in several places. "…you look like you've been through a meat grinder. What happened?"

Sasuke grimaced as he pointed behind him. "HE happened."

Sakura looked over his shoulder. "Who's 'he'?"

"That Sawa-nin." Sasuke turned to point. "Over there…"

Numa was gone.

Sasuke could swear that he felt like yelling and swearing like a drunken sailor (gah, why did it have to be 'drunken'?!). _All that work and he ESCAPES?! Damn it!_

Sakura arched an eyebrow at Sasuke's expression. It practically screamed 'RAAARDEATHMAIMKILLSTAB!' Better than his emotionless state by far…but she didn't want him going mentally unstable. "Now now Sasuke-kun…just let me fix your wounds up before we do anything else."

"I'm fine," muttered Sasuke with an annoyed snort.

(Inner Sakura: Oh you did **NOT** just snort at me!)

Sakura sweetly smiled as she pinched a bit of skin around the forearm. Sasuke twitched at the sudden pain in his wrist; the medic-nin kept tightening her pinch. "Now now Sasuke-kun…I know we're teammates, but I do have my obligation as a medic-nin." She twisted more tightly. "So just let me do my job. I could always direct some chakra to stimulate a certain part of your brain to induce unconsciousness."

Uchiha Sasuke stared momentarily at the pink-haired girl, realizing now why Naruto had seemed to cower in fear whenever Sakura had shown her mean side. _Eesh._ "Hmph. Fine."

"Good."

Sasuke mentally sighed as he let Sakura heal his wounds. Numa's sudden retreat made him feel on edge…and ticked off.

The moment his teammate was done, Sasuke was going to ask Yamato if he could go after the Kurohyougunsha.

He needed to release some tension.

xxxx

/Tazuna's House, Naminou District, Wave Country/

The rumbling of vehicle treads made Tsunami frown with worry.

The sudden arrival of Team Seven should have been her first clue. Although a crisis had already been underway the last time shinobi from the Leaf had come, they had only come to stop a crisis. They had been hired to come here for some reason…and the whole 'trade relationship' thing didn't sit well with her. Why not just send a civilian?

The sounds of explosions and weird popping sounds (which she would later learn to be gunfire) had frightened her. Both Inari and Tazuna were out there, somewhere…

_Oh no…please let them be okay…_

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?!"

Tsunami blinked as she heard shouting outside her window. Turning off the lights, Tsunami quietly tiptoed over to her window, gazing outside.

Four men in dark green uniforms – with long, deadly-looking contraptions that looked like sticks from afar – were accompanied by this giant, boxy vehicle with a large pipe sticking out of it. They were outside one of the neighbor's homes further down the street, and the neighbor was arguing quite angrily. Further off in the distance, flames and smoke clouds could be seen trailing up into the night sky.

Tsunami's heart twinged at the sight. _Inari-chan…Otou-san…_

The soldier was trying to reason with the neighbor. "Now now sir, we just need you to stay in your home."

"FEH! I WAS JUST TAKING A WALK! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, GATO?!"

"Sir, this country will soon be officially under the control of River Army Command. I suggest you just-"

"OH I DON'T THINK SO! I'M NOT LETTING THIS COUNTRY FALL TO SOME CROOKED VILLAINS AGAIN!" The man stomped back into his house, yelling loudly about getting his sword.

The four soldiers suddenly backed away from the door as the large vehicle turned its turret towards the house.

It fired.

**BOOOOM!!!**

Tsunami stared in horror as the shell crashed through the house and exploded within, causing it collapse on itself in seconds. _What…what is that monstrosity…?_

xxxx

The soldiers calmly advanced onward, making sure no one came out of their house. Those that had resisted had been terminated on the spot; fear of the River Army would ensure that the annexation of the Wave Country into the folds of the River Country would be relatively smooth. After all, this place had no shinobi of its own to fight. So long as the shinobi of Sawagakure kept any shinobi off of their backs, nothing would be able to stand in the way of the Kurohyougunsha, the River Army, and their _**Raigunryo**_.

An entire country falling in one night.

Truly a Lightning War.

The soldier in the lead smiled…so momentarily lost in thought that he didn't notice the rear soldier getting conked on the head with a wrench, followed up with another blow to the face. The soldier was quietly dragged into an alley by a pair of lithe but strong arms, the noise of the short struggle masked by the loud ambience of the tank's engine.

On the opposite side of the road, a pair of thick, muscular arms grabbed one soldier by the neck and hauled him into an alley.

Moments later, the assailants emerged, armed with rifles.

xxxx

Tsunami gaped as the duo silently entered her house. She recognized their heads anywhere.

Tazuna and Inari.

She quietly opened her bedroom door and tiptoed down the stairs, her smile widening as Tazuna and Inari charged in.

"TSUNAMI!"

"MOM!"

"Sshh!" shushed the woman, her navy blue hair appearing black in the dark. "Are you two okay?"

"Just fine mom," huffed Inari as he gazed towards the front door, now locked tight. "But the entire place…it's crawling with those guys. And those big things!"

"Judging from what that Yamato said before leaving…" Tazuna held the rifle tightly. He had witnessed its power multiple times as he had sneaked away to the Naminou District; in the hands of those soldiers, it was 'death-from-afar'. "…these guys are from the River Country. That the tanker came from there doesn't help either."

Tsunami trembled as she heard the explosive sound of the tank's cannon once more from outside. The soldiers were shouting about something. "Our country…it's not going to come under control of some tyrant again, is it?"

"NO WAY!" yelled Inari, even as Tazuna slowly opened a window to see what was happening outside. "I'm not gonna let it happen!" Thoughts of Kaiza came to mind. "…I…I love my home. Even if I die, I won't let anything happen to it!"

For a moment, Tsunami thought that Inari was the spitting image of Kaiza.

The mother smiled as she patted her son on the head. "I know you will."

"Uh, I think that giant vehicle's out of commission."

Inari and Tsunami quickly joined Tazuna by the window.

A young man was standing above the vehicle, his hand holding open a latch on the top. His arm was reaching inside the vehicle, making stabbing motions. The throats of the last two had been slit. He quietly stood up, his tantō dripping with blood. Stepping down and walking towards the trio, he said, "I see you have armed yourselves with enemy weaponry."

It was Sai.

Tazuna blinked. "Um…yeah. How do you destroy that thing?"

"The tank?" Sai quietly gazed back at the tank. Its three former pilots – a driver, a gunner, and an ammo loader – were now corpses, their blood staining the inside of the vehicle. "It's still operable, but the pilots are dead. I believe that it would take considerable force to destroy one. A B-rank, power-based ninjutsu would be necessary at the very least." His eyes suddenly gazed upward; a winged angel with a body of black was flying over the Wave Country, a giant, fiery sword in his hands. "It would seem that Uchiha-san is taking care of our problem."

Inari boggled at the sight. "Uh…how is Sasuke flying?"

"Classified information for Konoha-nin and designated individuals only," droned Sai. Inari pouted.

Tsunami finally noticed Tazuna's wardrobe. "Oh, dad, your kimono…it's torn!"

Tazuna snorted, grumbling, "Feh. I hate these blasted things anyway. Too tight! I'd wear my work clothes if they'd let me!"

"My goodness Otou-san, I've told you before about the importance of appearance."

Inari frowned. Why was his mom talking about clothes at a time like this?! "Can't we save this until later…?"

Sai watched Sasuke dip down towards the ground, about a mile away from their position.

Moments later, fire drifted up into the sky as Sasuke ascended, his _**Zanbato**_ having sliced apart and annihilated one of the Kurohyougunsha.

"I believe Uchiha-san will have our tank problem taken care of. I am continuing on with my current objective; however, Yamato-sempai has already taken care of things at the Namienkai District. You may go if you wish." The former ANBU quietly hopped onto the nearest house and leapt from rooftop to rooftop onwards towards Sasuke's last target; any survivors would soon be dead by his blade.

Inari just stared the shinobi as he soon disappeared from sight. "Ninja are awesome."

"Can't disagree boy," muttered Tazuna.

xxxx

/The Great Naruto Bridge, Fire Country-Wave Country Border/

Soui Numa's eyes stared quietly at the winged wraith that now wrought destruction upon the Kurohyougunsha. "Hmph. Must have irritated him to get him that angry." He grumbled as he pulled out his sake bottle; it had cracked and leaked into his vest. A consequence of the Uchiha's _**Raiton; Shishi Rendan**_. "And now my booze is gone." What an irritation. He was always a grump outside of battle, away from his sake.

The River Army's invasion force had failed to take control of the Wave Country. The presence of the Konoha-nin had rendered their _**Raigunryo**_ worthless. _They had shinobi particularly well suited to fighting in such confined areas…and the urban environment constricted the Kurohyougunsha. A lack of artillery didn't help either._

Open fields and rural areas were much more suitable for _**Raigunryo**_. It also would have helped if the Konoha-nin hadn't been that powerful. _Sheesh. Like they sent their A-Team here._ Then again, when it came to elite shinobi, Konoha's were vaunted above all others.

Alas, the invasion had an ulterior purpose. Even now, he could hear the frenzied shouts and worried calls from his radio set. They provided him the information that he would give his leader: the most powerful shinobi of Sawagakure.

"Egh…" He grimaced at the pain in his ribs. That last attack had taken a number on him. "Better rest up along the way." With those final words, Numa calmly headed to the west.

xxxx

/Port, Namienkai District, Wave Country/

"**YOU WENT TO LEVEL**_** THREE?!**_"

Sasuke grimaced at Sakura's shouting. "It's nothing."

"NOTHING?!" Sakura smacked her forehead. Now that Sasuke was a full-fledged member of the Leaf once more, her attitude as a medic-nin was more prominent around him. "Argh…I would've thought you'd know how it works!"

"Of course I do."

"Then you're an idiot," grumbled Sakura as she analyzed his chakra levels. Tsunade had drilled her extensively in how Orochimaru's curse seals had worked, using what limited knowledge they had from his old notes and data that had been left behind when he had fled Konoha. "The curse seal forcibly draws on your chakra, amplifying it to give you increased strength and energy. But it draws this chakra from your reserves instead of your main supply in the keirakukei: in other words, from the natural chakra that's stored in the body, through all the cells." Her glare sharpened. "You used about fifty percent of the chakra in your reserves. What were you thinking?"

The last of the Uchiha grumbled. He briefly wondered what loud beast had replaced the doting fangirl he was accustomed to. "I'm fine. I used my Curse Seal a lot more during the battle against Akatsuki, and I turned out okay. Besides, I needed to vent my frustration."

"Even so, you're an idiot for using it." The medic-nin sighed. Why did she even bother? "Even if you were 'venting', you could've done so in other ways."

Sasuke glanced oddly at Sakura. He might as well voice his question. "Hmph. Such a sharp tongue. What happened to the fangirl?" A smirk adorned his face.

Sakura smirked back. "So you actually miss the fangirl? The fangirl that stalked you back during the academy days? The fangirl that bothered to come clean your house on a weekly basis while you were away? THAT fangirl?"

"…point taken." Sasuke wisely decided to drop it (though he wondered how in the world Sakura had gotten into his house…but then again, it would have been simple for a ninja). Still, it was nice that she had cleaned his house for him.

He briefly wondered if he had been missed more than Naruto would be. Probably so…even if he didn't deserve it as much.

"I take it there are no more Panther Tanks?"

Sasuke and Sakura turned towards Yamato. The River Army soldiers had since been bound with rope (and there was plenty of it around). The Kurohyougunsha remained trapped within the mangroves. Those that had actually made it out of the port…well, the last thing their pilots had seen was his _**Zanbato**_. "Yes. I destroyed them all. I ran into Sai a few times. He should be almost done with the soldiers."

"So we've basically routed the invasion force," replied Yamato as he looked around. The denizens of the Wave Country were beginning to filter into the docks, asking questions and demanding answers from the soldiers. "Excellent. We'll have to inform Hokage-sama of everything once we get back."

"If you don't mind Yamato-san, I'd like to heal the soldiers of their wounds." Ignoring the sudden glare from Sasuke, she continued, "They aren't shinobi. Stripped of their weapons and bound, they're harmless. It's the least a medic-nin could do."

"…very well." Yamato stood aside, noting Sasuke's wary expression. "Be cautious." Even so, the Uchiha quietly stood behind Sakura as she walked over to the nearest soldier.

The soldier cringed as the shinobi neared. His side had been punctured by a sharp blade of sorts. "S-s-stay back!"

"Calm down." A green glow coated Sakura's hands as she placed them on his side. "I may be an enemy, but you can't do anything right now. And as a medical ninja, I have no problem healing anyone's wounds."

A blade suddenly pressed against her throat.

Sakura froze as she felt the metal of the blade begin to tug at her flesh. _Wha-!_

The blade was suddenly stopped. Its wielder's hand had been stopped cold by another hand: Sasuke's.

And his black eyes had morphed into the blazing red _**Sharingan**_…and they were filled with quiet surprise and cold fury. "…what's the meaning of this Sai?"

Sakura didn't dare turn around…but the next reply confirmed that it was indeed Sai holding his tantō at her throat.

"Uchiha-san, I was given orders to incapacitate the River Army soldiers. By healing these soldiers, Haruno-san has become an impediment."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "They're tied up. They don't have any weapons. They're incapacitated. Objective complete."

"Killing is the most effective way of incapacitating someone. It ensures that they won't come back." Sai's damnable smile remained affixed on his face. "Besides, we have no idea if any of these soldiers are shinobi in disguise. It's not unheard of for ninja to masquerade as civilians, security officers, and other people in order to strike when their enemy least suspects it. It's practically our profession's modus operandi."

Sasuke scowled. "The very least you could do is remove your blade from _my_ teammate's throat."

Sai calmly replied, "Until she removes her hand from the soldier, no."

"SAI! Stand down!"

Sai immediately removed his tantō and stepped back. Sakura immediately exhaled – how long had she held her breath in? – and felt the skin around her throat. No cut or wound; only the brief trace of an odd-smelling liquid that she was sure was poison. _…if that had cut through my skin…I'd be dead by now._ She immediately whirled around, rearing her fist in preparation for a strike against the placid Konoha-nin. "_**WHAT WAS THAT CRAP YOU ALMOST PULLED?!?!?**_" (Inner Sakura: Let me at him! LEMME AT HIM!)

Yamato stepped between the two, his eyes gazing first at Sakura. "Sakura, calm down." He then gazed at Sai. "Now I know your training gives you a very literal mindset…but you can't just go around and threaten teammates who _very __**faintly**_ impede on the completion of your mission objectives. I've talked to you about this before."

"Hai Yamato-sempai. I will try harder in the future."

"Speaking of objectives, you're relieved. The River Army was stopped, and we halted their invasion of the Wave Country. Just watch over the soldiers and make sure none of them escape. Do not use lethal force."

Sai bowed to Yamato, sounding none too sorry about how he had nearly murdered Sakura. "Hai, Yamato-sempai." He calmly walked away, stopping once to look over at a stern Sasuke and a murderous Sakura. "Anything for the sake of a mission. Friend or foe, family or stranger, teammate or not, it doesn't matter. No matter what obstacle gets in the way of the mission, it will be removed. That was one of the principles of Root: we were that which helped support the great tree of Konoha, doing in the dark what none dared to do in the light."

"Sai. We're in a public situation," sternly remarked Yamato. "Maybe once we get back to Konohagakure, you can fill them on the details."

"Hai, Yamato-sempai." The former member of Root then went about to fulfill his last objective. His eyes kept a quiet watch on the kidnapped soldiers.

Haruno Sakura repressed the urge to stick her tongue out at Sai's back. "Creep."

"Don't be too hard on him." Yamato sighed; out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tazuna, Inari, and Tsunami enter the port. "I won't elaborate…but let's just say that Danzo's idea of instructing shinobi would have been right at home in Kirigakure."

It only took a few moments for the two Konoha-nin to remember why Zabuza had been called 'Demon of the Mist'…and they made the connection.

Sakura frowned. "How…horrible."

Sasuke could only sigh out of irritation as he gazed at the moon high above. A military invasion, a damned annoying shinobi who could use Suiken, and a new teammate who oftentimes resembled a psychopath…and let's not forgot the Uchiha's own emotional state. It had varied various times throughout the battle, from hot to cold, from intense irritation to muted enjoyment to bored indifference and back again.

Things had been so much simpler when his only goal had been 'Kill Itachi.'

_What's the matter ototo? Life being too much of a challenge?_

Sasuke scowled at his thoughts, the words seemingly taking on the voice of Itachi. _Not now. I'll listen to my Itachi-ized thoughts later, when I'm less irritated._

_Sure you will._

Sasuke grumbled as he closed his eyes; he felt like taking a nap. The last thing he heard before dozing off was Yamato's voice.

"So Tazuna-san, about that trade deal…"

xxxx

/Next Morning/

/Fire Country-Rain Country Border/

"Udon. Can you see everything?"

"Hai Ebisu-sensei." The brown-haired ninja performed several handsigns. "_**Ninpou; Vijonkouyou!**_ Ninja Art; Vision Enhancement!" His eyes suddenly glowed with a dull sheen; by directing chakra to certain parts of the eye, one's vision could be enhanced to the point where the eyes were like telescopes. It was a special jutsu that Udon had developed for reconnaissance.

It was no _**Byakugan**_…but it worked for the tasks he needed it for.

And right now, Ebisu, Konohamaru, Udon, and Moegi were situated atop a bluff that stood on the border of the Fire Country and the Rain Country, overlooking the next twenty miles of land. From this height, one could see Amegakure: the Hidden Rain Village.

The Aoikage River – Blue Shadow River – ran through the center of Amegakure, spanning from its origin in the Grass Country all the way to its mouth at the ocean in the River Country. Amegakure sat on weathered, rocky hills; the perpetual rainfall that the country was named for had long ago reduced much of the area to flat, rocky ground. However, grassy flatlands could be seen further to the south; most of the rainstorms during this time of the year were situated to the north, near the rocky hills and flatlands that surrounded the country's capital.

Amegakure was fairly large; nowhere near as large as Konoha, Suna, or the other great shinobi villages, but it was suitable enough. A rather prosperous village – looking more like a small metropolis, with all those skyscrapers – at best.

And now smoke was drifting from the fires that now gripped it. More plumes emerged as shells crashed into it from above.

Udon gazed to the southwest. Situated on the grassy knolls southward of Amegakure, large machines were spewing fiery metal from afar. Like giant poles that spewed death, they continued shelling the Hidden Rain Village.

In between these massive cannons and the Hidden Rain, the fields were littered with corpses. A force of sixty Sawa-nin had engaged the shinobi of Ame in battle; but here, _**Raigunryo**_ was far more effective. Wide, open areas with no place to hide enabled motorcycles to quickly drive about, the passengers gunning down any shinobi that came near. The early sunlight prevented anyone from hiding in the dark…and the terrain was far more suitable for the attackers than the defenders.

The tanks fired their explosive shells at Amegakure, the explosives tearing away at the natural rock that the village stood upon. Soldiers – of which there were five thousand – advanced in units of five behind the motorcycles and Kurohyougunsha. Any Ame-nin that tried to advance for close-range combat were torn to shreds simply due to a combination of Sawa-nin jutsus, tank shelling, and long-range artillery.

Ebisu had no way of knowing about the invasion force that had attacked the Wave Country…but this one was much larger.

Sixty tanks. One hundred motorcycles. Twenty artillery guns. Sixty Sawa-nin.

A powerful force…and given the terrain, Amegakure stood no chance.

Moegi gulped. "What's…going on?"

Ebisu scowled as he pulled out a scroll and began writing on it. The River Army was beginning to advance into Amegakure now. _I had only heard rumors amongst the Hokage's Palace about trouble stirring in the River Country…but this…!_ "Udon. Moegi. Our mission states that we are to patrol this section of the border for two weeks, but you must get this to Hokage-sama!" He bound the scroll tightly and handed it to Moegi. "Konohamaru and I will stay here as per the mission orders. Hurry back to Konoha posthaste!"

"Hai!" The two Genin immediately dashed off into the forest, leaving Konohamaru and Ebisu to watch the end of the battle.

Konohamaru gulped as he watched the flag of the River Country suddenly rise on a makeshift pole above Amegakure. "The Hidden Rain…it's been taken over?"

"A shinobi village captured by the River Country and Sawagakure." Ebisu frowned. Outside of shinobi, few creatures had a sizable military of normal humans. And none had tanks or rifles like the River Country. "I don't know why Konohamaru…but I don't think this will be the last time the River Country's flag will rise above a foreign village."

If only he knew.

xxxx

/One Week Later/

/Hokage's Office, Hokage's Palace, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Tsunade sat quietly behind her desk, her mind mentally tallying the information concerning both the Wave Country invasion and the Rain Country invasion.

The former had consisted of a smaller force attacking a smaller target, in an urban environment. No possibility of escape except by sea, and a lack of ability for reinforcements due to the fact that all that came had been on the _R.C.S. Shindaisha_. But had it not been for the presence of Team Seven, the Wave Country would have fallen.

The latter had consisted of a larger force attacking a target that actually had its own shinobi…after all, it was Amegakure, the Hidden Rain Village. But the terrain had been far more acceptable for the River Army…and the presence of long-range artillery had enabled the River Army to pepper and soften the forces of Amegakure before advancing along the ground with Sawa-nin and the rest of the troops.

Her headache only increased when she recalled that, just earlier that day, news had spread throughout the countries of the Rain Country's surrender; the River Army had shown up just outside of the country's capital, complete with mobile artillery. Without Amegakure, it had only taken about five minutes of shelling before the country's daimyō had unconditionally surrendered. Such a move had been unprecedented; the Rain Country had been in the grip of a civil war for the last several years. Their strict border security made sure nothing could slip in or out…but that country shared a border with the Earth, Wind, and Fire countries. It had been the battleground for several wars…so things had always been unstable.

Undoubtedly, refugees and members of the rebel factions would begin pouring into the surrounding countries now, along with those who had been loyal to the Rain Country's government. More headaches.

_Damn it, why couldn't the River Country have kept things simple…_

She gazed around her office, glancing momentarily at Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, Yamato, Udon, Moegi, Shizune, and Yuhi Kurenai.

Why the odd arrangement? Let's find out.

A knock on the door. "Hokage-sama, our guests from the River Country are here."

"Let them in Aoba."

The shinobi with thick shades quietly opened the doors from the outside, letting in three men garbed in the shinobi uniform of Sawagakure.

The one to Tsunade's left was Soui Numa. The sight of that man made Sasuke scowl; he only got a scowl in return.

The one to Tsunade's right was a rather tall man wearing what looked like a white helmet that was thick yet sleek, complete with black, opaque goggles that hid his eyes from view.

The one in front of Tsunade was a smaller man, around 5'8". His long white hair – tied into a ponytail around his shoulders – complete with the eyeglasses gave off a brief similarity to Kabuto. But his brown eyes were far more open and revealing than Kabuto's own gaze of bloodlust and fake kindness. His skin tone and complexion also hinted at his age; early 30s at the most, despite his hair color.

The center one was the leader.

All three bowed. "Greetings Hokage-sama," said the center one, speaking with a silky, refined voice. "I am Oda Nobunaga, the leader of Sawagakure and the Field Marshal of the River Army. My subordinates are Soui Numa and Harada Ieyasu."

Tsunade glanced briefly at Kurenai, who stood to her right. A twitch of those eyes of various red shades told her everything. "I would return the greetings if you had bothered to meet me in person."

Nobunaga smiled. "Ah. Already found out?"

"Yuhi Kurenai is the Leaf's foremost expert on Genjutsu…so what kind of clones are you? _**Kage bunshin**_?"

"Correct." Nobunaga spoke quite calmly. "I know this is bad etiquette from a diplomatic standpoint, but considering recent events, I didn't want to take any chance."

"Speaking of recent events…" Tsunade turned towards Team Seven, sans Sai. "Those three – Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Yamato – were in the Wave Country at the time of the River Army's insertion one week ago."

Nobunaga nodded. "Yes. My subordinate Numa was the commander of that operation. A shame it didn't quite succeed…but that's okay. Its primary purpose was not to succeed."

Tsunade frowned. Nobunaga had left that one hanging intentionally. _He's trying to bait me…by letting slip of his plans. Whatever his angle is, I won't fall for it._ "Elaborate."

"The Wave Country invasion was merely a test to see how our country's _**Raigunryo**_ would work in an urban environment. Numa gave me all of the details. Apparently, the waterlocked nature of the Wave Country worked against us, but our forces were very susceptible to shinobi attacks in the enclosed areas prominent in industrial areas."

"Whereas wide fields and open areas such as those that surrounded the Hidden Rain Village were far more suitable," finished Tsunade.

Nobunaga clapped his hands together. "Yes, indeed! A larger force helped as well…though honestly, I extended far more into the Rain Country than I would have liked."

Yamato's eyes narrowed. _He let an idea about his forces slip._ A brief gaze at Tsunade showed that she had caught this as well.

"Is that so?" Tsunade prepared to make a gamble. "I suppose that your forces are quite scant in the River Country." Would it pay off?

"…" Oda Nobunaga sighed. "I must be quite frank. Due to Akatsuki's strikes over the last several years, the River Army's capacity was lessened considerably. I'm afraid a majority of our forces were sent out for the invasions of Wave and Rain. It is with great dissatisfaction that I learned about the failure of the attack on the Wave Country, but the Rain Country was the more important goal."

The Hokage was silent for several seconds, prompting Shizune to worry. Was something wrong?

_He's too forthcoming._ Tsunade resisted the urge to scowl. She would NOT be baited and caught like a fish. _Time for a new angle._ "Why exactly do you pursue war? We have not committed any particular offense against your country, have we?"

"Oh, not at all." Oda Nobunaga kept that smile on his face, as though it shielded his true thoughts. "Sawagakure bears no particular grudge against Konoha, or the Fire Country. But considering the heavy amount of minerals and natural resources in the River Country, we have a high volume of trade with numerous nations. The prosperity the trade has brought our country over the past few decades has culminated in a population boom, now that the wars of old are no longer so common."

"And yet you instigate war."

Nobunaga nodded. "True, it does seem like a contradiction…or a hypocrisy. But I assure, I bear you no ill will. Much of the land is in the hands of private companies and the River Country government, for the purposes of cultivation and mining of resources. Most of the population is located in Sawagakure, the port city Namikuchi, and the capital Nakajima. Needless to say, the need for extra land is quite tremendous."

Sasuke kept his _**Sharingan**_ focused on the trio. Something about their chakra felt off; considering that they were Shadow Clones, their chakra output was too even. Was one of them utilizing a technique to mask something? "…"

Tsunade frowned. "I cannot find myself agreeing with your reasons for war. Surely there's some other way."

"Hokage-sama, you know how government officials and political figures are. They care not to lose what they already have: they only desire more and more. The same applies to the secession of land. Do you really think the Fire Country's Kajidaimyō – the Lord of Summer's Fire – will secede any of his territory?"

Tsunade could not reply to Nobunaga…because she couldn't help but agree. The Kajidaimyō belonged to a family that had been in power for the last century, having come into power alongside the rise of Konohagakure.

Oda Nobunaga sighed as he readjusted his eyeglasses. "I personally care not for my particular reason for pursuing war. Many soldiers and shinobi are rather envious of the five most powerful nations, and they want to share that same prestige. Some merely wish to extend the River Country's reach into new territories for the sake of more resources. A few, sadly to say, are only warmongers who wish to be a part of battle. Alas, war makes strange bedfellows." His smile widened ever so slightly. "Fortunately, the _**Raigunryo**_ of the River Army made quite an impression. A swift battle, decided by superior power and overwhelming numbers. The Rain Country fell in one week."

Tsunade glanced over at Udon and Moegi, who stood on the right side of the room. "You two were part of the team that witnessed the invasion of Amegakure, correct?" Two nods were her answer. "You saw tanks, artillery, motorcycles, infantry, and Sawa-nin, correct?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama," replied Udon and Moegi as they bowed.

Tsunade turned back to Nobunaga. "Such a large force that struck a relatively small country. Yet you speak as if our own lands in the Fire Country are up for grabs. I sincerely hope you're not thinking of anything…_reckless._"

Oda Nobunaga kept smiling. "Oh goodness no, perish the thought. I have no desire to invade the Fire Country with a force so small. But in the short-term, the River Country's attention will be focused on the land that once belonged to the Rain. I imagine that one month from now, we'll already have people settling within our new territory. I hope the refugees don't give you any trouble."

Shizune was very quiet. She sincerely hoped that Tsunade-sama knew what she was doing.

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. This was her big gamble…and for once, she hoped she'd be able to win without any bad luck. "You won't invade us with a small force…but what about a sufficiently large one?"

Nobunaga was silent.

"Let me give you a possible scenario…" Tsunade inhaled deeply. "What if…certain teams of shinobi were to suddenly enter the River Country…and cripple the River Army before it could rebuild. Their leaders would go to sleep and never wake up…an odd coincidence, wouldn't you think?"

Tsunade's glare was as sharp as her threat was real.

Nobunaga was now _deathly_ silent.

Sakura couldn't help but silently beam. _Tsunade-sama…you've got him scared! Way to go!_

"Remember what I said about war making strange bedfellows?"

Tsunade's glare disappeared. "Hm?"

Oda Nobunaga's smile suddenly, without warning, morphed into a smug smirk. "Because I'd like to inform you that any assault on my person, or on River Country's territory will result in immediate retaliation by not only Sawa, but by Iwa and Kumo as well."

That little statement was like a bomb in the Hokage's Office. Everyone's eyes – save for young Udon and Moegi – understood the threat of that announcement. Tsunade quickly regained her composure and growled, "Explain."

"What's there to explain?" Oda Nobunaga grinned wickedly. "Iwa bears a grudge against Konoha for the losses inflicted upon them by the Yondaime Hokage. Kumo bears a grudge against Konoha for the last war, and a faulty consolation prize: apparently, the Hyuga corpse you gave them was very unsatisfying, or so they told me. Trade between the River Country and both the Earth and Lightning countries has increased exponentially in the past five years."

Tsunade was quickly becoming more and more disenchanted by this news. Sawagakure and the River Army was one thing. But Iwagakure and Kumogakure as well?

Nobunaga continued. "I will be honest: Akatsuki was far more destructive than you realize. Were it not for the willingness of the Earth and Lightning countries to store our Kurohyougunsha and other assorted weapons, the attack on the Wave and Rain would have been delayed by at least three years." The Field Marshal smirked. "If Akatsuki had investigated more than just the existence of Jinchuriki in both Earth and Lightning, we would have been in trouble. How fortunate for us though."

Tsunade scowled as sweat dripped from her brow. _No…this is not how it's supposed to go!_

"Our close relationship has been kept underwraps for some time, but our recent attack on the Rain Country should provide a decent opportunity for our alliance with Iwa and Kumo to go public. A trifecta of the Hidden Stone, the Hidden Cloud, and the Hidden Marsh…I imagine you're still reeling from the losses inflicted by the last two invasions that struck Konoha."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed at the memory of Orochimaru's invasion, and the more recent attack by Akatsuki's Nukenin.

"…in any case, the Earth and Lightning will both receive a share of our conquered territories. Their main motivation is the subjugation of Konoha and the Fire Country. So you can't touch us without fear of a full-blown war. Even though you're allies with Suna, the current Kazekage has many enemies in Iwagakure; after all, the demon Shukaku was the most reviled sight in the Earth Country for a time. I'm sure some Iwa-nin are eager to avenge their losses from when the Kazekage had gone on missions as a Genin."

Tsunade's teeth were now showing, her mouth contorted into a full-blown scowl.

"But as for us, well…" The three Sawa-nin suddenly opened their vests. "We practically have no such obstacles in our way."

Sasuke immediately understood why the Shadow Clones had tried to keep their chakra auras even.

It was to hide the chakra of the explosive tags attached to their chests.

Yamato immediately began performing handsigns. "**GET DOWN!!!**"

The tags became alight.

_**BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!**_

The windows of the Hokage's office shattered as smoke and fire erupted from the ceiling of the building. The smoke drifted out of the windows…revealing wooden pillars around where the three Sawa-nin had once stood.

Yamato had performed _**Mokuton; Shichūrō no jutsu**_ with the wood of the palace. Most of the impact had been reduced…but looking around, he could see the injuries.

Tsunade was unharmed behind her thick desk. Yamato was also unharmed. Sakura, Sasuke, and Kurenai all bore a number of splinters from the explosion. Shizune bore a large wooden fragment on her shoulder and small burns along the fingers.

But the worst were Udon and Moegi.

The boy was on his knees, unconscious; the entire front of his body bore second-degree burns. Moegi was on her back, her legs bore wooden shrapnel, and her arms had been burned even more horrendously than Udon's burns.

"NO!" Shizune and Sakura were quick to begin the healing.

Aoba suddenly slammed the door open, coughing up smoke. "What…what _happened?!_"

"An act of war," muttered Tsunade as she stood up, her fists tightened out of sheer fury. That Sawa would even try a stunt like this…even with their alliance with Iwa and Kumo, this would not go without retaliation!

It just wouldn't.

_Oda Nobunaga…you'll pay for this dearly. You underestimate the will of fire of the Leaf!_

xxxx

**_END PART II, ARC I_**

xxxx

Author's Note: …that battle went longer than I thought it would. Eesh.

Anyhow, chapter 367 has revealed that Naruto's mother is Uzumaki Kushina…and that his dad is Namikaze Minato (AKA the Fourth Hokage). So it's official. I don't intend to change Kazama Arashi though. I'll stick with that name to the end.

Speaking of names, Oda Nobunaga. Yes, I know it's the name of a historical figure. But even Nobuhiro Watsuki took some liberties with historical figures like Saito Hajime. I CAN DO THE SAME

Also, this is the longest chapter of Legacy ever. Be grateful…cause there's more coming!

Couple notes: Hope you all like the new techniques I made for Yamato and Sai (and the bit of freaky psychoness with Sai at the end). Also, does anyone else think that Sakura is guilty of uber pwnage in episode 26 of Shippuden?

also omg will udon and moegi make it

FIND OUT SOON. Or not. Maybe. Expect a new chapter in a week or so.

See you soon, and please review!


	38. Jiraiya's Continuing Investigation

Author's Notes: Though the beginning of war was quite intriguing to write about, it's time to move back to our favorite perverted hermit! Wonga.

Begin!

xxxx

/One Month After Nobunaga's Attempted Assassination of Tsunade/

/Hitonomi Island, Northwest of the Main Island, Water Country/

_I hate fairytales,_ thought Jiraiya with a growl as he sipped some sake from a cup.

Fairytales…old stories, tall tales, fables, folklore, pretty much anything along those lines. They were supposed to be just that: tales that were befitting of childhood silliness such as fairies. Stories such as those of Jack scaling the giant beanstalk, only to meet a giant up top. Granted, Jiraiya didn't have much room to knock them in terms of believability (after all, giants could be summoned, beanstalks could be grown as a _**Mokuton**_ jutsu, and…well, he didn't know if a castle could float in the sky). But the material in the tales was supposed to be false, bogus, phony!

That's what he had initially thought about the island's elders' tales of an old stone giant that was bound in the mountains.

But now, sitting inside a once sealed-off cavern that held a six-eyed Gatekeeper Golem, he was ruing his former disregard of fairytales.

But would a castle in the sky be even possible?

_And why am I even thinking about that?_ The Ero-Sennin grumbled. The last several weeks had been too much of a hassle.

After hitching a ride on Gamakappa to the Water Country, Jiraiya had found his movements hindered substantially.

The primary reason was civil war.

The previous two coups by Goukamaru/Kisame and Zabuza had dangerously weakened the clout of the Mizukage…not the man (no, there was practically a new Mizukage every few months. There was always someone vying for the position of top dog), but the position. The office. The title of Mizukage, considering how often it had changed hands, was now considered a weakness. Frustration and discontent with the various lords of the Water Country – especially concerning the weakening of the country's government over the years due to constant bloodletting – had been at their peak when something horrible had happened.

Kisame's corpse had been returned to Kirigakure following the battle with Akatsuki, along with his broken sword: Samehada. His body had been cremated and lain to rest with his sword alongside his brethren in the Tomb of the Mist's Swords, where all of the Seven's predecessors were buried (the lone exception was Zabuza; his corpse had never been found by Kirigakure. Neither had his sword: _Kubikiri Houcho_, the Head-Chopping Cleaver).

Both Kisame and Samehada, in the course of one night, had vanished.

The speculation and worry in the air had ignited into a frenzy. It hadn't helped that Kisame had once initiated a coup himself; people left and right were worrying whether he had returned from the dead to wreak havoc upon the Mist, or whether someone had stolen his ashes and sword to deliver a message to the Seven. Either way, the Seven did _**NOT**_ appreciate the fact that the tomb had been ransacked.

It had been the spark that started a full-blown conflict.

However, it had been relatively short. The Seven were legendary for a reason; combined, not even a Kage could stand up to them.

The Seven Swordsmen – for there were at least several apprentices waiting in the wings to replace those who died or abandoned the Mist, as had been the case with Goukamaru, Kisame, and Zabuza – had led a bloody revolt against Kirigakure itself. Factions of Kiri-nin, following the lead of the Seven, helped tear down the entire Hidden Mist. The Mizukage had been assassinated, and the village leveled. What followed was the swift subjugation of the entire country, and territory was split between them all.

Kisame and Samehada's thieves were never found.

But now the Seven were starting to become a little feisty amongst each other; territorial conflicts were slowly becoming more common.

For example, Hitonomi Island. It was being disputed by two of the Seven: Saito Ueshima the Wolf and Tokugawa Sanosuke the Strong Arm. Tensions around the island and its citizenry were very uncomfortable now…and why wouldn't they be? They hadn't asked for this. The island's denizens mostly minded their own business.

Oh well. War wasn't picky. It was impartial that way.

At the very least, the constant patrol of this island by those loyal to Ueshima and Sanosuke made moving about difficult. Considering how fragile the political situation was, the discovery of one of Konoha's Sannin on the island would only ignite tensions.

News from outside the Water Country was slow; the havoc amongst the Seven and the rest of the land warded off most foreigners. The Mist and their effect on the Water Country's international relations had long been known…but first news of the Seven's nationwide coup had initiated a halt in most shipping. With that halt of shipping, came a halt of incoming people. With a halt of incoming people, came a halt in news. With a halt in news, came a halt in information.

Jiraiya hadn't been able to contact his informants at all since coming to Hitonomi Island. That was his second difficulty; a lack of information about current events always made him feel on edge. For a man who had lived the past several years of his life connected to an information network spanning over the entire world, DEDICATED toward the pursuit and discovery of an international crime syndicate…being disconnected from his source of knowledge was like being blind and deaf at once.

Of course, there was the third and final difficulty: the mountains of Hitonomi Island were a damned headache to navigate.

Tall and spindly, crisscrossing each other…stark cliffs, and the mountainsides easily broke down just by stepping in the wrong spot. He had no idea why he had given so much credence to those old tales of the island's blasted stone giant…but hey. He was separated from his information network. The presence of Kiri-nin on the island had forced him to forego the usage of any chakra-intensive techniques while they were there. He was cut off from the outside world.

So why not? Search away! Search for that blasted fairytale! At least it would give him something to do until the Kiri-nin took a break from their patrols.

Then one day, part of the mountainside had crumbled upon his footstep, revealing a cavern.

A BIG cavern.

The cavern he now found himself in.

Large and nearly spherical, an eerie luminescent light radiated from blue stalactites on the roof, illuminating the Gatekeeper Golem situated on a ledge far a way. Far below, he could see a pool…but it reflected everything. Jiraiya wouldn't have been surprised if it was actually part of a tunnel that led to the ocean, much like the river near the five-eyed Golem in the Fire Country. A number of ledges lined the cavern; those had allowed Jiraiya to edge his way to the large ridge that the Golem sat on.

The ledge Jiraiya was now on.

Over a month, he had been here…and he had ended up finding something very interesting.

Jiraiya grumbled. _Stupid stories. They could have at least had the courtesy to come out and say whether they're true or false. The suspense just isn't fair!_ Taking another sip of his sake – his lone comfort during the wait here – the Gama-Sennin took a measure of the damage to the Golem.

Its arms were cracked and crumbling, bearing blackened stone that signified the use of explosives. Considering numerous gaps and crooked holes along the Golem's torso, the Sannin surmised that explosive notes had been used on this thing. Extensively. So much so that its bottom jaw was missing. It hadn't been completely destroyed…but so much so that it probably couldn't serve its intended function so well. The sight of a nearby tunnel – caved in, to hide this cavern's presence – led Jiraiya to the conclusion that humans had long ago tried to destroy the statue as best as they could.

And the presence of six eyes was interesting.

According to Mantarou's words, a six-eyed Gatekeeper Golem would require SIX Biju in order to operate it.

Quite frankly, Jiraiya thought it was a load of bunk. Demons and other summoned creatures tended to be very unfriendly toward each other. The idea of the Great Tailed Demons cooperating to open gates between the worlds, upon further analysis, seemed farfetched at best.

Yet Mantarou had managed to open a gateway to Makai anyway.

So how?

It merited further investigation. Perhaps Tsunade had discovered something on her own while he was gone? _Who knows; maybe her luck will be better for a change._

Wait. Tsunade? The Legendary Sucker? Luckier than _him?_

_My God, I have to get off of this island. I'm going loony!_

Jiraiya grumbled as he slowly emerged from the cavern, gazing out towards the turbulent sea. As turbulent as his thoughts.

But he did notice one thing. A large ship coming towards the island. Wooden, with large white sails. A cargo ship with a load of supplies.

Understandable. Even the Water Country couldn't hold off trade indefinitely. Instability as the status quo? Not forever.

At least his way out had now presented itself.

But first: a stop at the local bazaar. He had to stop by the clothing store…and then the barber's. After all, they sold some pretty good wigs…

xxxx

/Port, Hitonomi Island, Water Country/

A Kiri-nin watched silently as crates of oranges were hauled off of the boat. He couldn't be lax; he had been slated to watch over this cargo ship…and he wouldn't put it past Tokugawa's thugs to destroy the ship and thereby damage Saito-sama's credibility.

This island was to be Saito Ueshima's!

"Well, this is all of it," muttered the ship's captain, his bandana soaked with sweat. "A couple of the islanders are coming aboard. They're paying their way."

The Chuunin nodded. "I see no harm in it." Let the islanders leave if they wanted. Cowards. Undeserving of Saito-sama and his protection.

Several of the island's denizens warily traversed up the ship ramp, hauling their belongings along with them. Their looks were tired, their bodies slumping. These people were unaccustomed to war.

The Kiri-nin grumbled. Weaklings.

"Hey, hold up!"

The Chuunin turned…and paused. "Eh?"

A man stood in front of him, wearing wooden sandals and weathered khakis. His torso was covered only by a purple vest, revealing a all-too hair chest and a gut that could use some sit-ups. Black dreadlocks cascaded off of his head, ending at the waist. His thick sunglasses somehow managed to stay on his head, which was bobbing back and forth in a timed manner.

The Kiri-nin blinked. "Um…"

The man reached into the large blue backpack on his back and pulled out a small handful of ryō. "Just want a trip to the mainland."

The Chuunin stared, wondering why in the world the man was bobbing his head back and forth (and was he muttering 'What is love?' What the?). For that matter, where had they man come from? His patrols had never revealed any man such as this…or anyone with dreadlocks. "Uh…sir, who are-?"

"AGH!" yelped the man as his head suddenly begun gyrating and twitching uncontrollably, as though his head were about to pop off. The Kiri-nin could only helplessly stare at the old man as he suddenly shouted, "Just hold on! I'm regaining it!" His hyperactive motions finally slowed down…and his bobbing resumed. "There. I've regained the beat."

"The beat? The beat of _what_?"

"The beat of life!" exclaimed the hippie as he kept bobbing his head back and forth. "It's all a rhythm…the wind, the trees, the currents of the water…all of it moves to one tune, one sound…live by the beat, and you live as nature itself! And it weaves a sound in the head that you can't help but groove to!"

The Kiri-nin sweatdropped, staring as though the man had said 'Kirigakure is a peaceful place!' He glanced over at the captain, who calmly shrugged. "Hey, money's money."

"Sweet!" exclaimed the man as he followed the captain aboard the boat, his dreadlocks swinging in motion with his head.

The Chuunin of what had once been the Hidden Mist suddenly felt like taking a breather.

That guy had been just too _freaky_.

xxxx

The ocean water churned as Jiraiya took off his wig of dreadlocks, smiling at the vanishing coast of Hitonomi Island. "And who says I can't be hip?"

"You looked like a lunatic," muttered the captain, staring out at the foggy horizon. "Why didn't you just use _**Henge**_?"

"True, a Henge is more precise than a regular disguise, but it uses chakra. Considering how closely those former Kiri-nin were observing the locals for chakra usage, even a Henge would have been detected. And the discovery of one of the Legendary Three would have made things even worse for the people there."

"So you went to the trouble of dressing up as a crazy hippie who could have passed himself off as a bum at the same time. You're such a softie."

Jiraiya snickered as the captain chuckled. He was one of Jiraiya's informants, as well as one of the few who arranged for any overseas transportation that the Gama-Sennin would require. The captain continued, "A lot of boats have been fleeing to the Fire Country over the past several weeks. I overheard a refugee from Hitonomi describing your physical appearance, and I decided to arrange a shipment of goods to this place. Took some finagling, but I thought you'd appreciate it."

The Sannin chuckled. "I'm touched, but you know me. I would've found a way out eventually. No need to stick your neck out."

"That's not the only reason," said the captain as he scratched at his clean-shaven chin. "I heard something very troubling…the hyperactive brat's old lady is about to croak."

Jiraiya's eyes darkened at what that bit of code meant.

Hyperactive brat meant the Yondaime Hokage.

"Ah. I see." _So her cancer has almost claimed her…_

His time was short then. There was one last piece of information about the Yondaime that he had never been able to find out…and his mother had guarded that information with a jealous frenzy. This would be his last chance to find out.

"I suppose I should visit her then." Jiraiya turned towards the captain. "Anything else of note?"

The captain nodded. "It concerns the River Country."

And so Jiraiya listened.

The River Army. The invasion of the Wave Country. The rout of the invasion by Team Seven. The simultaneous invasion of the Rain Country. The assassination attempt by Oda Nobunaga on Tsunade. The public proclamation throughout the continent of the might of _**Raigunryo**_, the fall of Amegakure and the Rain Country, and the alliance between Iwa, Kumo, and Sawa. The resulting tizzy as refugees from the Rain Country fled for the countries of Fire and Wind, even as the River Army clamped down on their new territory's borders.

At the very end, Jiraiya exhaled out of irritation. "My my. I'm gone for over a month and things go straight to hell. Oy!" The Toad Hermit leaned back, reaching for his bottle of sake. "I suppose I'll have to cut my investigation short and go back." He had really wanted to go to Kinmachi and try to discover the location of Mantarou's place of birth in that valley…alas, it would do him no good now. Now with the Yondaime's mother about to die, and with war on the verge of breaking out en masse.

Oh well. He had discovered enough anyway. He had verified Mantarou's journey here, along with the fact that he had offered to destroy the demon plaguing the island's denizens: Akudaija the Five Tails.

As far as Mantarou's history was concerned, he had no doubts that it was true. It was just that there were some details about the Biju and the Gatekeeper Golems that needed clarification.

All of that could be settled later; right now, he thought of the River Country.

_Hmm. The River Army and Sawagakure are now allied with both Kumogakure and Iwagakure…what a mess. I'd best make my visit to the Lightning Country quick then._ There was also the Water Country to consider; considering the current civil war that gripped it, it was unlikely that whatever remained of the shinobi of the Hidden Mist would bother with what was occurring on the continent. Any potential alliances with the Mist were all but impossible now; the situation in the Water Country was just too tense. _Such a shame. An alliance with Kirigakure and the Water Country would have allowed Konoha to stage an operation from a temporary base there. The Wind Country's practically next door to the Water Country. We could have reached Suna without having to cross through the River Country. Iwagakure would have been prone to a combined attack by Suna from the south and Konoha from the west…but that's impossible now._ The Sannin sighed out of irritation. With Otogakure all but dead, the Sound Country was basically up for grabs…and while the Fire Country was directly to the south, two nations - the Claw Country and the Fang Country – sat between the Sound and the Lightning. Neither the Claw nor the Fang possessed shinobi villages of their own; Kumogakure would be able to easily overtake them. And to the Sound Country's west was the Snow Country, followed by the Waterfall Country…and then the Earth Country.

Jiraiya rubbed his nose to try and ward off the impending headache. The Snow Country, despite the presence of its own shinobi village – Yukigakure – was ill-equipped to handle Iwagakure. There was also the River Country's northward march to consider; the Sannin had no doubt that the River Country would attack the Grass Country, followed by an invasion of the Waterfall Country. The Earth shared borders with the Rain, the Grass, and the Waterfall; those smaller nations would be consumed by both River and Earth. The Snow Country would inevitably fall afterwards, once the River Army had safe passage along the continent towards its borders.

It didn't take long for the wizened man to reach a conclusion.

If the Fire Country did not take possession of what remained of the Sound Country soon, it would be nigh impossible to prevent Kumogakure from converging with both Iwagakure and Sawagakure. The three allies would all be connected by their conquered territories…and the Fire Country would be completely isolated. The Wind Country was already almost isolated as it was; the only thing separating Wind from Earth was a small line of nations, and they would be hard-pressed to stop a full-scale invasion by Iwa. Heck, he wouldn't be surprised if some nations would end up suing for unconditional peace.

So many factors, so many variables, so many unforeseen scenarios…

Jiraiya could only sigh as he sipped directly from the bottle. _I'll need a lot more sake at this rate…_

xxxx

**_PART II_**

**_ARC II: RISE OF THE IKS_**

**_Jiraiya's Continuing Investigation. The Last Words of Kazama Arashi's Mother!_**

xxxx

/Four Days Later/

/Hospital, Toratori, Lightning Country/

Near the southern border of the Lightning Country was a rather small town, situated in the middle of a large, coniferous forest. Mostly humdrum and out of the way, nothing special…but its hospital held a very special guest.

Jiraiya – appreciating the cold, crisp air after being stuck in the warm, muggy atmosphere of Hitonomi – calmly entered the door of the two-story hospital. The floors were a bit dull, and needed polishing; the halogen lights were flickering. This place needed a good cleaning and refurbishment. Alas, Toratori was small enough that the people there could afford not cleaning the place up once in a while. In any case, he already knew his way to the right room.

Room 201.

Jiraiya paused in front of the door, glancing at the two cloaked men standing by the entryway. "Hello. Came to see the old lady."

"You do know that one of the Sannin coming here is highly suspicious," grumbled one of the men. The mask of an Oinin – Hunter-nin, members of Kumo's Undertaker Squad and a subdivision of the Cloud ANBU – could be seen beneath the hood. "Recent tensions make your arrival here very…unsettling."

"Eh, I heard she was about to die. No sense in not paying her one last visit." Jiraiya took note of their uneasy postures. Not that he could blame them; Konoha, thought not technically an enemy, was someone to be watched out for. The slightest indiscretion could be misconstrued as an assault on Kumogakure…and would thus spark a war between the trio of IwaKumoSawa and Konoha. But Jiraiya knew better. "I've come plenty of times before. After all, I knew her son quite well."

The hunter-nin scowled. It was a well-kept secret amongst the upper echelons of Kumogakure's shinobi that this woman had been the mother of Konoha's Yondaime Hokage, widely regarded of one of the most powerful shinobi in the history of the world (many wondered how powerful he would've been had he been allowed to reach his prime; to this very day, people would still compare Kazama to Sarutobi when he had been at his prime, wondering whom was the stronger). Needless to say, it was quite a sore point amongst Kumogakure…but then again, considering the nature of Arashi's birth, they would've killed him on sight as an infant.

Finally, the two Kumo-nin stood aside.

"Much obliged," calmly replied Jiraiya as he stepped inside.

The room was dim, and low on lighting. Most of the light came through the window; the sunlight illuminated a bed that housed an old, frail figure. Covered up to the waist by a dirty blanket of blue cotton, her green smock wrinkled. Her head, which had once held red hair that cascaded down her back, was completely bald; a side-effect of chemotherapy. Her face, wrinkled with age, still managed to exude a calmness that belied her predicament (perhaps she had long excepted the fact that she was going to die). Crystal blue eyes gazed out the window, ignorant of the man who had just walked in.

Jiraiya took note of the single IV bag connected to her arm. Morphine. Probably to ease the pain of her illness. "So. How're the lungs?"

The lady turned towards Jiraiya. "…damnable things. They don't like me." Cue coughing.

The Sannin winced at the wet, thick sound coming from her throat; her lung cancer was undoubtedly terminal. "Hmph. Look at you…Namikaze Yukina, Jonin of the Hidden Cloud…reduced to such a state."

"Age and disease can do a lot," whispered the old lady.

Jiraiya smirked. "True. Perhaps you'd like me to call you by your alias when on missions? Hmm…ah yes. Kazama Kushina, right?"

Yukina scowled. "You know I don't like that name."

"Bearing a child with a foreign shinobi…very risky." The Sannin calmly pulled up a chair beside Namikaze Yukina, acting as if he hadn't heard her objection. "Very fortunate that you found someone willing in Konoha to take him in."

The elderly Kumo-nin frowned. "Braggart."

"Hey, I was just as surprised as anyone when you left a blonde baby in the hands of my sensei." It had been as much of a surprise to anyone when the kunoichi, masquerading as Kazama Kushina, appeared before the Sandaime Hokage when he had been returning home from a mission. She had been carrying a bundle of cloth, which within had lay a blue-eyed baby with golden hair. "You had been deemed a Nukenin by the Cloud, and were targeted for death. It only speaks of how much you loved the kid."

Yukina sighed. "You don't need to talk as if I do not know…I remember clearly."

xxxx

/Yukina's Flashback/

/41 Years Ago, Outside Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"Show yourself," the 31-year-old Sarutobi Saikyou grumbled, snuffing out the tobacco in his pipe. He had wanted to have a smoke before getting back to the village; considering how long he had been out of the village, there'd be tons of paperwork to do. He LOATHED paperwork.

And now someone was sneaking up towards him. Quite well to be so quiet in the dense forest (not good enough to escape his hearing, however), which meant the person had shinobi training.

His suspicions were confirmed the moment a woman with long red hair and eyes as blue as the sea emerged, holding a bundle of blankets in her arms. She also bore a Cloud hitai-ate atop her forehead. "What's a Kumo-nin doing here so close Konoha?"

The woman stared at Sarutobi in silence, as if trying to figure out who he was. After analyzing his face – particularly the angular brown goatee and spiky brown hair that curved around the top and back of his head – she asked, "Are you the Hokage?"

"Yes. I am Sarutobi, the Sandaime."

The woman's tension seemed to lessen. "I am Kazama Kushina, a Jonin of Kumogakure. I was waiting to talk with you until you were alone and away from any crowds."

Saikyo's eyes narrowed. A Jonin. She had obviously been tracking him for at least a few days. An assassin? "State your business with me."

Kushina sighed. "To be more accurate…I am a Nukenin. I've been listed as one for almost ten months now."

"A Nukenin?" Sarutobi's mind swirled, thinking of the various reports he had read. He recalled one, listing new additions to the Bingo Book. One of them was a red-haired Kumo-nin named Namikaze Yukina. That had been nearly ten months ago. "You must be Namikaze Yukina."

The kunoichi's eyes narrowed. "I am Kazama Kushina."

"Very well 'Kushina'…state your business with me. I'm due to return to my home soon."

"Understood," said the woman as she held out the bundle of blankets. The face of a baby with golden blonde hair could be seen, sleeping silently. "This is Kazama Arashi. He's my son. I'm leaving him here."

Sarutobi Saikyou blinked. "W-what?"

The woman smiled. "On my last mission, I was instructed to spy on an Iwa-nin…going by the alias Kazama Kushina. Unfortunately, I ended up getting impregnated by him."

"A Jonin becoming impregnated?" Sarutobi looked perplexed. Self-discipline was practically ingrained into every Jonin (well, maybe not in the crazy ones). "I find it hard to believe that you succumbed to your target."

"He was a notorious playboy and a devilish charmer. So sue me." Kushina scowled. "I don't have a _**kekkei genkai**_, nor do I belong to a noted clan. But I know what would have happened if I went right back to my village while pregnant."

"…hmm. Point taken." Although Konoha was rather lenient regarding such matters, the same could not be said of other villages. Whereas a kunoichi in the Leaf would be permitted to go on leave to take care of a child, impregnated kunoichi in the Mist or Cloud would have been forced to abort it (that it was the child of the ninja of another village was just icing on the bloody cake). After all, those particular villages were placed under far hardier conditions than Konoha; to take leave due to pregnancy was forbidden for a kunoichi. Starting a family always had to wait until retirement for shinobi, considering how valuable a ninja was as a resource. "You said the father – your target – was an Iwa-nin. Why not leave the child with him?"

Kushina smirked. "Leaving my son with a perverted lecher? I think not. Besides, I think the same fate might have befallen Arashi there."

She didn't catch the twitch on Sarutobi's face at the words 'perverted lecher'. "Hmm. But why here in Konoha? Why not someone with a sympathetic ear in Kumo, or somewhere else in the Lightning Country?"

"Don't really have any family or friends of my own. Besides, you guys have a reputation for being 'tree huggers' for a reason." Kushina inhaled the sweet air. Kumogakure was located in a cold, mountainous region…far less hospitable than Konohagakure's warm climate. "I think he'd turn out better here anyway."

The woman was exceedingly forthcoming. Sarutobi Saikyou stared silently at the woman, trying to fathom why in the world she would risk so much just to come here. "Where are you going to go now?"

"Back to Kumogakure."

"You are a Nukenin. You will not be welcomed."

"Eh, I had a pretty good record when I still served. They might be lenient," said the kunoichi handed Arashi to a hesitant Sarutobi. "Well…so long."

Sarutobi Saikyou blinked as she turned away. She would leave her son so readily? But no…it wasn't that. It wasn't a question of wanting to get rid of the child. She wanted a better life for him. And he would not have had a life in Kumogakure. Literally. "…Kazama Kushina."

The kunoichi paused.

Saikyou formed his next words thoughtfully. "…anyone who wonders where this boy came from will be told that Kazama Arashi was left on an orphanage's doorstep in the middle of the night…and I will make sure to keep an eye out for him."

"…thank you."

She kept on walking, never turning back. Not even once. The last words she could catch were curious mumblings about whether or not the boy had been weaned yet.

And so her son slept peacefully, slumbering in the arms of a man who he would eventually succeed as Hokage.

/End Flashback/

xxxx

"Well, I see you're alive. I take it the Cloud was lenient on you when you returned?" asked Jiraiya.

Yukina shrugged. "Eh, somewhat. Was tortured and interrogated for about two weeks, enduring starvation, dehydration, electroshock torture, and the surgical removal of my ovaries." It had been retribution for abandoning Kumo for the sake of an illegitimate child. "Had to spend about three months in the hospital to recover…then I returned to active-duty." After all, shinobi were a precious commodity. Especially those who had lived long enough to become Jonin.

Jiraiya sweatdropped. "Eesh. No wonder you brought your son here. Still, I wonder…" He stared quietly at Namikaze Yukina, as if preparing himself to gauge her next reaction. "You've never told me about Arashi's father. And I _sincerely_ doubt that you would have been able to keep his name away from the interrogators…after all, he WAS your target."

"True. The Raikage was worried that he would have tried to use our son to strike an illicit deal with Kumo…it was for that reason that he made my interrogation last as short as it had. Besides, given his well-known history of perversion amongst Iwagakure, it was assumed that he would completely forget about me before moving on to his next fling." Yukina noted the odd glint in Jiraiya's eyes. "And no, you're not more perverted than him. He was a pervert among perverts."

Jiraiya twinged. "That was a low blow."

"In more ways than one?" cracked Yukina. She suddenly started coughing yet again.

Jiraiya grimaced; the woman's coughing was worsening. "Anyhow…mind telling me his name?"

Yukina just stared.

"Oh come on!" grumbled a frustrated Jiraiya. "I took it upon myself to use my information network to find any information about the boy's parents, going off only the name 'Kazama'. You realize how many favors I had to call in to find out where you were?!"

Yukina nodded. The man was surprisingly persistent; then he had again, he had made no secret of how much he had cared for Arashi, the boy who was once his student. "Why so headstrong about the matter? My son is dead. I don't see why finding out about his father would confirm or verify anything one way or another. Considering that man's personality as I remember it, I doubt he'd care."

"Oh please. He might be dead for all we know. You have no way of knowing."

"Might be hard to verify whether he's life or dead anyway. Word went out that he became a Nukenin about five years after I was pregnant with Arashi." The old lady sighed wistfully, her smile mirthful at the thought of an ironic situation. "Heard that he left because of a woman that he married…isn't that hilarious? That that playboy settled down with someone?"

Jiraiya huffed out of irritation. "I don't know the name of that 'playboy'. How would I know if the whole situation was supposed to be hilarious or not?"

"Eh, true…" Namikaze Yukina smiled, remembering her short time with that man. "I just don't see the point of it."

"An orphan became Hokage. Do you really think his sensei wouldn't be curious about his true origins?"

Yukina could understand that line of reasoning; an orphan, becoming the Yondaime Hokage? Surely people would want to know if he belonged to a bloodline of note. "Alas, you know my blood is not special…and my target did not possess a noted bloodline at all. I was supposed to learn of his research regarding seals…but needless to say, circumstances prevented me from accomplishing my mission." She coughed yet again.

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. Seals. The Iwa-nin that had been Arashi's father was apparently doing research on seals. _Do I know of anyone like that…?_

Yukina suddenly laughed. "I remember laughing so hard…when I learned that the man had married and left Iwagakure. It was so contrary to that charming pervert I knew! Must have been some lady to warrant that…heh heh…" She suddenly convulsed. "Hu_**HACK!**_" Blood dribbled down her chin as she suddenly laid back down, breathing in silence.

The Sannin frowned. She was about to die.

"Hmph. I don't owe the man anything…he almost ruined me…but we did conceive a Kage, so that counts for something." Namikaze Yukina, alias Kazama Kushina, lightly smiled as her body began to endure its last moments. "But…underneath the pervert…so sweet and charming…" Her smile widened as her eyes closed, her last words being to the one she had once fallen in love with. "I was glad to have met you…Uzumaki Keihan…"

Jiraiya's eyes nearly popped out of his head. _What did she just say? She did NOT just say that._ "Say that name again."

No answer.

Jiraiya didn't even need to look. He knew she was gone.

But more importantly…he knew who Arashi's father was.

It had been Uzumaki Keihan, father of Uzumaki Mantarou…and grandfather of Uzumaki Naruto.

_I'm going to need a LOT more sake._

As he turned around, the two hunter-nin stepped in. One asked, "Did she die peacefully?"

"Yes." Jiraiya smiled sadly. "I think she did."

"Then leave us to our work."

The Sannin nodded as he left room 201, which was about to become a very messy room.

Namikaze Yukina was about to endure the fate all shinobi were fated to endure.

In any case, Jiraiya had other thoughts to attend. Namely…UZUMAKI KEIHAN! He was Kazama Arashi's dad?! _Geh…this is just great. GAH._

The talk about 'seals' should have been his first clue. Mantarou had told of Keihan and his mastery of seals…more knowledgeable than anyone else in Iwagakure, perhaps in the world. Enough knowledge to create seals that could bind more than one Biju to a human, and enough knowledge to undo the curse seal of the Hyuga.

But still, the ramifications of this were immense.

Kazama Arashi was the son of Namikaze Yukina – a Jonin with relatively powerful Genjutsu and Taijutsu skills from Kumogakure – and Uzumaki Keihan, a Nukenin that had been the father of Akatsuki's Leader.

A match made in heaven…or a one-night stand, as the case may have been.

He probably should have seen it coming to. After all, considering how Mantarou had spoken of shock and disbelief at how much both Arashi and Naruto had resembled Keihan in appearance, he should have been able to make SOME connection. Heck, it wasn't as though Jiraiya hadn't done some thinking himself; there had even been times when he had looked at Naruto in the past and wondered when Arashi had had a kid.

Of course, he had always reminded himself every time that Arashi had died before he could ever find someone else to love…

Such a pity.

But this new piece of information…it was almost…_infuriating!_

It meant that Kazama Arashi, the beloved Yondaime Hokage, was the older brother of Uzumaki Mantarou, the hated Leader of Akatsuki.

_Bah. Makes me fell ill._

Though, now that he thought about it, it meant Arashi was also Naruto's uncle.

…_okay, that sort of makes up for it._

But still…why couldn't have been some other random ninja? It just HAD to have been Keihan. Seriously! It was like some half-cooked soap opera plot. _For crying out loud, I used this exact scenario in volume nine of Icha Icha Paradise! Volume two's main character Toshiro had had children with his sweethearts Keiko and Kikyo, and Kikyo's daughter Kagome had turned out to be an important princess while Keiko's daughter Botan had become the leader of a band of thieves…of course, then they fell in love with the rogue mercenary Hiei, leading to a threesome…oh yes._ "Heh heh."

Let the pervert have his moment.

Jiraiya suddenly shook his head. _Okay, now…where was I?_

The Sannin just grumbled as he continued his southward trek. Thinking about it now, it wasn't that bad…but it was unsettling as all-get-out.

Uzumaki Keihan was Arashi's dad and Naruto's grandfather. Which meant Arashi was brother to Mantarou, making him Naruto's uncle. That also made Rin the daughter-in-law of Keihan AND Arashi's sister-in-law!

No wait, Mantarou had never legally married Rin. So there was THAT scenario down the tubes…and thank goodness to. He'd had enough weirdness for a while. Maybe it would have been better if had never been so curious about Arashi's lineage…to just let him remain as 'The Wonder Kid from Nowhere!'

…nah. He couldn't have been that mean to his student. Besides, he had been curious as well. And he HATED being curious and not finding out the reason why. It was his nature to discover such things (perhaps a habit picked up after years of eavesdropping on the whereabouts of Akatsuki?). Even if said things made him want to briefly erase his short-term memory.

_Ah, to heck with it._ He grabbed his bottle of sake and drank. "Ah…much better!"

/One Day Later/

Jiraiya was now one mile into the Fire Country's borders, standing atop a series of hills that overlooked a flat forest of firs and pines. He had traversed both the Fang and Claw countries over the course of yesterday afternoon and the night before; considering the tense situation regarding the IwaKumoSawa alliance, he didn't want to stay outside of (relatively) safe ground for too long. "Hmm…good to be back home."

How long had he been gone? _Let's see, I went straight to the Akatsuki's cavern the day that the battle with Mantarou ended, then I came straight to Hitonomi Island on Gamakappa…I was there for…about seven weeks. Then there was the time I took to go see Yukina…so…fifty-eight days. Nearly two months._

Such a long time, when he thought about it. And most of it had been spent being stranded Hitonomi, not accomplishing very much. _Stupid Swordsmen. Stupid Kiri-nin. Couldn't they have at least kept their civil war AWAY from Hitonomi Island? Bah._

However, his thoughts couldn't help but turn to Naruto.

How…how was the boy?

Was he even alive?

Jiraiya sighed…and then he blinked. He had a source of information in Makai, now that he thought about it.

_Ah! A SUMMON! Gama-Bunta!_

The Sannin couldn't help but grin with glee as he bit into his thumb, performing the necessary seals. "_**Kuchiyose ****no jutsu!**_"

_BOOOMF!!_

An enormous cloud emerged over the immense forest, and the toad within flattened the trees. Jiraiya's grin remained plastered on his face as birds fled from the cloud, which slowly dissipated…to reveal a naked toad.

Holding a scrubbing brush.

Which he was using to scrub his back.

Causing bubbles to lather.

Jiraiya stared. "…"

**_"…"_**

"…"

"_**What?"**_

"…what are you doing?"

**_"Well, I WAS taking a bath. Can't you see that? Have your eyes gone blind after too much peeping?"_**

Jiraiya just couldn't help but stare. It was just too bizarre of an image to see. Gama-Bunta had always had a pipe. And his blue robes. And his dagger. "It's just…"

Gama-Bunta looked annoyed. "_**What? Even toads and frogs need to take a bath."**_

Jiraiya finally sweatdropped.

"_**Well, I don't see any enemies. Why'd you summon me?"**_

"Oh yeah!" Jiraiya finally regained his wits. "Naruto. I need to know."

"_**What about the brat?"**_

"ANYTHING! How is he? Have you seen him?!" Jiraiya grunted as he finished his exclamations. He needed to calm down. Perverts needed to have a calm and level head if they were to stalk their prey with ease. Losing his cool so easily just wouldn't be cool.

Gama-bunta grumbled as he kept scrubbing his back. _**"Makai is a rather boring place, as far as new events go. We demons tend to be far more predictable than you humans…which is why we gossip about anything exciting like nothing else."**_

"And?"

**_"Can you imagine the furor that arose throughout Makai when Kyuubi no Yoko, one of the Ten Tailed Demons, returned after being gone for over fifteen years?"_**

"…well, not really. It must have been big."

**_"Now imagine that kind of gossip multiplied tenfold because two humans came along with him. Visitors coming to use my home's hot springs talk about nothing else!"_**

Two humans. Mantarou. Naruto. "Any information about the humans?"

Gama-bunta frowned. _**"Don't know much about the first one. Guy with a black cloak with red clouds. Seems to be hiding somewhere, as far as I know."**_

Jiraiya nodded. Understandable. Mantarou had nearly died in the last battle with Naruto; he had to have been in hiding. No one opened all eight Celestial Gates without incurring some injuries…he imagined Naruto would be safe from him for a while. Then again, it had been two months…when would Mantarou be on the move again? "And Naruto?"

**_"Not much. He's been staying with the Fox Demon Tribe at the Genshirin Highlands. I hear about foxes and kitsunes yipping about…I think they're glad that the Kyuubi's back."_**

"Well, I'm not that surprised. I'm sure that he must be like the Hokage to them." He briefly wondered what the hierarchy amongst demons was. Were there any beings higher than the Biju? "But…is that all you know?"

**_"I'm afraid so."_**

Jiraiya frowned. So that was it. _Hmm…oh well. At least I know he's alive._ That alone soothed him to no end. "Thanks Gama-Bunta."

**_"Feh. Don't mope. Summon me in a week and I'll tell you how the brat's doing."_**

Jiraiya's eyes widened. "Eh?"

**_"Why do you think I'm cleaning up, fool? That brat and the Kyuubi's coming straight to Mt. Myoboku!"_**

"REALLY?" Jiraiya felt uncharacteristically elated. This was even better! A first-hand account of how Naruto was doing! "Don't worry, I'll summon you in a week!"

Gama-Bunta snorted. **_"Only because I'm letting you, fool. Besides, I know how much you care for your students. It's the least I can do."_** The Boss Toad then disappeared.

The perverted Sannin chuckled as he continued his trek to Konoha. His spirits felt immeasurably higher; despite the ominous feeling brought about by the knowledge of the IwaKumoSawa alliance and the brief bewilderment from learning about Arashi's father, he was feeling quite perky now. He'd finally be able to put some doubts to rest.

One week. One week.

The Gama-Sennin chuckled as he thought about how Tsunade would react to this. _I'd better make sure we're both in the presence of sake. The best way to express celebration is if you're gripped by the drink, freed of inhibition…well, MOST inhibition._

Besides, he'd take any excuse to have a drink with Tsunade-hime.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

**_The Gathering of the Slug and the Toad; Jiraiya and Tsunade's Discussion of the Past, Present, and Future._**

xxxx

Author's Note: I like writing about Jiraiya. His character is easy to slip into. Not a lot of action, but the last chapter should have had plenty. Pacing, people!

Kisame's corpse has also been stolen! I smell conspiracy. :O

Sarutobi Saikyou. A name has been given to the Sandaime. WHEN WILL MY MADNESS STOP

On a side note, if any of you mentally replaced Jim Carrey with Jiraiya in that infamous 'What is Love?' SNL skit, then I've done my job.

Now, onto the next chapter! Featuring ANBU and the grand return of Shino (yes, shocking!).

See you soon, and please review!


	39. The Gathering of the Slug and the Toad

Author's Notes: Hmm. The air is becoming colder.

THIS GREATLY PLEASES ME.

Also, I made a mix-up in the last chapter; I thought Kubikiri Houcho was a fanon name for Zabuza's sword, so I made up a new one. Apparently not. (goes to fix)

Now let us see if I can satisfy your Naruto cravings. Brief note for those who might have been confused; although Kyuubi was freed when Naruto used the ninth tail of power, Mantarou forced Kyuubi to return all of his power back behind the seal. Remember, he said that the positions had been switched; while Kyuubi was in control, the seal was holding NARUTO'S spirit behind bars (because the Kyuubi's body was simply Naruto's transformed by all of the Kyuubi's chakra). But because the Kyuubi had willingly returned his power into Naruto's body, he's now back behind the seal (if that wasn't the case, Kyuubi would have immediately returned outside of Naruto's body before Mantarou opened the doorway to Makai). I mean, after all, you can't break the God of Death's seal THAT easily…but you'll eventually see what happens.

Yet one more brief note: make sure to go back and reread the story every now and then to refresh your memory. I've been correcting some misspellings and typos so as to make everything a more consistent reading. It's a good thing.

But first, a serving of Shino.

Begin!

xxxx

**_The Gathering of the Slug and the Toad; Tsunade and Jiraiya's Discussion of the Past, Present, and Future._**

xxxx

/Seven Days After Jiraiya's Meeting with Gama-Bunta/

/Northern Wall, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

The shinobi frowned as he readjusted his sunglasses; the late afternoon sun was irritating to his eyes. "My apologies," remarked the shinobi, speaking quietly to the dozens upon dozens of bugs inside his eye sockets.

Aburame Shino, if asked, would not have said that he was emotionless.

Just very detached from human affairs.

Reconstruction of the outer wall was almost done; after it had been torn apart by the Oto-nin during the previous invasion, repairs had begun posthaste. Most of the village structures that had been damaged by the joint attack by Akatsuki and the Sound were now repaired…and a good thing to. With the possibility of war on the horizon, Konoha's attention would need to be focused abroad.

The shinobi stared down far below from his perch on the wall, staring at the people milling about. From above, they seemed as ants..

People were always using a lot of analogies for human existence in the world of insects, but that was a misconception. Insects were too orderly. Each insect lived according to his own instincts, his own biological programming.

A drone existed to protect the queen ant, to fight for the colony's food, and to impregnate the queen.

Workers existed to build the colony, to forage for food, and to defend the colony should they be attacked.

The queen simply existed to prolong the colony's existence.

That was it. They fulfilled their duties as best as they could. No emotion involved; the queen laid eggs and was impregnated by multiple drones. If the queen were a human, she'd be considered a sex slave with a uterus of steel, especially with how many young she birthed. The brief thought of insects taking on human characteristics actually made Shino smirk a bit.

Insects were much easier to converse with than humans. No-nonsense and pragmatic. They always foraged to obtain food. They attacked anyone that attacked them. Simplistic. No emotional baggage to get in the way. In that way, the Aburame envied them; humans, being creatures whose emotions tended to be paramount, often acted very irrationally. Irrationality led to accidents…and death, in some cases. Rationality was one of the things that a shinobi should aspire to; it allowed for calm and lucidity in a tense situation. Alas, humans weren't perfect, and Shino shared in those weaknesses like every other human.

Given his lifetime amongst the pragmatic insect world, emotionally charged humans like his teammate Kiba tended to be – as Shikamaru would say – 'troublesome.' But he couldn't fault anyone; even he was not immune to the need for acknowledgement from his fellows. He just didn't need as much; if he was acknowledged as a good shinobi, that was enough. Heck, he would settle for people just remembering his name. After all, he was fully aware of the fact that humans put a lot more emotional significance to such things that insects did for granted.

While drones fought because that's what they were born to do, shinobi in Konoha were taught to fight for other reasons. Honor. Duty to the village. To fight for one's allies. To protect your friends, even at the cost of your life. A drone would think nothing of seeing a fellow drone fall in battle to a termite or an ant of another species…but a human, seeing a friend fall in battle? Scarred for life, or something along those lines.

While worker ants built colonies because that's what they were born to do, human workers put pride into their works. They attached pet names and silly terms to the things they built, out of appreciation of the hard work they put into it. A man building a home for family or friends put even more significance into the event. Workers never paused to admire their works; they didn't have enough time to spare.

While queen ants gave birth because that's what they were born to do, men and women attached immense emotions to the whole process. Having sex was something symbolic between a man and a woman…of course, such definitions differed from person to person. Some made love for pure physical enjoyment. Some had sex for love. And the end result – a child – carried enough weight that a man, upon holding his child for the first time, would most likely be swept up in emotion and cry. Love? Affection? Romance? A queen ant was too busy giving birth to bother with such things.

True, an ant's life was far more predictable and oppressive than a human's. Humans could choose to be as free as the wind, while ants were confined to the ground from day one. But Shino still couldn't help but appreciate their pragmatism…especially considering how human emotions could work negatively as well.

Anger. Hatred. Sadness. Even love could become deadly…for instance, Hinata. He had actually worried that she would have broken down under the pressure of what fate could have befallen Naruto…but she had managed to rebound quite well. Even if she couldn't help but tear down any anti-Naruto poster she saw. Not that he could blame her; such actions were not only pitiful, but utterly contemptible from a logical standpoint as well.

The point of such posters was beyond him. Why attack someone who might have been dead? Why attack someone who was merely a vessel for the demon, and not THE demon? The feelings Naruto must have felt…he could understand those feelings well. As an Aburame, he was a vessel for the kikaichu…but that didn't mean he WAS a kikaichu. That would be like saying that the jar that held honey also had to be made of honey. It didn't make any logical sense.

_Human emotions are fickle._ Too fickle for his liking, in any case.

Shino's ears buzzed as several kikaichu stepped inside, relaying information to him through an intricate pattern of steps and dances. _Hmm. Incoming person with a high chakra level._ Several beetles trickled out of Shino's eye sockets, flying towards the general area his scouts had relayed to him. Although his scouting beetles had a long-range of sensory capability, their visual acuity was less than satisfactory. In order to obtain a visual confirmation, some of the beetles in his eyes – a strain of kikaichu bred specifically for human-grade eyesight – would have to investigate. An unfortunate facet to this strain was that excessive sunlight was too irritating to their optical senses (hence why the Aburame wore sunglasses; not just to hide his eyes from those who would be too disturbed, but also to aid the bugs who served as his eyes).

In the meantime, he calmly investigated a small red beetle that crept out from under his sleeves. _Hmm. This strain seems to be acclimating well with the original colony._

Shino had been dealt quite a blow by Mantarou.

Due to the man's immense amount of chakra, Shino had sent out a good number of his kikaichu to sap his chakra, only to have them annihilated by one massive blast. Over half of his colony…gone in an instant.

Unacceptable.

Shino had been overdue to have a new strain of kikaichu placed with his body anyway…but it didn't make the loss hurt any less. Human that he was, Shino couldn't help but be attached to the bugs he had been bonded with since birth. The kikaichu only regarded him as a source of nourishing chakra and a warm host body in their symbiotic relationship, but Shino couldn't help but regard his allies as more than just tools. He wasn't overtly emotional about the loss, but it hit hard all the same.

Though the definition of being 'hit hard' for an Aburame was vastly different from anyone else's definition.

Basically, Shino had sat silently with a heavy frown on his face before moving on to have another colony implanted into his body, his brows furrowed all the while.

Translated to 'Normal People' body language, that meant crying their eyes out.

Hey, he's an Aburame. Give him a break (for that matter, did those who had fully embraced the symbiotic talents of an Aburame have tear ducts? It would have been awfully inconvenient for the bugs in the eyes to be cried on).

In any case, the red beetle on his wrist was only one of several thousand. A special strain of the kikaichu, recently bred into existence by mixing several species with the Aburame kikaichu. It possessed strong jaws and bore paralytic venom in its twin mandibles. A more offense-oriented bug, but a suitable replacement for his lost allies. Since these red kikaichu were directly related to the black kikaichu in his body, they had managed to adapt relatively well. Nevertheless, he kept the red kikaichu constricted to the Inner Coils around his arms and upper torso, giving the older kikaichu a chance to move around the rest of the body. He'd let them mix and interact slowly; if there was an incident and his colonies attacked each other out of instinct, it'd do him no good at all.

Part of his vision suddenly flickered. The beetles he had sent out coagulated together, focusing in on the target.

Shino saw a glimpse of spiky white hair and a horned hitai-ate…red vest…large build…

Jiraiya.

Shino relaxed. One of the Sannin. No harm. The Chuunin glanced over at his fellow shinobi on watch duty, performing a few hand signals that were translated as: 'Konoha-nin. Southbound. Coming to North Gate. Sannin.'

They got the message: it had to be Jiraiya.

Indeed, Jiraiya's spiky-haired form could be seen walking out of the forest to the north minutes later, walking at a rather leisurely pace. The Aburame briefly wondered if the Sannin was aware at all of the recent developments.

If not, he was going to be in for a rude awakening.

Shino sighed once more; although he was slightly irritated by the boredom associated with guard duty, he knew it was essential to the function of the village's defensive parameter.

Human emotions were really vexing.

Nonetheless, it was almost entertaining to have to deal with them in such a manner. At least Kiba's bombastic reactions to his deadpan nature offered some amusement.

xxxx

/Main Streets, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

_Man, everyone is way too tense_, thought Jiraiya with a frown as he munched on the tip of a gyoza – ground pork, cabbage, and chives wrapped in a skin of dough, forming a kind of ravioli dumpling - savoring the flavor of the meat. "Mmm. Good flavor."

His observations of the populace were only cursory, but it wasn't hard to notice. There was an almost frenzied atmosphere in the markets; people were buying and selling wares and goods as usual, but the tense air, the overwhelming feeling of unease…the news of the IwaKumoSawa alliance was weighing down on everyone like lead. Whispers of possible war drifted from ear to ear. The Sannin couldn't fault them; memories still lingered of the last wars with the Stone and the Cloud. Those wars had been costly…and considering the recent invasions by the Sound and Akatsuki, the idea of a war with THREE shinobi villages at once was too much.

That was all without the River Army factored in.

Jiraiya grimaced as he chomped into his gyoza, Frightful conversations concerning the River Army could be heard every which-way. Not surprising; an entire country had fallen in the span of a week. It was unheard of; terms such as 'Kurohyougunsha' and 'Nobunaga' were part of the everyday vernacular now. Beforehand, he doubted most people even thought of Sawagakure, or knew where to find it on a map.

Of course, the attempted assassination on the Hokage had something to do with it.

Jiraiya gulped down the last of his gyoza. True, that ploy Nobunaga had attempted had been cunning…but it still ticked him off at the underhandedness of it all. Had anyone actually died, he'd have been far less appreciative of its ingenious (to say the least). Only two children – the teammates of Sarutobi's grandson – had been harmed. Nevertheless, it was an outrageous act. One that wouldn't go without reciprocation.

But nothing had been done, last he had heard. Was Tsunade preparing something? It would do Konoha no good to back down and do nothing in the face of such an upfront attack. It put the Hidden Leaf in a tough spot: attack and incur the swift retaliation of Iwagakure and Kumogakure, or do nothing and let Konoha's image of strength deteriorate in the face of Oda Nobunaga, Sawagakure, and _**Raigunryo**_.

The Toad Sage scowled as he steadied the large bottle hanging by the waist, filled to the brim with sake. _That man is crafty…Oda Nobunaga. He's going to be a handful for us._

Thoughts of how to deal with the IwaKumoSawa alliance filled his head as he entered the Hokage's Palace.

xxxx

/Hokage's Office, Hokage's Palace, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

_Where in the world is that damn pervert?_ thought Tsunade with a scowl as she gazed out the window. Surely his investigation wouldn't have isolated him from current events regarding the River Country. It wasn't as though investigating anything regarding Mantarou or the Gatekeeper Golems would have been more important than Konoha being threatened by the IwaKumoSawa alliance!

…wait, what if he was following a lead on how to get Naruto back. That would have been more important…right?

"Feh," grumbled Tsunade as she stood resolutely, staring outside of her office window at the village below. It seemed as though Naruto's abduction had been the spark that that ignited all of these problems. Right now, she needed all of Konoha's pieces on the chessboard, and Jiraiya was one of the most powerful. "Jiraiya's taking too long. Where is he?"

An arm looped around her neck, the hand attached to it lightly caressing her right breast. Its owner cooed, "Aw, I didn't know Tsunade-hime missed me _that_ badly…"

"_**PISS OFF!**_"

**BAM!!!**

Tsunade glared furiously at the new Jiraiya-shaped hole in her office's wall. "Great. Now I have to call the carpenters AGAIN."

The perverted hermit chuckled as he stepped out of the mound of wooden debris, rubbing the newly formed bruise on his face. "Oh come now, I barely even touched you."

"Jiraiya-baka," spat Tsunade, her glare absolutely venomous. "You don't grope the Hokage. **Ever**."

"Eh, it's not the worst thing I've done."

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched. The one incident in their younger days at a hot spring resort, when Jiraiya had snuck into the women's bath…while she had still been inside. That had been when they were both twenty-two…oh yes. He had gotten his just rewards. "You're saying you'd rather be in the ER right now?"

Jiraiya smirked as the Hokage cracked her knuckles. "I'm more inclined to partake in irritation than physical pain right now." His mood deadened with seriousness. "I'm here to report on my findings…and to talk with you about what to do next concerning Sawagakure's _**Raigunryo**_."

Tsunade's touchiness faded immediately. No longer feeling like pummeling the Ero-Sennin into oblivion, she sat back down in her chair. "Okay…tell me what you've learned."

"First things first." Jiraiya pulled out two _sakazuki_ – thin, plate-shaped cups of porcelain – from inside his vest, placing them on the desk. "Sake?"

Tsunade mentally calculated the risk. Drink with Jiraiya while they talked. Let her headache continue to grow while they talked. Sake and Jiraiya. Headache and Jiraiya. Sake. Headache.

"Pour."

Easy choice, eh?

She needed to talk with Jiraiya anyway, so she might as well go for the more enjoyable option. Besides, she tended to have headaches a lot lately. Lack of sleep due to the tense situation regarding IwaKumoSawa…then again, she had lost a lot of sleep since becoming Hokage. Sipping the alcohol slowly, she muttered, "Hmm. Not bad."

"Thought you'd like it."

"Now talk. Start at the beginning of your investigation."

"I first set out to discover Akatsuki's hideout." The Gama-Sennin sipped from his cup, the light of the setting sun reflecting off of his hitai-ate. "Very tricky…VERY tricky."

"Really?"

Jiraiya snorted. "Nearly got killed!" He took another sip. "Course, I came through without getting scratched _too_ much…"

"Braggart," growled Tsunade.

Jiraiya twitched. _I got that from Yukina. I don't need it from you too!_ "Anyhow, I verified that the Level 5 Gatekeeper Golem had been in that cavern…verified that _**Ukiyoenka no jutsu**_ was real…there was a large tunnel that led to an underground river nearby."

"Underground river?"

"It went all the way to the ocean…though in hindsight, I was more interested in the tunnel." Jiraiya gulped down the rest of the sake in his cup, pouring in more from his bottle. "Too smooth, too even…like it was carved out by something that wanted to get to the underground river. Couldn't tell exactly in the dim light."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "What are you inferring?"

"Not sure yet. I'll make note of it for a later subject." Jiraiya refilled Tsunade's sakazuki. "Hitched a ride with Gamakappa to the Water Country so that I could verify that he did indeed strike at Akudaija the Five Tails from Hitonomi Island…I did. That's it."

Silence.

"…**WHAT?** That's all you found out about Mantarou?!"

The male Sannin shrugged. "I was stranded on Hitonomi Island for over a month and a half. You've been listening to what's been going on in the Water Country?"

"I've been busy with affairs here. Besides, news from the Water Country has been slow lately." Her eyebrow rose at Jiraiya's sudden bout of snickering (was he muttering 'slow news'?). "What?"

Jiraiya gazed straight at Tsunade. "The Water Country is in the midst of a civil war."

The Hokage's eyes widened. "_What?_"

"Yep. Happened right as I arrived at Hitonomi. Kisame's corpse was stolen…you know, the swordsman who was Itachi's partner." Jiraiya grimaced at his dismal memories of being stranded on that godforsaken isle. "Once word spread, the Seven Swordsmen and their followers killed the Mizukage and annihilated the Hidden Mist. The Water Country was subjugated, the feudal lords were ousted out of power, and the Seven have now split the country apart into individual territories. Hitonomi was being contested by two of the Seven…so leaving proved to be a bit of an impossibility for a while."

The Slug Queen grumbled as she sipped from her sake, relishing its taste. It had been a while since she had been able to get a drink. This job was just too stressful. Why had she taken it again? Oh yeah…it was because of the blonde brat who was currently AWOL. _Stupid Naruto, getting kidnapped like that._ "So…anything of note happened there?"

"Found a Level 6 Gatekeeper Golem."

Tsunade's eyes snapped open. "Another one?"

The Toad Sage nodded in acknowledgment. Before he could speak, he briefly noticed the look of contemplation that came to the Slug Queen's eyes. As though something clicked…had she figured something out as well? Had the idea of using multiple Biju to open the gateway to Makai seemed illogical as well? "More sake for your thoughts?"

As Tsunade let Jiraiya refill her small sakazuki, she replied, "The Godaime Kazekage came to Konoha while you were gone."

"Ah. Gaara. And?"

"He showed me this." She reached into one of the bigger desk drawers, pulling out the same scroll she had been showed by Gaara: the journal of the Sand Priest. "It belonged to the Sand Priest who was the first known host of Ichibi no Shukaku…" Unrolling the parchment, she paused at the image of the Desert Colossus. "The spirit of the One Tail first emerged from this statue."

Jiraiya paused at the sight of the Level 1 Gatekeeper Golem, the gears in his head turning. What did this entail? _Gather all current information and tally it up before forming a conclusion_, mentally noted the Sannin. He mentally listed everything he knew about the Gatekeeper Golems.

Mantarou had discovered the Level 5 Gatekeeper Golem in a deep cavern that led to an underground river, and had somehow discerned it was the only one left that was still intact (which was of great interest to Jiraiya; how had he discovered that?). He had used the power of five Biju – Zerobi no Kyojini, Ichibi no Shukaku, Sanbi no Soraryu, Gobi no Akudaija, and Kyuubi no Yoko – to open a gateway to Makai.

Long ago, a Level 1 Gatekeeper Golem had stood in Sunagakure. The spirit of Shukaku had emerged from it.

The remains of a Level 6 Gatekeeper Golem stood inside a small, hollow mountain on Hitonomi Island.

What did this add up to?

Nothing much…but the discrepancies…

"Considering that there are Ten Tailed Demons…and that the Gatekeeper Golems are tied to them somehow…" Jiraiya stared at his reflection in the cup. He was getting too old to look so serious. "I surmise that a Level 0 Gatekeeper Golem once existed for the No Tail, while a Level 9 Gatekeeper Golem existed for the Nine Tails. I highly doubt that the Biju would cooperate to open even one of the Gatekeeper Golems…there's just too much animosity to go about." Jiraiya thought back to when Mantarou had opened the gateway to Makai. _Think! THINK!_

xxxx

/Jiraiya's Flashback/

/The Final Battle against Mantarou/

/17 Miles Northwest of Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Mantarou aimed his right hand towards the Gatekeeper Golem, his fingers outstretched. He was calling upon the essences of each Tailed Demon, their chakra – unique and unlike the chakra of any normal demon – glowing red on his fingertips. "Zerobi no Kyojini!" A red line rushed from his thumb to the golem's first eye on the far right. "Sanbi no Soraryu!" A red line rushed from his index finger to the golem's second eye. "Gobi no Akudaija!" A red line rushed from his middle finger to the center eye.

The Gatekeeper Golem twitched. Its eyes started to open.

"Ichibi no Shukaku!"

A red line rushed from his ring finger to the fourth eye. The hands loosened, falling to the ground. The position struck Kakashi as the image of a man trying to crawl out of a hole in the ground.

"And finally…Kyuubi no Yoko!"

A red line rushed from the pinky to the final eye on the left.

The Gatekeeper Golem's mouth opened, its perfectly flat teeth gleaming in the sunlight.

At that moment, an explosive blue light erupted from inside the golem's mouth, swirling to form a vortex…no, not even that. A tunnel. A PORTAL.

A gate to Makai had been opened.

/End Flashback/

xxxx

_Think!_ Jiraiya scowled. The chakra of the five Biju had opened up the gateway to Makai…but something seemed out of place. _Think…_

xxxx

"_Gobi no Akudaija!" A red line rushed from his middle finger to the center eye._

_The Gatekeeper Golem twitched. Its eyes started to open._

xxxx

Jiraiya blinked.

xxxx

"_**Gobi**__ no Akudaija!"_

_The (__**Level **__**FIVE**__) Gatekeeper Golem twitched. Its (__**Five…FIVE…**__) eyes stared to open._

xxxx

Jiraiya smirked. _Ah ha…_

Tsunade drank as she glanced at the suddenly thoughtful look on her old teammate's face. "Figured something out?"

"I wonder…" Jiraiya gazed straight into Tsunade's chocolaty brown irises. "What if the number of eyes on the Gatekeeper Golem instead had something to do with the number of tails a Biju has?"

Tsunade mulled over this as she sloshed the sake around her mouth, letting the gums soak in the taste. _Hmm…yes, it sounds plausible. Not a lot of hard evidence though._ Swallowing, she remarked, "It's mostly speculation though."

"True. The only other thing I can bring up is that tunnel in the cavern where Akatsuki's hideout had been." Jiraiya thought about the scenario carefully. "If Gatekeeper Golems correspond to only one Biju, it would explain why the Level 1 Gatekeeper Golem released the Ichibi no Shukaku, or why the Level 5 Gatekeeper Golem only started to activate once Mantarou provided the chakra of Gobi no Akudaija. As for the tunnel…I can only guess, but perhaps Akudaija dug out the tunnel to get to open waters? That underground river went ALL the way to the ocean."

"Hmm…very nice circumstantial evidence, but not a lot to go on." Nevertheless, it did make more sense than Mantarou's theory had. It was much more plausible. Even so, there still remained questions. Where had the Gatekeeper Golems come from? Most likely Makai, but when? And why? If they served as a gateway, then – if Mantarou had been correct about there being only one Golem left – how had the Kyuubi been able to come from Makai to Konoha? Had the Level 9 Gatekeeper Golem been destroyed since the attack fifteen years ago?

Why why why.

_Too many whys,_ mentally grumbled Tsunade as she finished another cup. "More."

"Hey, make it last. There's plenty of time to talk," muttered Jiraiya as he poured more sake into Tsunade's cup.

Another thought crossed the Hokage's mind. "Ah…you mentioned something about Kisame's corpse being stolen." She recalled the details as relayed to her by Sakura concerning the pilfered graves near the Wave Country. "Another pair of corpses went missing recently: Zabuza the Demon, and his partner Haku."

The Gama-Sennin frowned. Two other corpses…and one of them had been one of the Seven Swordsmen as well. "A coincidence?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. Given the way things are going, I bet it's something bad." Too many things were happening at once. Why couldn't a Hokage rule in relative peace? _Stupid Akatsuki. Stupid Oda Nobunaga. Stupid River Army._

"In any case, one of my informants took the initiative to get me a ride out of the Water Country. That's where I learned about everything happening concerning IwaKumoSawa…"

"Yeah. They're formally calling themselves the IKS. Apparently acronyms make them feel 'hip'."

"IKS…easier on the tongue, in any case." **I**wa**K**umo**S**awa. A triple threat of immense proportions. Jiraiya poured himself another cup. "I would have been back sooner, if not for one important detour."

"What could be that important?"

"Namikaze Yukina."

Tsunade paused. Yukina…alias: Kazama Kushina. "…was she dying?"

"Yes." Jiraiya remembered that Tsunade had never gone to meet Kushina. Understandable; although the Yondaime had been close friends with the Sannin (well, except with Orochimaru, who had never liked the blonde wonder kid), Jiraiya had had a far greater bond with Arashi than she had.

"…I see." The medic-nin sighed out of remorse, wondering just how much the man cared about anything involving Kazama Arashi. It was only through his efforts that the existence of 'Kazama Kushina' had even been confirmed. That kind of intense loyalty to one's students was one of Jiraiya's more noble qualities (and it wasn't hard to have a more noble quality when he was so perverted, haughtily thought the Hokage with a smirk). "Did she have anything of importance to say?"

"Arashi's father was Uzumaki Keihan." Jiraiya already knew what Tsunade's reaction would be.

The Hokage blinked, staring with slightly widened eyes. Then she downed her entire cup in one gulp. "Pour."

Jiraiya mentally chuckled as he poured Tsunade another glass. _Knew it._ "I know. I was shocked as well…can you imagine it? The Yondaime, brother of Akatsuki's Leader, uncle of Naruto…what a messy family tree."

"I don't want any details…my headache just came back." As if things hadn't been confusing enough. Now the Yondaime had weird relatives. Next thing she knew, she'd find out that Kakashi was her stepbrother, or that Jiraiya was actually her cousin, or that…that…oh, who even cared anymore. The sake was starting to make her think of truly impossible scenarios. "Meh…" Her thoughts drifted to the Leader.

Uzumaki Mantarou.

Had he done anything to Naruto since going to Makai…? He had espoused that he loved his family above anything else…willing to kill all demons to make sure what happened to him never happened to anyone else…and yet…he was willing to kill Naruto to get the Kyuubi?

"Uzumaki Mantarou…" Tsunade slowly sipped her sake. A flush had come to her cheeks now due to her inebriation. "A contradiction. A self-proclaimed 'lover of family'…willing to kill the only family he has left."

Jiraiya chuckled. "True, it does seem odd." The Sannin remembered his somewhat raunchy comments immediately following Mantarou's retelling of the night he had conceived Naruto with Rin. "I think…" The Toad Hermit paused, remembering how Mantarou had threatened him with a very crude castration. It had almost seemed out of character…but after some thought, it had spoken of something else entirely. "…I personally think Mantarou was stricken by the contradiction before him. I caught a glimpse of it when he recalled that he had learned of Naruto's existence from Orochimaru." The Sannin's face twinged at the thought of Orochimaru. "He treasured his family more than anything else…be they his parents, his mentor Hyuga Hiatari, his friends Ryu and Koshu, his lover Rin…that is why his hatred of demons is so all-consuming. Demons – directly or indirectly – took the lives of all of them, which is the reason he wants to go to their world and kill them all. But then Naruto comes into the equation…and suddenly things get tricky." He placed his sakazuki on the desk, leaving both hands free. The right hand's index finger went up. "Naruto is Mantarou's son…part of his family. BUT," His other index finger went up. "Naruto is also the vessel for the Kyuubi, one of the Biju that he devoted his life to capturing for the sake of making it to Makai." Both fingers prodded against each other. "Which one takes priority?"

Tsunade let the thought linger in her mind, settling in like fog. Although the sake was beginning to cloud her thought processes, Jiraiya's suggestion made some modicum of sense. "Even so…Naruto is his child…"

"Hence his frustration with me." Jiraiya snickered. "Sure, I was out of line…but it allowed his psyche to filter out of that shell of his, if only for a moment. Past that calm façade of Akatsuki's Leader was the pure rage of Uzumaki Mantarou the Demon Slayer…but even further beneath that was the memory of each and every person he considered as part of his family. He considers Naruto a part of his family…but Naruto is bound to a demon that he loathes." In a way, Mantarou's continued attempts at getting Naruto to stop fighting had been an indication of that contradiction at play: he truly didn't want to kill his son. "Hmm. His rage would drive him to kill his own son…but his love of family was in the way. That contradiction was what made him unleash his frustration on me."

"In either case, you had it coming," snorted Tsunade.

"Oh please, you know underage kids aren't my type," grumbled Jiraiya with a self-righteous snort. "Full-bodied women…truly the vision of paradise…" A wickedly perverted smirk came to his flushed face. "Heh heh."

Tsunade snarled. "Damn pervert."

"_**Super**_-pervert."

"Pig."

"More like one who appreciates the finer things in life."

Sighing out of annoyance, the Hokage decided to get things back on track. "So…all in all, you only discovered some information regarding the nature of the Gatekeeper Golems, you verified some aspects of Mantarou's history, and you found out that he actually has a brother named Kazama Arashi." Tsunade practically spat out that last bit. "All in all, not a very productive two months."

"Beyond my control, my dear Tsunade-hime." His eyes hardened. "In any case, I'm curious as to how you're going to respond to Oda Nobunaga for that stunt he pulled."

Tsunade's eyes hardened as well. _Damn it. And I was enjoying the sake as well_. "I have a particular ANBU unit in mind. It should be ready by the end of the week."

"Ooh. Something big planned?"

"Something discreet," muttered Tsunade, her anger flaring. That man had committed a grave error by initiating an assassination attempt during a diplomatic meeting. Reciprocation would follow soon…but Tsunade had no intention of killing Nobunaga. Not yet anyway. "It won't be pinned to us though…"

"And the two kids that got injured?"

Tsunade frowned, remembering Udon and Moegi. "Hmm. The paper that they used for the explosive tags was laced with a unique powder that reacts to liquid to become an acid. Even though Sakura, Shizune, and I were all there when they were injured, the acid had already begun eating away at their cells on a microscopic level. Fortunately, we managed to extract the acid out before it caused any fatal damage…but therapy has been strenuous." She sighed out of true frustration; it was as if Oda Nobunaga had specific designs to make her headache grow as a giant. What should have been a relatively routine healing process was now five times trickier and more harrowing. "All in all, depending on how things turn, they have a seventy percent chance of getting back on their feet, while they have a thirty percent chance of being screwed for the next couple of years."

Jiraiya blinked. "Yikes."

"But I want your ideas about how to deal with the IKS."

"Ah, yes…but first, I want to know something about the Wave Country invasion."

Tsunade arched an eyebrow.

Jiraiya continued, "If I recall the information correctly, various pieces of machinery and weapons were destroyed or abandoned in the Wave Country once the River Army invasion force was routed. What happened those?"

Tsunade smirked. "Ah…although most of the tanks, rifles, and motorcycles were melted down and turned into scrap, I had some of the rifles and tank parts shipped off to a former ANBU who happens to be an excellent bladesmith and an expert on weapons. He'll be studying them and adapting them as best as he can…the River Army's technology is unlike anything we've seen before, but I'm sure he'll be able to deduce how they work."

"Hmm…" Jiraiya's mental gears clicked when he realized who she was talking about. "Ah…Tenjho Youchi. Kinryu, the Metal Dragon?"

Tsunade nodded.

Jiraiya grinned. That man had had an impressive record back in the day. "His proficiency with weapons is top-notch. Where is he?"

"His warehouse is hidden somewhere along the border between the Rain Country and the Wind Country."

Jiraiya immediately frowned. "He might be discovered."

"I know. It took a lot of discrete maneuvering on our part to get the parts to him." Tsunade leaned back in her chair, resisting the urge to scratch the itch on her chest in front of the pervert. "I sent Kurenai's team. They had to sail the parts overseas to the Wind Country to avoid the eyes of Sawagakure and Oda Nobunaga. Youchi rendezvoused with Team 8 in a port town on the southern edge of the Wind Country and took the parts with him the rest of the way. I can only hope he can stay out of trouble."

"Eh, he'll be fine…" Hopefully. The man was crafty, but even he would be hard-pressed to keep the eyes of the IKS off of him. "But in any case, I do have one idea in mind about what we should do next." The Gama-Sennin let the sake on his tongue dance about as he recalled his thoughts from the boat ride to the mainland. "Were it not for the current situation in the Water Country, I would suggest initiating an alliance with them so that we could launch a joint assault with Suna from a temporary Water Country base. Attacking the Earth Country from the sea to the west while Suna's forces struck from the south…but that's out of the picture."

"And?"

"Considering the weakness of the smaller countries compared to the combined force of the IKS, I doubt it would take long before the Earth and River countries conquer the Grass, Waterfall, and Snow countries…and the Lightning Country will steamroll over the Fang and Claw countries. The three countries will converge at one point."

Tsunade's eyes glimmered in the dull light of her office. "The Sound."

"Yes." Jiraiya poured another cup. How many drinks had they had by now? "Konoha has no choice but to occupy Orochimaru's former territory if we're to keep Kumo from converging with the forces of Iwa and Sawa. If not, they'll be able to pierce the Fire Country in a combined assault."

"…our chances will not be good of holding off Kumo from the east and Iwa and Sawa from the west if we DO claim the territory of the Sound."

"It's our best chance."

"And the odds are _**NOT**_ in our favor."

"The odds are never in your favor, _Legendary Sucker_."

Tsunade's mouth scrunched together. "Hmph." Jiraiya's ensuing chuckle only caused her to loosen up; how long had it been since she had been able to drink so much? The job was so stressful, and – despite her rather excellent job at keeping away from the drink in excess since becoming Godaime – she had missed the nights where she could just drink away her troubles (the ensuing hangover notwithstanding). If nothing else, Jiraiya knew how she ticked. "…Sarutobi-sensei…Orochimaru…things are so complicated now…but back then, everything was simpler. We fought alongside our sensei in missions, and we protected Konoha as the _Densetsu no Sannin_…the Legendary Three Ninja…"

The corners of the Toad Sage's mouth slightly drooped. "True…" His mind drifted back to the days before Orochimaru's defection. "He denied taking a student for so long…but then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, he recruits cadets straight from the Academy to mold into his 'specialized Genin'…"

"And things seem fine for a few years…then…" The Hokage's gaze darkened. They had known something was going awry. The odd looks and quiet expressions on the face of Anko and her seven fellow students. The experiments inflicted upon them by Orochimaru to craft perfect soldiers, seeking out the limits of the human body…they had all kept quiet, due to loyalty. Loyalty to a man who had been a Sannin, one of Konoha's most renowned warriors. Of course, there had also been the mysterious disappearances of several civilians and shinobi. "Then he put the Curse Seal on his students…" All but Anko had died from the pain of having the Curse Seal put on their bodies…and she had been scarred for life. That pain, and the cursed chakra, had twisted the kunoichi's mind to a point where it had almost been a mirror of Orochimaru's bloodthirsty psyche. Tsunade had never forgiven the snake for that. "Then he leaves…and one year later, your student dies."

Jiraiya frowned, feeling a great deal more sober than he should have been. "Yeah…we try so hard to push forward and make life better for the people we care for. But then bad things happen, and we're practically crippled by the experience. Always one step forward but three steps back…"

Tsunade chuckled bitterly, remembering her old weakness. "At least you had the courage to move on…to keep living. I couldn't let go of the stains of Dan and Nawaki's blood." _Nawaki-kun…Dan-san_. Their deaths had anchored her to the past for so long.

It wasn't fair. How come the most devastating wounds came from those you considered precious…be they by word, deed, or death?

"Hmm…I suppose." In all honesty, Jiraiya had an anchor of his own that he had shared with his late sensei. He had always wondered if something had happened to trigger Orochimaru's change. Surely the pursuit of power hadn't been _**THAT**_ corruptive…right? _Could we have stopped him…?_ The Gama-Sennin remembered that he had been the last person to see Orochimaru as he fled from Konoha. From that day forward, Orochimaru's name always had to be connected to 'Nukenin'. _Could I have stopped him?_ Had he done everything possible?

Why?

He had always been envious of Orochimaru's gifts…of his natural talent with jutsus of all kinds. The boy had been a prodigy…but they had been teammates. And despite the annoyance Orochimaru would always exhibit around him…he had treated Jiraiya like a teammate as well.

How had it all gone so wrong?

"Now my buzz is going away…" grumbled Jiraiya.

Tsunade grumbled, a sad smile on her face. "Well, it won't last forever anyhow…" Her thoughts turned to a certain blonde. It had always felt like he'd always be there, always making a wreck of everything. Always being loud, shouting out 'I'M GONNA BE HOKAGE!' Silly kid. "It hasn't been long, but it feels like it's been forever since Naruto was kidnapped."

"Hmm…true. It does feel longer." Jiraiya stared quietly into his sakazuki…and then he froze. _AGH! I almost forgot!_ He quickly stood up, resisting the wooziness that gripped his frame. "Come. I need to show you something."

Tsunade's twisted expression would have been accurately described as a 'frustrated scowl mixed with a look of expected annoyance'. "I'm in no mood for your perverted shenanigans. I'm not _**that**_ drunk."

"NO! I'm about to summon Gama-Bunta!"

"…and?"

"He's going to tell us what's been happening with Naruto! Last I heard, the brat was heading straight for Mt. Myoboku!"

Tsunade's eyes widened. Was this really true? "You're not pulling my leg…are you?"

"I **never** joke about my students," replied the Sannin with a grin. "I even timed my return for the scheduled rendezvous."

The Godaime Hokage immediately downed her last cup of sake and woozily stood up. _Damn it. Drank too much._ "Then help me get outside of the village. We'll need room if it's Gama-Bunta."

Jiraiya smirked as he looped his arm around Tsunade's shoulder, letting the Hokage use him as a crutch. "Always a pleasure to serve you, Tsunade-_hime_."

"Oh stuff it."

xxxx

/Honorstone, Outside Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Night.

Nothing but stars in a cloudless night sky. The waxing crescent moon only provided a bare amount of extra light…but it wouldn't be that hard to see Gama-Bunta. You could hardly miss him.

"Okay missy, here we go." Jiraiya resisted the hiccups that threatened to emerge from his throat. "Time to prepare the summoning technique."

The Hokage stood silently as Jiraiya etched the necessary lines of blood along his palm; her heart was practically dancing right now. For one thing, she knew without a doubt that Naruto was alive…and she was about to hear about his status! "Would it be possible for him to come home with Gama-Bunta?"

"If he still had a contract with the toads, I might have been able to work something out," replied Jiraiya with a sudden grimace. He hoped Gama-Bunta hadn't torn Naruto to shreds for switching contracts from the toads and frogs to the fox demons. "But we'll just have to settle for a relay."

"Don't let him sit on the Honorstone," warned the Hokage.

"Wouldn't think of it. _**Kuchiyose ****no jutsu!**_"

Jiraiya slammed his palm into the ground…and nothing happened. "…"

Tsunade stared. "…what is it?"

"Don't know." The Toad Hermit growled. _The sake in my system can't be messing me up THAT badly, could it?_ "Let me try again. _**Kuchiyose ****no jutsu!**_"

Nothing.

"WHAT GIVES?!" yelled Jiraiya with a frustrated yelp.

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched. "You **are** pulling my leg."

"**NO!** That's not it! I'm doing the jutsu right, but I'm not getting anything!" Jiraiya cast his worried eyes on Tsunade. "Summon Katsuyu. Maybe she could tell us what's going on in Makai."

The Hokage rolled her eyes. "Fine…_**Kuchiyose ****no jutsu!**_"

_POOF!_

An immense cloud of smoke popped into existence; within its shrouds lied the giant white slug with blue vertical stripes: Katsuyu, the queen of the slugs. "YES?"

Tsunade glanced over at Jiraiya. "Ask her."

The Gama-Sennin nodded, looking up at Katsuyu's eyestalks. "Katsuyu!"

"YES?"

"How far away do you live from Mt. Myoboku?"

"MY JUNGLE HOME LIES ABOUT FIFTY MILES TO THE EAST OF MT. MYOBOKU."

Jiraiya's eyes sparkled. _Perfect!_ "Have you heard anything about the Kyuubi and his blonde-haired host heading there recently?

"YES. THEY ARRIVED AT MT. MYOBOKU FIVE DAYS AGO AND LEFT TWO DAYS LATER. THEY HEADED SOUTH FOR THE OCEAN."

A smile came to Tsunade's face. _Naruto…you're alive…_

Jiraiya was still not satisfied. "But I can't summon Gama-Bunta. What gives?!" It wasn't as if the Boss Toad would have been able to refuse either; the nature of summons was that their summoned bodies in Ningenkai were simply manifestations of their original bodies – including whatever weapons or clothing they had on their person at the time – in Makai brought forth by the spirit of the summon. The summon's body was essentially 'copied' and created by the summoner's chakra (and it varied depending on how much chakra was offered; if only a little bit of chakra was offered, or if it was applied incorrectly, you'd get a weaker member of the tribe you signed a contract with). That was why the Kyuubi had been able to be summoned; despite the fact that his original body had long been dead and gone, his spirit could still remember the body it had belonged to. It was also why summons didn't tend to be as scarred as they should have been…injuries didn't carry over (the PAIN of those injuries certainly did, unfortunately). Of course, in order to make sure the summoned body would work, the mind of the summoned creature or demon would have to abandon its original body for a while…so if Jiraiya couldn't summon anything…something was wrong at the source. "Have you seen anything odd happen recently?"

Katsuyu sighed out of…sadness? "I WITNESSED A MASSACRE YESTERDAY."

Jiraiya and Tsunade paused. "A massacre?"

"YES. I SENSED AN IMMENSE CHAKRA ON MT. MYOBOKU…IT WAS DEMONIC, YET NOT. ALL I COULD SEE WAS AN ORANGE CHAKRA DANCING ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN, FORMING BLADES THAT ROAMED AND CUT FREELY AMONGST THE TOADS AND FROGS."

Orange chakra. Mantarou.

Jiraiya's face deadened. "…I see…"

"WHEN THE CHAKRA FADED, ITS SOURCE HEADED NORTHWARD. ALL I COULD SEE AFTERWARD WERE THE STAINS OF BLOOD UPON THE MOUNTAIN'S SURFACE."

_So Mantarou isn't following Naruto just yet._ Perhaps he was seeking out the other Biju first. Naruto was in the clear for the time being…but it still didn't erase the feeling of sorrow and unease in his heart. _Gama-Bunta…_

The frogs and the toads of Mt. Myoboku were dead.

DEAD.

Tsunade stared sadly at her teammate's back as he calmly walked over towards the river. "Jiraiya…"

"I'm fine. Just make sure to tell any shinobi with summoning techniques to be careful if their summons suddenly stop appearing…tell them that certain circumstances in Makai are affecting our ability to summon." He scratched the back of his head, as if ignoring the magnitude of what had just occurred. "Anyhow, you should go and get some rest. I'll be a while."

Tsunade frowned, suddenly feeling sorry for her teammate. Losing a summon partner, who had fought by his side for years…it had to be unbearable.

What if she lost Katsuyu?

The Hokage turned towards her summon. "Katsuyu."

"YES?"

"Could you at least go to Mt. Myoboku and do something for me?"

"OF COURSE," replied the politely obedient slug.

"The Kyuubi's vessel is a human named Uzumaki Naruto. If you find anything of his there…could you obtain it for me?"

"I WILL. SUMMON ME IN ONE WEEK. I'LL BE BACK FROM THE MOUNTAIN BY THEN."

"Thank you." Tsunade bowed to her partner as the slug queen vanished in a puff of smoke. The Hokage turned over towards Jiraiya, who was still slowly walking away.

He wanted to be left alone right now. "Good night Jiraiya…and thank you for the sake."

"As long as you enjoyed yourself," replied Jiraiya with a wave of his hand, not even bothering to turn around.

Tsunade bit her lip…and then dashed back towards Konoha without saying another word.

As for Jiraiya…

The Gama-Sennin stopped by the edge of the slow-moving river.

In front of him was a small, brownish-red toad with unblinking black eyes.

"Rrrrbt," croaked the toad; a sign that it was a male (only male toads croaked, after all).

Jiraiya sat down in front of the toad, which remained unmoving beside the river. "Hmm. You look enough like him." He calmly pulled out his cup and bottle, pouring sake into the sakazuki. "Man…years since I developed the jutsu that summoned a toad from your realm. To think I would eventually call you, the Boss Toad, forth…"

The toad croaked again.

Jiraiya chuckled. Why was he even talking to this normal, everyday toad? "Well…I don't really know what'll happen now. But I'm pretty sure you would've liked to have had one more drink." He calmly emptied the rest of his sake bottle on the toad, which did not move at all. "I am sorry I was often troublesome for you, calling on you whenever I needed help…but I hope this will make up for it, if only a little bit. Some good sake to make your voyage to the afterlife a little more pleasant."

Sake to purify the soul of the departed. An old ritual, but still commonly known amongst the older generation. Gama-Bunta would have probably been insulted by the idea that his soul – or the soul of any of his underling toads, for that matter – needed purification…but then again, he would have been too appreciative of the drink anyway.

The sake seemed to glisten on the skin of the toad, which only croaked as Jiraiya raised his cup to the stars. Mourning could come later…when he had the time (unlike a certain pink-haired kunoichi, he **remembered** shinobi rule #25, thank you very much). Things would be busy now with the IKS…and now Mantarou was finally back in action on Makai. Slaughtering demons…no matter what their deed. No matter if they were good or evil. No matter if they had been honorable warriors like Gama-Bunta.

"To the Boss Toad."

He drank, sinking back to the ground.

His last thoughts before sleep claimed him…were of the first time he had rode into battle atop the head of Gama-Bunta. The thrill of moving against the wind…how exhilirating it had been.

_Rest in peace…old friend…_

xxxx

/Three Days Later/

/Central Tower, Training Ground #44 (The Forest of Death), Outside Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Training Ground #44.

Known as the Forest of Death.

A circular training ground twenty kilometers in diameter. A dark, thick forest of ancient trees; roots crisscrossed everywhere, and the branches interlocked to form a canopy that blocked out the sunlight. A river split through the forest, providing a sunny spot…which was why it tended to be the most patrolled area. After all, the giant animals inside the forest – complete with various species of poisonous plants and venomous insects – made the place a natural hell.

Right now, the Central Tower was being patrolled by three teams of Chuunin, led by one Tokubetsu Jonin each: Namiashi Raido, Shiranui Genma, and Inuzuka Tsume.

Inside the Central Tower, in the main arena where the Preliminaries had been held three years ago, a series of trip wires connected to explosive notes and kunai traps surrounded a stone pedestal. Atop that pedestal, inside a dome of glass, was a metal box illuminated by small lights. Otherwise, the room was in complete darkness.

A panel quietly opened up in the ceiling.

A rope fell down, hanging right over the glass dome. A figure in an ANBU uniform slid down, the darkness hiding the person's face…but as the person neared the glass covering, it was revealed by the box's dim lighting to be none other than Tenjho Tenge.

Tenten.

She quietly glued a magnetic strip to the glass dome, using two kunai attached to string to grip the transparent material. She shimmied up the rope, holding the string tightly…and once she was back in the ceiling, she pulled the glass cover up with her, leaving the metal box exposed.

The ANBU-in-training smiled.

She slid back down and grabbed the box, tucking it under one arm as she shimmied back up. The rope followed her once she was back up top, and she closed the ceiling panel behind her.

It was if Tenten had never been there.

xxxx

/Outside Training Ground #44/

The sun was starting to dip below the horizon, casting the vast forest of Training Ground #44 in an orange glow.

The 25-year old Uzuki Yugao, her long purple hair flowing in the wind, stood silently outside the forest. Her mask – that of the gecko – hid her face perfectly…but she still remained silent.

Tenten had been inside the Forest of Death for almost three days now (once the sun set, it'd be three days officially). Despite the time limit of five days, Yugao expected the girl to be done before the deadline if she expected to pass.

Not that Yugao would mind. The girl dearly wanted to succeed. Yugao saw no reason to deny the Chuunin her desire for victory. _If she wants to be an ANBU, she has to show ambition…only the most dedicated of shinobi can stay in this job for long._

A figure in an ANBU uniform leapt from the forest canopy and landed in front of her.

Yugao knew who it was just by looking at the twin buns on her brown hair. "Hmm." She tapped at her earpiece, delivering a non-verbal signal over radio. "I received no word from Raido, Genma, Tsume, or any of the patrol teams in the forest…you managed to slip past them all without triggering any traps or alarms. Good."

Tenten nodded, feeling the adrenaline pump through her body. This mission – retrieve the metal box in the Central Tower without alerting anyone – had been successful…and the suspense of moving about, on all her own. Working under a time limit against very steep odds…such a rush! _And this is only a fraction of what ANBU really face…_

"Tenten. Open the box."

Tenten opened it without hesitation.

It was a dragon mask, similar to the one her father had given her…except with green markings instead of red.

The girl stared. "Yugao-sempai…"

The purple-haired woman smiled behind her white and red gecko mask; she had only been with this girl for less than two months, and she had already accrued enough skills to pass the ANBU Exam. Then again, becoming an ANBU was not as hard as most people made it out to be – most Chuunin had a decent chance of succeeding – but the dangers attached to their missions (which were psychologically intense enough, due to all of the assassinations and cloak-and-dagger techniques involved) guaranteed that only those who wanted the job applied.

ANBU: Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai. The Black Ops shinobi of Konoha.

Those who stuck around and honed their talents became the deadliest and most powerful of shinobi.

Yugao intended to make sure Tenten joined those ranks, considering her talent and fervor. "As your instructor, I, Uzuki Yugao, welcome you to the ranks of the ANBU and dub thee _Kenryu_, the Blade Dragon."

The Blade Dragon.

Tenten smiled. What a fitting title.

"I'll submit your official records as soon as we get back from the mission," suddenly said Yugao, whose attention turned to two incoming people clad in the distinctive blue and light-gray armored uniform of the ANBU.

Tenten turned and saw them.

One was Hatake Kakashi. The other…

"NEJI?!"

The long-haired Hyuga stared. "Yes?"

Tenten sputtered, "B-but…you?! A-an **ANBU?!**"

"Yes."

"_**SINCE WHEN?!**_"

"Since he passed my test one week ago," muttered Kakashi with a nonchalant tone of voice. He preferred ANBU Exams to Genin Exams. Those applying for ANBU were already ninja, and knew not to waste time with foolishness and stupidities. Much easier to deal with. "I know it seems rushed, but Tsunade specifically requested the four of us for this mission."

Tenten stared. "Why us?"

"I can only surmise that she wants to catapult you two," He glanced at both her and Neji before finishing, "Into a trial by fire, so to speak. Considering the possibility of war between us and the IKS, we don't have a lot of time for pleasantries. We need all shinobi at their peak." Kakashi looked over at Yugao. "Did she perform well?"

"I was satisfied, Kakashi-sempai." Yugao bowed; she had once been part of Kakashi's old unit, serving alongside Yamato and other ANBU. "She'll be a fine ANBU."

Tenten was still incredulous over the fact that Neji was an ANBU. "But…WHY?!"

The Hyuga sighed out of irritation. "Here's how I looked at it. You would be joining the ANBU. Gai would be working on regaining his mobility by working with Lee. Lee would be training the Kazekage in Taijutsu. I am a Jonin, thereby qualifying me to teach a team of Genin." Neji sighed. His capacity for being blunt and to the point often led to unintentional jabs at his own pride and strength. "Considering my lack of skill with bratty children, the last option was out. And when weighing working with you compared to working with Gai and Lee…no offense to them, but it was a simple decision to make."

"…okay." She felt oddly complimented by that. Was there an undertone there…or was she imagining things? _Nah, Neji's still too much of an icicle._ For the time being. "But you could have gone on missions without becoming an ANBU anyway."

Neji said nothing.

"As tantalizing as this conversation is," interrupted Kakashi. "We need to get going." He pulled four cloaks out of his backpack: three black, one white. "It took intelligence a while, but they pinpointed our target."

After being handed a black cloak, Neji asked, "Who's the target?"

"Hanzou the Salamander."

Yugao paled. "Hanzou? We have to assassinate _him?!_"

Kakashi chuckled. "Oh heavens, no." Hanzou – a noted summoner of salamanders – was a shinobi renowned to those who bothered with checking the Bingo Book. "Hanzou was the leader of the Ame-nin loyal to the Rain Country government. His opposite number on the side of the rebels was a guy named Pein…but as far as we know, they fought together and put up quite a fight when Sawagakure invaded Ame with the River Army. Pein died in battle, but Hanzou was ambushed and captured while he was escorting the civilians away from the battle." He pulled out a map and placed his finger on Amegakure's position in the Rain Country. "He's currently being held at a temporary internment camp in the ruins of Amegakure…but considering his important status, I imagine that he'll eventually be moved to a more secure facility deep in the River Country."

The details of the scenario were starting to become clear to the other three. Considering the refugees who had fled the Rain Country, the presence of a dynamic and important figure like Hanzou would undoubtedly raise the morale of those who had come to the Fire Country. And considering the fact that it would draw any refugee Ame-nin towards Konoha…that meant potential allies.

For the sake of building up a bulwark against the IKS, this dangerous mission was worth it.

"We're to sneak into Amegakure, infiltrate the River Army internment camp, and exfiltrate '_Salamander_' Hanzou to Konoha before he's moved to the River Country." Kakashi looked at the other three ANBU. "I am Hatake Kakashi. My codename is _Gininu_, the Silver Dog." Placing on his dog mask and white cloak, he finished, "I am the team captain for this mission. Everyone, state your name and codename."

"Uzuki Yugao." Her white and red gecko mask remained fixed to her face as she put on her black cloak. "My codename is _Jakuyamori_, the Silent Gecko."

"Hyuga Neji." He calmly put on a white and green owl mask; the beak was small, curving straight downward from where the nose rested. "My codename is _Moujinauru_." He put on the cloak last, shrouding his body from view. "The Blind Owl."

Tenten would have laughed at the contradiction in any other situation…but not now.

Now she was beginning the next phase of her growth as a kunoichi…to become as vaunted and renowned a kunoichi as Tsunade, she had to succeed as ANBU.

This was her dream.

"Tenjho Tenge." Names didn't matter. It was only an annoyance around her father…but nonetheless, it still grated against the ears. She'd manage though. "You can still call me Tenten…" She calmly put on her white and green dragon mask, along with her black cloak. "…but my codename is _Kenryu_, the Blade Dragon."

Kakashi nodded, staring at his masked companions and their fluttering cloaks. "Then let's move out."

They disappeared from view, dashing to the east.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**The Chosen ANBU of Konoha Attack! Can they Rescue Hanzou from the Clutches of Sawagakure?**_

xxxx

Author's Note: Oops. No Naruto. I'm so naughty. :3

And Gama-Bunta's dead! I'm even naughtier.

But I gave you some Shino and a minute hint of NejiTen. So I'm less naughty.

Due to the actual complexity of determining age and years in the last chapter, I decided to go ahead and give ya'll a list of ages and whatnot, to show you my math.

-

Naruto's current age: 15

-

Arashi's supposed current age if he hadn't died: 41

Arashi's age when he died: 26

Arashi's age when Mantarou came to Konoha: 24

Arashi's age when he became Hokage: 24

Arashi's age when he took on Kakashi/Obito/Rin as students: 23

Arashi's age when he became Jiraiya's student: 12

-

Sarutobi's age when he died: 69

Sarutobi's age when Naruto was born: 57

Sarutobi's age when Mantarou came to Konoha: 55

Sarutobi's age when Arashi was brought to Konoha: 31

-

Jiraiya's current age: 53

Jiraiya's age when Arashi died: 38

Jiraiya's age when he took Arashi as a student: 24

Jiraiya's age when Arashi was born: 12

-

Orochimaru's age when he died: 53

Orochimaru's age when Arashi died: 38

Orochimaru's age when he fled Konoha: 37

Orochimaru's age when he took Anko as a student: 34

Orochimaru's age when Anko was born: 26

Orochimaru's age when Arashi was born: 12

-

Anko's age when she died: 27

Anko's age when Arashi died: 12

Anko's age when she had the curse seal put on her: 11

Anko's age when she and several others became students of Orochimaru: 8

-

Mantarou's current age: 32

Mantarou's age when Arashi died: 17

Mantarou's age when he conceived Naruto: 16

Mantarou's age when he met Rin: 15

Mantarou's age when he killed Ryu: 9

Mantarou's age when Kyojini destroyed his home: 7

-

Keihan's supposed current age if he hadn't died: 64

Keihan's supposed age when Arashi died: 49

Keihan's age when he died: 39

Keihan's age when Mantarou was born: 32

Keihan's age when he arrived in the Hidden Valley: 29

Keihan's age when he became a Nukenin: 28

Keihan's age when he married Yonagi: 27

Keihan's age when he conceived Arashi with Yukina: 23

-

The entire thing hinged on Arashi's age…and Keihan's. o.o

On a manga-related side note (spoilerz lol), am I the only one irritated by Hanzou and his sudden appearance. He practically DEMEANS the title of Densetsu no Sannin! o.-

Next chapter features a return to action, plus some Kiba!

See you soon, and please review!


	40. The Chosen ANBU of Konoha Attack!

Author's Note: I think people are angry with me. o.o

Well, I DID kill Gama-Bunta and the rest of his kin, so I guess that's fair (yes, even Gamakichi and Gamatatsu).

This will be my last chapter for this updating cycle before I move back on to Digimon. Five straight chapters should make up for several months of no updating whatsoever. That long drought WON'T be happening again.

As for my apparent frustration regarding Hanzou in the recent manga chapter, I mean that he demeans the title of Densetsu no Sannin (despite the fact that Hanzou gave them the title) simply because of how it was given out. Sure, he's a tough guy, but the Sannin, before now, were treated in hushed tones. And for good reason; they were the students of Konoha's Professor, the most powerful and most renowned of shinobi! That title was an honor!

And now I discover that they got this title just for SURVIVING against Hanzou. He had them on the ropes, but gave them that title in exchange for letting them live before he retreated.

Suddenly, the honorable title of 'Densetsu no Sannin' transforms into something of shame!

Considering the mythology behind the power of the Sannin title, I find it unconvincing. But alas, it's just nerd rage.

One brief note; in my grammatical correcting of previous chapters, I'll be implementing wholesale the plural form of 'jutsu' and 'ninja'…jutsu and ninja. Turns out I've been inadvertently switching back and forth.

And now for something completely different. Can you say Kiba and Akamaru? I can!

Begin!

xxxx

**_The Chosen ANBU of Konoha Attack! Can they Rescue Hanzou from the Clutches of Sawagakure?_**

xxxx

_/69 Days after Naruto Entered Makai/_

xxxx

/Training Ground #99, Outside Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"Man Akamaru, you seem heavier than before."

"Rrurr?" growled the pup, his form hanging atop Kiba's scalp.

Kiba and Akamaru were crouched underneath the field of high grass, which was all that constituted the training ground. It was a place to practice stealth and sneaking capability, not to mention ambush tactics; the four-foot tall grass hid all but the tallest of people, and even they could kneel amidst the stalks.

Kiba was not the tallest of people. But he wasn't short either.

But Akamaru's paws – dangling over his face – were getting annoying. Had the pup grown? It sure hadn't seemed like it…then again, his mother was always harping on him about his tendency to miss the overtly obvious. So had his older sister. And Shino. And Kurenai, and Iruka, and even Akamaru from time-to-time, and…

Kiba grumbled. _Maybe I should stop._

"Rrrr…"

The Chuunin went stock-still at Akamaru's series of quiet growls, warning him.

Enemies in the vicinity. Three…no, four. Surrounding in a circular formation…ten meters away.

That's what Kiba deduced.

And Akamaru was right.

Because moments later, four figures leapt into the air towards them.

Hana and her dogs, the Haimaru Sankyodai.

"_**RAAAH!!!**_" howled the triplets.

"**DOGPILE!!!**" roared Hana.

Kiba and Akamaru yelped.

**POW!**

From afar – atop one of the seven-foot stone columns that separated Training Ground #99 from the surrounding area – was Inuzuka Tsume, watching on in silence as her children and their ninja dogs playfully wrestled. "Heh. Playful."

"That energy could be used for something useful," growled Kuromaru, who sat diligently beside the column. "At least Akamaru's finally starting to grow…was wondering when nature would take its course."

Tsume stared down at her partner, frowning out of irritation. "Given the possibility of war, they have to release tension SOMEHOW. Without the threat of fatal injuries, that is."

"My suggestion would have been for Hana to take your place at that girl's ANBU Examination."

The Jonin scowled. "Hey-"

"Or even your son and his partner."

"HEY! Don't get mad at me because your nose didn't work right!"

The large canine snorted. **She** had been the one complaining all day after hearing that the Tenjho girl had succeeded. "You're the one who decided to put on too much of that new perfume." The old dog – well, he looked more like a wolf than a dog – snarled, baring his fangs. "And you know that I _**loathe**_ perfume."

Tsume harrumphed. "You're a dog. You can differentiate between smells."

"Not when you put on so much that even a bug with no nose would have been choking on the stench," growled Kuromaru. "Trying to get someone's attention is one thing…but next time, do it in a more innocuous manner."

Tsume paused, looking thoughtful. "…you think I put on too much for Raido?"

"I think that fact had been established when he asked '_what's that weird smell_'?" grumbled the gray dog. Honestly, even after 136 years, he STILL didn't get the customs involved in human dating and their mating rituals. "I know you thought perfume would have been a good idea on a relatively harmless mission…but a mission's a mission. You don't do **ANYTHING** that'll interfere with an ally's performance."

"Eh, you're right…" Her head sunk as she began to mope (in the intentionally bombastic manner normal for an Inuzuka, naturally). With a sigh, she muttered, "It's so hard for a widow to date again."

Kuromaru rolled his eye in an 'oh, please' manner. He focused back on the battle (if one could call it that); Akamaru was now clinging onto Hana's back while Kiba was trying to untangle himself from the Haimaru Triplets. "…"

The Tokubetsu Jonin – awarded the rank for being a Combat and Tracking Specialist – glanced at her canine partner. "…concerned about the Hokage's news from the other day?"

"Hmph. I haven't thought of my ancestors in years." Kuromaru grimaced as he scratched at the lump of scarred, fur-covered skin that had once been his left ear, the only reminder of a battle from long ago.

The Inuzuka clan – having formed before the formation of Konoha, much like many other shinobi clans such as the Hyuga and the Uchiha – had established a contract long ago with dog demons. Tsume personally knew very little about the origin of her partner's ancestors (other than the fact that they were from Makai), as most of the information had died with her great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, who had been the person to sign the original contract. The contract had been signed between Inuzuka Soshaku and a powerful wolf demon named Urufukago of the Mountain Tribe.

Beyond that, Tsume knew nothing about the ancestral home of Kuromaru's ancestors. Her partner was the youngest son of Urufukago, and the oldest member of the Inuzuka clan. Kuromaru – having lived amongst humans in the place of his father, who had long since returned to Makai – had only lived for so long due to his demonic blood, despite the fact that he was a mix between a demonic wolf and a domesticated dog from the human world. Kuromaru, in turn, had been the father of other ninja-dogs…the youngest generation being the Haimaru Triplets and Akamaru.

Kuromaru's demonic ancestry had given him the gift of human speech and an extremely long lifespan; despite the fact that he had lived over a century, he had yet to reach his middle ages. However, despite his demonically-derived talents…his thoughts had not turned to that of his ancestors for a long time. He had only been to Makai once, when he had been a pup.

There were only two reasons why his thoughts often turned to Makai now.

First of all, the tale of Mantarou that had spread throughout Konoha. Bits and pieces had made their way to his ear, mostly via Tsume…and he had been intrigued by the Gatekeeper Golems, because of how they seeemingly regulated travel between worlds. That had been troubling…because he could not remember passing through any sort of golem to go to Makai.

Secondly…the more recent news from the Hokage of how the toads and frogs of Mt. Myoboku had been slaughtered by Mantarou the Demon Slayer.

He felt a brief inkling of worry for his kin.

If what he knew of his home could have been of any use to the Hokage…then he would volunteer it. Even if it was the sacred home of his ancestors, he felt too weary about this Mantarou character. The slaughter of the Mt. Myoboku toads had him on edge. "Tsume."

"Hm?"

"You don't know this, because it happened long before you were born…but I went to my ancestor's home only once. As a pup." Kuromaru's eye narrowed; he suddenly found it sad that he had such difficulty talking about a subject that truly wasn't that sensitive. But his conscious bristled at the thought that he was potentially betraying the safety and secrecy of his home. Damned canine loyalty. "I went there to receive a blessing from the leader of our tribe."

Tsume stared at her partner, wondering why he was suddenly talking so much. _Was it something I said?_ "Kuromaru?"

"My father Urufukago, although a mighty demon, was still nothing but a lowly warrior compared to the Chief Demon Dog." Kuromaru thought of those high mountains and vast lakes that dotted his ancestors' mountainous home. The thick, deep forests of pine that stretched for miles around. The plentiful game and tremendous fish. "When I went to Makai…the Chief Demon Dog opened a portal with his own chakra. And I witnessed this event three times; once to allow me to go there as a pup, once to let me return here to this world, and once when I watched my father return to the land of his birth, leaving the responsibility of the clan contract to me." Kuromaru thought of the contract, and the relative simplicity of it. It bound members of Urufukago's bloodline with the Inuzuka clan (who had already been renowned breeders of ninja-dogs and other capable fighting canines before the contract). That was how contracts worked in the Mountain Tribe; to avoid potential conflicts of interest amongst tribal members, each pack would be responsible for their own decisions. It was a contract of blood. He had been bound to the Inuzuka since his birth…and considering the frustration that Tsume's youngest had been exhibiting with regards to the Kyuubi's vessel, he felt that he owed the boy some assistance. "Think about it. Think of the information with regards to those Gatekeeper Golems…doesn't it seem odd?"

Inuzuka Tsume frowned. She had been at the meeting as a representative of her clan. She thought of how Mantarou had gone to Makai…and then it clicked. "…I see…"

Kuromaru grunted. "Yes. If my tribe's leader could open a portal without a Gatekeeper Golem, then why are they important?"

"Well…is this Chief Demon Dog a special kind of 'gate-opener' or something?"

"Of course not," retorted the one-eyed dog. A smirk suddenly came to his face. "Our tribal leader might seem ordinary to the Hokage…after all, he's a kind of demon that's been talked about a lot lately." The sudden shock in Tsume's eyes caused his smirk to widen. "The Chief Demon Dog…**Nibi no Inuhankou**. The Two Tails."

"A Biju."

Kuromaru nodded at Tsume's statement.

The Tokubetsu Jonin frowned. "And you're saying he could open gateways on his own?"

"With a relatively small amount of chakra. He did not like the idea of going back and forth between Makai; it's why I've remained here for so long. To honor his wishes." Kuromaru snorted as pollen and airborne seedlings drifted into his nose. Blasted weeds.

Tsume's eyes sparkled, her mind whirring at this information. A demon had opened a portal without a Gatekeeper Golem…and it had been a Biju.

The potential ramifications of this were beyond the Inuzuka's ability to calculate. Such thoughts were left to people like Tsunade-sama. But she'd appreciate it nevertheless. Smiling at her partner, Tsume hopped down off the pole and scratched at a certain spot under Kuromaru's chin. "Thank you Kuromaru."

"Eh…don't mention it," muttered the hanyou – half-demon – dog as he impulsively thumped his leg.

Even demon dogs have a sweet spot.

The Tokubetsu Jonin took off for the Hokage's Palace, leaving Kuromaru to watch over the 'battle'.

"SAY 'UNCLE' KIBA!"

"**NEVER!!!**"

"_RAFF!_"

"_**AWOOO!!!**_"

Kuromaru sighed. _Noisy kids._

xxxx

/Three Days Later/

/Outside Amegakure, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

Being an ANBU required a lot of reconnaissance work.

Although ANBU Unit #17 had arrived at their destination less than three days ago, they had spent every second of it – when not sleeping or eating – observing.

Observing the patrol routes of the soldiers and the Sawa-nin. Observing the layout of the ruined Hidden Rain Village. Observing the times when shifts changed. Observing those who were in charge. Observing the times that soldiers took breaks. Observing the activity along the Aoikage River. Observing the temporary internment camps, where prisoners of war (all Ame-nin) remained for the duration until they could be transferred to other areas. Observing motorized vehicles – called jeeps, with a lot of usable empty space in the back of the vehicle – that were coming to Amegakure from the River Country to the south, restocking and replenishing the supplies and resources of the occupying River Army. Observing the nearby eastern border, where Sawa-nin patrolled diligently while eyeing their Konoha-nin counterparts that stood on the other side. Observing the hunting parties that constantly searched through the ruins to find any citizens that were violating the martial law that was imposed over the civilian populace of the Hidden Rain.

So much observation.

And for good reason: Konoha could **NOT** be connected to Hanzou's escape. If that happened, Sawa would treat it as an attack on their territory, resulting in a backlash from both Iwa and Kumo (true, there were Konoha-nin patrolling the border, but that was to be expected; in the face of the Rain Country's takeover, it would have been foolish to not do so. Even Oda Nobunaga couldn't protest against an increased border patrol). As if the mission wasn't hard enough, there was a time limit; Hanzou was scheduled to be transferred to a high-security River Country prison within a few days. Deadly force was not authorized until Hanzou was released…and even then, it was not recommended. Killing force was an **absolute **_**LAST**_ resort.

ANBU Unit #17 was about two-and-a-half miles to the north of Amegakure, barely within Neji's maximum vision range. Although his _**Byakugan**_ could see everything around him at a radius of eight hundred meters, his eyes could actually _focus_ on one specific area, allowing him to expand his vision even further. It was a noted tactic of the Hyuga; by focusing their eyesight on one particular point, their 360-degree vision gave way to a telescopic vision that stretched out over a greater distance than their normal range. In Neji's case, it was a little over three miles…and as per his Bloodline Limit, he could focus in on any object within his field of vision (which made it superior to Udon's Vision Enhancement technique, which only magnified vision to a certain degree). The drawback was that it took a few minutes to concentrate enough chakra to the point where his _**Byakugan**_ narrowed its spherical vision range to a line-of-sight vision range…but considering his current position, the likelihood of being found was slim.

In the rocky highlands situated to the north of Amegakure, ANBU Unit #17 was hiding inside a cavern. Neji was staring through the cavern walls with his kekkei genkai towards Amegakure, while Kakashi, Yugao, and Tenten were preparing themselves for the mission ahead.

"So, do you two know your roles?" asked the captain. "Jakuyamori?"

Uzuki Yugao replied, "The drunkard will be out like a light once he's had the special. I'd say he's out cold in…about a half hour."

Kakashi nodded. The 'drunkard' was none other than Soui Numa, who was currently overseeing operations in Amegakure. Although a fair bit of Amegakure had been damaged – particularly the southern half – much of the village still stood. Numa always had a few hours of personal leave at nighttime, so that he could sample the 'wares' of the local bars…and there was only one bar he had yet to go to (needless to say, the assault on Amegakure had rendered the local nightlife to several bars and a nightclub or two). The 'special' would be whatever drink Yugao managed to sneak the poison into. That would be the best time to incapacitate the Suiken user, when he was at a bar; his unconsciousness due to poisoning would be attributed to too much alcohol…and if anyone found out otherwise, it would be long after Kakashi's unit had returned to Konoha (hopefully with Hanzou). "Kenryu?"

Tenten replied, "The medicine's ready. Considering his strength, the patient is probably sedated or deprived of nutrition. The medicine will be administered once we enter the hospital."

Kakashi nodded. The 'patient' was Sanshouuo no Hanzou, the leader of the loyalist faction of Amegakure (not that there was a government to be loyal to anymore). Considering his strength – nearly on par with that of the Sannin – he was bound to have had restraints placed upon him (hence 'sedated or deprived of nutrition'). The 'medicine' was a soldier pill; given the likelihood of some of the restraints being those of the chakra-draining variety, the pill would replenish Hanzou's chakra reserves. Besides, he'd need them anyway, if he were to make his escape from the 'hospital' convincing. Speaking of the 'hospital', the captain turned towards the Hyuga. "Moujinauru?"

Hyuga Neji stepped away from the wall, deactivating his _**Byakugan**_. "The bastion of the river is the hospital. The amount of personnel there has been consistent over the last few days, so business must be good."

Kakashi nodded once again. The 'hospital' was the skyscraper that bore the flag of the River Country (hence 'the bastion of the river'), upon which the River Army had declared their victory over Amegakure. 'Consistent personnel' translated to high security over a continuous period of time; undoubtedly, there were Sawa-nin and River Army soldiers throughout the building. 'Business' meant one thing: considering the heavy amount of security, the building had to have been housing something worth protecting. The only thing that the Jonin could think of was Hanzou…and the fact that Soui Numa had been sighted going in and out of that building was only icing on the cake.

The only unknown factor was the Sawa-nin in a black mask. He had been seen several times over the last few days during their reconnaissance of the area.

ANBU for Sawagakure wore black masks, more human in shape than the animal-shaped masks of the Konoha ANBU. The presence of an enemy ANBU presented an extra challenge; his close patrols around the 'hospital' gave further credence to the hypothesis that Hanzou was inside there…but he would be tricky.

At least it wasn't Harada Ieyasu, who was currently supervising the conquered cities to the north until Nobunaga could further solidify the River Country's grip on their new territory. The presence of both of Nobunaga's closest assistants would have been too harrowing.

"Well, I suppose we've prepared as well as we could," muttered the silver-haired captain. "Once I prepare the main course for the family reunion, I'll head to the hospital to try and head off any heart attacks. 'Main course' referred to the laxatives he had brought with him. 'Family reunion' equated to the meal at the makeshift barracks's mess hall for the River Army. Supplies for the evening's meal would be delivered soon to the barracks. Before the supplies arrived, Kakashi would contaminate the supplies with the laxatives (liquid and powder, for variety) at his disposal. The soldiers who would be eating tonight would be the night shift for patrols and guard duty. By the time shifts had fully switched about an hour after dinner…the laxatives would kick in. For at least ten minutes, security around Amegakure would be VERY lax (ho ho, what a pun). Once Kakashi had completed his task, he'd rendezvous outside of the skyscraper, waiting to head off a 'heart attack': AKA, enemy forces in case the mission went wrong. "Everyone got it?"

Yugao, Neji, and Tenten nodded.

Kakashi couldn't help but smile underneath his dog mask. He was honestly impressed with Neji and Tenten's progress. Due to the secretive nature of ANBU missions, it was imperative that mission objectives and commands were relayed in code while in enemy territory. Although there were many prefabricated words to use, codes often had to be thought up of on the spot to fit any circumstance. Deciphering the code of your teammate required a keen intellect and the ability to discern hidden meanings depending on the context of the situation.

In other words, an ANBU had to be capable of gazing underneath the underneath.

_Let's just hope they'll do well,_ thought Kakashi to himself as he gazed outside the cave. The sun was setting. It was time to move out. "Don't get caught. Once the patient's released from the hospital, head east for the party. I hear we'll have red-eyed tuna and white-eyed salmon at the reception."

Translation: Once Hanzou was freed, they were to head to the Fire Country border. Uchiha Sasuke and Team 7 would be waiting there with Hyuga Hinata and Team 8 (thank goodness for distinctive eye colors…though he hoped the trio would be able to differentiate between Sasuke and Kurenai on the 'red-eyed' part. Not that it made much of a difference).

"Hai," replied the trio of ANBU.

Gininu went to the southwest, moving his way towards the main supply route into the Hidden Rain Village.

Jakuyamori went straight southward, heading for the only bar that Numa had yet to visit.

Moujinauru and Kenryu both dashed southeast, both planning to loop around and head for the 'hospital' through the ruins.

ANBU Unit #17 was on the move.

xxxx

/Salamander Citadel, Amegakure, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

Salamander Citadel.

A fifty-story skyscraper, the Hidden Rain's equivalent of the Hokage's Palace within the Hidden Leaf. It was where Sanshouuo no Hanzou had lived with his family, administering the various mission requests for the village's Ame-nin, while also serving as the bulwark against the rebel forces.

Now it was the place where its owner was being held captive.

Hanzou sat silently, his green irises gazing once again at his binds. His black sclera – a genetic oddity common to his bloodline, though not a kekkei genkai of any sort – seemed like black pits in the dim lighting…and they only contributed to his frustrated glare.

His hands were bound by metal cuffs, spread apart by a foot-long bar of steel that prevented him from making any handsigns. A brace of iron was wrapped around his neck, bound to the floor by an unbendable cable of metal. His feet were spread outward, locked in place around the ankles and knees with more braces that were ALSO chained to the floor. The braces around his joints prevented him from moving or getting his legs close together whatsoever, leaving him in an awkward position. As icing on the cake, there were a number of paper tags attached to his neck, arms, torso, and legs; the seals on them suppressed his chakra, to the point where he couldn't mold any. It was a very tedious situation.

As a final bit of salt in the wound, his headgear – a large, open helmet with two cylinders of air connected to the facemask – was sitting ten feet away, placed there by his conquerors.

One of those conquerors was now standing in front of him, sneering at him from behind a black mask. Those small, twin horns and the scowl on the mask gave off the appearance of a devil…but the mask could not hide the sneer that he _knew_ was behind that mask. "You can stop grinning," gruffly said the Ame-nin.

The ANBU of the Hidden Marsh snickered as he removed his mask, revealing narrow black eyes and long dark hair that befit his utterly abysmal personality. "Heh. What a wimp. Even the mighty Hanzou is reduced to this."

"You have gloated everyday since Amegakure was taken over. My country has been subjugated, my countrymen and fellow ninja have fled, and those who haven't are now under your rule. You need not injure my pride any further: it is gone." That was the sincere truth; even against a mighty force such as the River Army, he hadn't expected things to go so badly. For a shinobi as mighty as he, there was no excuse. His imprisonment was a testament to the weakness of the Hidden Rain. What strength he had was not enough against the might of _**Raigunryo**_. "I'm sure you have other matters to attend to."

"I do…but I still can't help but marvel. The mighty Hanzou, here…" The ANBU sneered. "Even I, Jadoku, can't help but believe it…to think Amegakure fell so quickly!"

The arrogance in Jadoku's tone was disgusting. But he had been on the winning side…so he had the right. "I care not for your words. From what I've heard from Soui Numa, the villagers who have not fled are only under martial law, and the Ame-nin have been imprisoned to prevent any possibility of a revolt. Given the bloody history of the Great Ninja Wars, your takeover has been relatively benevolent…but that is my only praise for a nation that intruded in the affairs of another. So leave me."

Jadoku snickered malevolently as he put his mask back on. "Oh, I personally don't care for any of those things…it's the thrill of battle that drives me. Bringing down the strong…crushing them…THAT is why I fight for Sawagakure!"

Hanzou's eyes narrowed as he marveled at the man's bloodlust. _How undisciplined._

"Your civil war was pathetic. To think such weaklings couldn't settle anything!" Jadoku placed a hand atop Hanzou's head, rubbing at the shortly cropped gray hair. "I mean, think about it…surely a ninja as great as yourself would have been able to defeat a weakling like Pein."

Hanzou scowled, his scarred face withering with rage. He might have been in his 60s…but he still possessed a sense of respect that was lacking in this younger shinobi. "You will NOT talk of Pein in that way."

"For one who was so haughty as to claim the title of _Fumetsu_, he deserves to be mocked!" Jadoku cackled as he walked away. "Fumetsu no Pein…Pein the Undying…HA! What a crock." The Sawa-nin cackled as he stepped beyond the two Marsh ninja Chuunin that stood guard over the bound Ame-nin. "Standing up against _**Raigunryo**_…hmph." He calmly opened the double doors of oak, leaving Hanzou alone with his stoic guards.

Hanzou the Salamander remained silent as he gazed at Jadoku's disappearing form…and then the doors closed.

His thoughts drifted to Pein.

xxxx

/Hanzou's Flashback/

/56 Days Ago/

/Outside Central Water Tower, Amegakure, Rain Country/

Sanshouuo no Hanzou only found himself beside Fumetsu no Pein on one occasion: when they were in the midst of strangling each other to death.

But now, the two shinobi – both of them leaders of opposite sides in the civil war – were temporary allies against a common enemy. A common enemy that was winning.

The sixty-three-year-old Hanzou sighed as his eyes absorbed the sight of flames, as his nose twitched at the stench of gunpowder, and as his scars itched at the feel of smoke. Amegakure was under assault now…and all attempts to rebuff the invasion force had been routed. There were simply too many bullets to dodge at close-range…and the shinobi of Sawa, combined with the long-range barrage of artillery, made a long-range defensive battle an impossibility.

"If only they had come during the rainy season," commented the leader of the loyalists, glancing towards the leader of the rebels. "Your _**Suiton; Amekirite no jutsu**_ would have utterly eviscerated them."

Pein sighed out of irritation. That jutsu involved him suffusing his chakra into a cluster of rain clouds, allowing him to control the water droplets within…he would then unleash sharpened drops of water upon his foe, slicing them to pieces. Hence, 'Water Element; Rain Cutter'. "True…but life never goes as we want it to go."

_How true,_ silently thought Hanzou as the booming of exploding shells continued to ring throughout the southern fringes of Amegakure. Soon, the River Army would be here…and the populace would be at their mercy.

What then?

"Hanzou."

Hanzou turned towards Pein. He had long regarded the rebel leader as an oddity; reddish-orange hair and eyes of various shades of gray, complete with a number of black piercings through his ears, nose, and lower lip. However, his punk-esque appearance belied an extraordinarily powerful shinobi, driven by a mind obsessed with strength. Strength for Amegakure, strength for his people…he strove to abolish the government that he considered weak and unable to protect its citizens from the affairs of other nations. Not that Hanzou didn't agree, but his ideas on how to fix the problem vastly differed from Pein's.

Hanzou wanted to reform and refine the government.

Pein simply wanted to wipe the slate clean and start over.

But the River Army, apparently, wanted to do Pein's job for him.

Pein, without bothering to hear Hanzou's answer, finished, "Evacuate the citizens. Get them out of this country." He glared at his fellow Ame-nin rebels (the only difference between loyalist and rebel shinobi being the hitai-ate; Pein's headband protector had a slash through the symbol of the Rain). "You will all follow Hanzou's orders. Assist him in getting the civilians out."

As Pein's followers began to mutter nervously amongst themselves, Hanzou asked, "What are you doing?"

"Stalling for time." He gazed at the building before them, which was practically across the street from the Salamander Citadel. Inside, there were numerous pipes and purification filters that pumped water from the Aoikage River into both the village's public supply and into backup tanks for emergency usage. It was where most of the water in the village flowed, and it had been under the control of Hanzou for the duration of the civil war. "There's enough water in there for me to hold off the enemy. You should be able to escape by then."

"Hmph. You're only thirty-one years my younger," growled Hanzou. "Do you really want to be testing your title so casually?"

Pein's eyes narrowed. "I see no alternative."

Hanzou sighed. Pein had been his nemesis for the past twelve years, when he had become the leader of the Ame-nin rebels. A tremendous, powerful talent…and a worthy adversary. One who had been committed to his ideals, one who had fought for them with his all. That was the kind of enemy that Hanzou had no choice but to respect.

And now that enemy-turned-temporary-ally was about to march straight to his death. "Hmph. It would be unfitting for one called 'Fumetsu' to die."

"That is true." Pein turned to face Hanzou, his eyes of stormy gray filled with resolve. "But I have no intention of dying."

"How many shinobi utter such words before dying? Tell me."

"I'm sure many do…but I'm not like them." Pein glanced once more at his followers before the sound of shelling became louder. "Their shots are getting closer. The enemy will be at this position soon." His chakra flared; he was allowing the enemy Sawa-nin to sense his location. "Get moving."

Hanzou scowled as he turned, walking away as Pein entered the Central Water Tower. If Pein insisted on walking in there, he wouldn't deny him. But he knew that Pein was walking into a deathtrap…and Pein knew that as well. _Hmph. Stupid brat. Does he really think he can survive?_

Perhaps that was the dividing line between his line of thinking and Pein's; he was a realist, seeking to reform the existing system so that strife could be minimized. Pein was an idealist, seeing the current government as something that was incapable of protecting the people, and thus needed to be replaced. It was in that way that Hanzou saw this battle as something similar.

Realistically, he knew that the might of Sawagakure and the River Army's _**Raigunryo**_ would overwhelm Amegakure. It was best to evacuate the civilians now, before they were overwhelmed.

Idealistically…Hanzou wanted to fight to the last breath. He knew every single Ame-nin under his command – which now included both loyalists and rebels – would have done the same. But he couldn't have asked for the people of the Hidden Rain to give up everything just for that…and he wouldn't allow them to become subjugated and conquered under a foreign power. They deserved better.

They deserved better than constant war.

Hanzou suddenly chuckled, a bitter tone in his laugh as he swiftly moved alongside his fellow Ame-nin. _Hmph. My age must be getting to me, if I'm thinking such melancholy thoughts._ But he had reason to; all of his strength was nothing against _**Raigunryo**_. His salamander summons had been torn to shreds by tank shells, artillery fire, and rifle bullets. His own attempts at using large Suiton jutsu had been foiled by Doton and Fuuton jutsu from the large Sawa-nin force. It was utterly humiliating to be beaten back so desperately that he was only left with the realistic option of evacuating as many people as possible.

But even that would be beyond him.

_**CHOOM!!!**_

Everyone whirled their heads around at the sound of pressurized water erupting. The Central Water Tower was leaking water from various points, crumpling and collapsing as water continued to tear through it.

Hanzou smirked, his lips hidden by his headgear. _You truly went out with a bang…how many did you take with you?_

"HANZOU-SAMA!"

The shinobi turned around at the shout of one of his followers, growling as motorcycles suddenly turned the corners of the village's eastern thoroughfare. Their path to the Fire Country had been blocked off. _Damn it. The River Army flanked us!_

Three Ame-nin leapt towards the motorcycles to clear the way.

One Sawa-nin leapt off a motorcycle to meet them.

As the Sawa-nin landed, he fell onto his hands and latched his feet around the neck of the nearest Ame-nin. Before the ninja of the Rain could even each for a kunai, the ninja of the Marsh pivoted on his hands, using his captive as a 'club' to strike the other Ame-nin. He finally pushed off of his hands and flipped vertically, swinging his legs downward to smash the captive Ame-nin's head into the pavement.

Hanzou scowled at the Sawa-nin's movements. _Suiken. The Drunken Fist._

"Sanshouuo no Hanzou," muttered the Sawa-nin, his hand scratching at the stubble on his scarred face. "I am Soui Numa, commander of this invasion force. Amegakure is now under the jurisdiction of Sawagakure and the River Army. Tell your men to stand down, and then you will surrender unconditionally."

The Ame-nin bristled. Hanzou cocked his head, his eyes narrowing. "If I refuse?"

"Then we'll kill these little ants."

Everyone turned towards a Sawa-nin wearing a black mask. He was holding a kodachi, and his entire body was drenched. Sheathing his blade, he muttered, "Damn freak. Never got the chance to cut him…"

"Jadoku. What happened to Fumetsu no Pein?" asked Numa.

"Brought down that tower. Total collapse." A wicked sneer came to his face. "**I** managed to make it out…can't say the same about him."

The rebel Ame-nin snarled, their faces twisting with rage. Hanzou could only feel a little bit of sadness. "…"

Numa immediately said, "Choose Hanzou."

Hanzou stared at his fellow Ame-nin, both loyalist and rebel. They were ready to fight, ready to die against a superior enemy.

But he could only stare at the hundreds upon hundreds of villagers, quivering with fright at the sight of the River Army's motorcycles and the rifles aimed straight at them.

A sigh escaped Hanzou as he uttered only one command. "Everyone…stand down."

/End Flashback/

xxxx

The loyalists had been bewildered and confused by his command…some looking at him as if he had betrayed him, somehow.

The rebels had voiced their frustration, roaring at him and condemning his cowardice…and they had lamented the loss of their leader Pein.

And through it all, the villagers were alive, as were the Ame-nin. The former were under martial law, and the latter were prisoners of war…but they were all alive.

_We are alive_, thought Hanzou, a determined scowl coming to his face as he gazed at his headgear…particularly, at the symbol of the Hidden Rain. _We will live to fight another day._

xxxx

/Western Gate, Amegakure, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

The driver was dead tired. He had been driving since morning…with no stops whatsoever. Last night's delivery to the cargo station had run late, and he had been forced to leave late. Being late was out of the question; the soldiers needed food, and this was the weekly shipment for the mess hall. The covered jeep – almost looking like a motorized wagon from afar – held nearly a ton of supplies worth of food…and he wouldn't be eating any of it.

_I hate my job_, moped the River Country soldier as he rubbed his eyes. _Why couldn't I have been selected for piloting one of the Kurohyougunsha?_ Now THAT would have been something. Being part of an armored unit, paving the way for the rest of the River Army…

Some day, he'd be there. He would be there to partake in the glory.

So deep he was in his little daydream that he didn't notice the blur emerge from the boulders on the side of the road, rushing toward the back of the covered jeep. In mere minutes, the figure was in and out.

The dirty green jeep rumbled as it drove over the dirt road, rumbling towards the western gate of (what _had_ been) the Hidden Rain Village. Several soldiers stood guard at the gate, with one Sawa-nin patrolling the rocky precipices the overlooked the western half of Amegakure. Security was rather lax at this location; most of the security was concentrated to the east and southern sides of the village, due to their close proximity with the Fire Country.

The driver slowed to a stop, showing his military identification to the guards at the gate. "Hey. I have the slop. Specially packaged and shipped from a one-star restaurant."

The guards snickered. Massive quantities of food at cheap prices did not translate to deliciousness. Overwhelming victory in battle always tasted good, but their stomachs wanted more than gruel.

The Sawa-nin silently hopped down, examining the wares in the back of the jeep. Everything seemed in order; the plastic containers and metal kegs that held the supplies were shut tightly. "Everything's in order," said the Sawa-nin before he leapt back to his post.

"Then you're clear to enter," remarked the guard as he and his fellows stood aside, allowing the jeep to rumble through.

Meanwhile, from afar, Gininu watched in silence.

He had managed to slip in the laxatives and reseal the containers with relative quickness. Not the most difficult of tasks, but he had managed to handle it without being found. It was a good thing that the laxatives were odorless and tasteless as well.

_Now I just need to wait_, thought silver-haired ANBU as he quietly crept amongst the rocks, hidden from sight.

xxxx

/Wet Lizard Bar, Amegakure, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

Uddomaru hated these people.

For one thing, they all looked the same. Clad in their dark green uniforms and wearing those odd-looking military-issue caps, they were practically carbon copies. His clientele was supposed to be varied and full of crazy characters! At least, they had been…until the invasion. Now, instead of his regulars and the locals, he mostly got soldiers and shinobi of the River Country.

And they were loud.

The bartender cleaned a glass quietly, his black eyes looking at the increasing number of soldiers. The number of soldiers was directly disproportional to the number of civilians; the more soldiers that were there, the fewer locals there were. And at night, once the martial law-enforced curfew was enacted, there were no locals at all. Just soldiers, who had gotten off of the day shift.

He despised them.

Their haughty cheers and drunken jeers…how dare they act as if this place was their own? It was despicable! To see his home denigrated in such a manner…how humiliating. For nearly two months, he had been forced to serve these cretins. Two months! Most of his regulars never came at night due to the curfew; only a few businesses such as restaurants and bars could remain open for the occupying soldiers.

"Bartender!"

And there was this guy.

The man with scraggly hair of gray, bearing a scarred face and a Sawa-nin uniform.

This had been his first time here, yet the bartender could immediately tell that this guy was bad news. Immediately! The way he walked, his calm and expectant tone within the bar…and just the ease with which he moved about, as though he had known this place his whole life. He was a PROFESSIONAL drunkard, one who went to bars and drank for the heck of it…one who drank for fun! One who drank solely for the taste, to feel the alcohol trickle down the throat.

They were the best customers.

Which made him despise the scarred shinobi all the more.

"Hey, uh…" The scarred shinobi looked at the bartender's nametag. "Uddomaru." He slapped down a whole bag of ryō. "I want your BEST drink. Sake, liquor, whiskey, wine, beer, martini, margarita…don't care."

_Figures_, thought Uddomaru with a infinitesimal scowl. "It's in the back." Putting down the glass, he walked out the back door and took a left through the white backroom, towards the locked cellar. Pulling out his keys and unlocking the musty chamber, Uddomaru entered the dimly-lit room – wooden shelves holding aged drinks of all varieties – and reached for a black bottle.

Two things happened then.

The door closed.

A kunai lightly pressed against his neck.

Uddomaru sighed. Due to the tense nature of Amegakure's civil war, he had found himself at the end of a kunai or some other instrument of pain. "What do you want?"

A piece of paper was suddenly held in front of his face. It bore the picture of that scarred shinobi. "Do you know this man?"

The bartender paused. A woman? "Yeah…he's in my bar. I was just getting him a drink."

"His name is Soui Numa, and he's the commander of the soldiers and Sawa-nin stationed here in Amegakure."

Uddomaru frowned. No wonder he had felt bad vibes off of that guy; he had seen him on the television, alongside the River Country's leader. That had been when they had proclaimed the fall of the Rain Country and its official status as a territorial province of the River Country. "And…?"

The paper went away, and he now found himself staring at a small vial of clear liquid, like water. "You will put this in the special. It's a poison that will incapacitate Soui Numa for some time."

"Will it kill him?"

"No."

"Why not?" He would have taken ANY excuse to kill that stupid drunkard.

"Because for the time being, our goal is to ward off the IKS. To do that, we will need allies…and we will be freeing a very powerful future ally."

Uddomaru paused…and then he frowned. "…Hanzou…?"

"Yes."

"…okay. I'll do it."

"Try to be inconspicuous."

"…who are you?"

"Just a very quiet gecko."

The door opened just as the kunai knife left his neck.

Uddomaru turned around, seeing naught but the barest flick of purple hair. "…" _Hmm. Wonder who that was?_ Shrugging, the bartender walked out of the cellar and locked the door behind him, holding the black bottle and the small vial. Walking back into the bar, he placed the vial behind the bar and reached for a couple of other bottles standing on the glass shelves.

Soui Numa drawled, "What kept ya?"

"The stuff I need for the special is locked up. Gotta protect my assets," joked Uddomaru, trying to pull off a smirk as he mixed the gin in the black bottle with vermouth and various other juices, including the vial of poison.

He only hoped it was tasteless.

He put some ice into the cocktail shaker and shook the mix, pouring it into a small glass. Shaking it vociferously, Uddomaru poured the cocktail into a glass. "The Rainy Day Martini. My particular special. Enjoy."

Numa quietly smelled the cocktail. "Mmm…smells tangy." He sipped from his glass, relishing in the taste. "Ah…exquisite!"

From atop the next-door building, gazing through a bar window at an angle, Jakuyamori smiled beneath her mask as she saw Numa drink. _He's taken the special._

She disappeared from view, heading to regroup with ANBU Unit #17.

xxxx

/Ruins of the Central Water Tower, Amegakure, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

Two masked figures gazed quietly at Salamander Citadel as the night shift began.

Kenryu and Moujinauru – bodies shadowed and hidden by a twisted crumple of metal pipes, blocking out most viewpoints – stared silently at the front doors. Moujinauru's _**Byakugan**_ gazed straight into the building, visualizing the insides.

Two soldiers up front.

Five in the main lobby.

No Sawa-nin on the ground level.

The Blind Owl glanced at his teammate. "Only seven hostiles. No shinobi."

"Hai." The kunoichi mentally reviewed the situation. Their initial prediction that Hanzou would be in an internment camp had been incorrect; although the imprisoned Ame-nin were in makeshift internment camps, Hanzou had apparently been deemed too important and too powerful to be so close to his fellow shinobi. He had been isolated in this large building: Salamander Citadel.

According to Moujinauru's observations, Hanzou was on the top floor.

Kenryu sat silently, her fingers twitching with anxiousness. _Calm down. Calm down._ This was a mission. _Focus. Focus._ She couldn't help it though; the tension in the air was immense and stifling. One wrong move and they'd be discovered. One wrong move and they'd be killed. One wrong move and war would be declared by the IKS against Konoha.

_Wow. Do ANBU have to deal with these kind of situations all of the time?_ The kunoichi gulped, wondering how her father had dealt with these sorts of missions. _A goofy guy like him doing these sorts of things…geez._

"Kenryu. Gininu and Jakuyamori are here." The Blind Owl tilted his head backwards. "They've taken up positions behind us at various points in these ruins."

"Hai," whispered the Blade Dragon. At least Neji…er, 'Moujinauru' was here. His presence made it more comfortable. In all honesty, she hadn't expected the boy's words from Training Ground #11 to be so literal. _'I will be there to back you up', hmm?_ It was actually kind of sweet. Especially for Neji. And just like him! Leave it to the Hyuga to make a romantic gesture by joining her in the ANBU.

Wait. Was it romantic? Or was she reading too much into things again? _Accursed teenage hormones._ Enough of the small talk. _Focus. Focus._

A few minutes passed.

Then the soldiers standing outside suddenly twitched. Their legs quivered, and their hands shot down to their bellies.

Moujinauru saw Gininu smirk beneath his dog mask.

The two soldiers quickly ran inside to use the restrooms. The other five inside had already vamoosed. He could see seven soldiers inside the men's lavatory…which was two hallways away from the main lobby.

His _**Byakugan**_ shifted. No Sawa-nin or other River Army soldiers were looking towards the citadel's front door.

"Go."

Moujinauru and Kenryu dashed at high speed, gently pushing through the double doors of Salamander Citadel. Kenryu lightly closed the doors – minimizing all sound – as Moujinauru turned on an elevator. The reflective aluminum doors opened, and both ANBU jumped inside.

Kenryu glanced up at the top of the elevator. She raised her arms, fiddling with the emergency escape hatch that all elevators had by design. It came out with a small 'click', revealing the dark expanse above. The cables spanned upward, as if ascending into some kind of inverse abyss.

Hanzou was fifty floors up.

The Blade Dragon hefted herself up; once she was on top of the elevator, she reached down for Moujinauru. Grasping the hatch in his hand, the long-haired ANBU let himself be pulled up by his partner with the other hand. Sealing the hatch shut behind him, the Blind Owl gazed up with the Blade Dragon. "We climb. I'll use my _**Byakugan**_…but nothing more. We can't afford to be discovered if we use too much chakra."

"Hai."

The two ANBU began the arduous process of shimmying up the elevator cables, with Moujinauru leading the way.

Forty-nine floors to go.

The ANBU quickly grew tired of this…not physically, but mentally. It was tiring to shimmy a rope when they could have vaulted up the chamber with a few quick jumps. Alas, chakra was verboten.

Forty floors to go.

Kenryu grimaced as her mind weighed two things. It was dark, and she would have liked to be able to see where she was going…but then again, considering her recent hormonally charged thoughts concerning Moujinauru (darn his thoughtful decision to join the ANBU just because she had!), she didn't want to have been distracted by the sight of his rump. _Ugh. Stop fantasizing. Focus!_

Stupid crushes. Shinobi rule #25 was an utter pain to follow…because when it came to love, it was far too great a beast to stop with mere rules.

Twenty floors to go.

"We're almost there."

"Hai."

Ten floors.

More silence. Kenryu's thoughts had narrowed down to an ironclad focus. They would be entering through an air conditioning vent and sneak into the room with Hanzou. Only two Sawa-nin were present, always watching over the leader of the Ame-nin loyalists.

Only two hostiles to take care of. Hopefully.

One floor.

Moujinauru paused as he latched onto the ridges along the elevator shaft, hanging onto them so that Kenryu would have room to undo the A/C vent. Pulling out a small kunai, the Blade Dragon wedged it into the screws holding the large hatch in place. One screw…two…three…and four. It dropped, only to be caught by Moujinauru. "Nice catch."

"Thank you."

Kenryu pocketed the screws and shimmied over to the elevator shaft's rims, hanging on them to allow Moujinauru to lead the way. She quietly grabbed the hatch from his outstretched arms, letting him crawl into the vent. Kenryu followed, pulling the hatch in after her and leaving it lying inside the vent.

Total darkness.

Total silence.

Moujinauru silently crept along, followed by Kenryu. The Blade Dragon couldn't help but feel impressed by how quiet they were being; her ANBU training had required her to learn how to shift her body weight in such a way that it wouldn't disturb any weak surfaces. Noise had to be eliminated at all costs, unless a mission called for noise.

Not much had happened yet. At all.

But underneath the mask of Kenryu, Tenten was feeling more apprehensive than she had felt in quite some time. Although exhilarating on one level, the mission had an oppressive, overwhelming quality…like a blanket stuffed with lead. She didn't like this ominous feeling of dread. The battle with Mantarou…well, she had been knocked out cold before she could experience and feel the depth of his true power. And although the two invasions of Konoha stuck out in her mind, she had only felt fear and a sense of anxiety as explosions and bodies fell left and right. However, back then, there had been plenty of adrenaline to ward off her fright.

Not now. Not when things were so quiet and so still. Not when they were far from Konoha, in enemy territory. Not when being discovered would result in war.

Her thoughts from earlier returned, and the true depth of the mission's importance struck her like a sharpened kunai. A war right now would overwhelm Konoha; they were ill-prepared to handle a power with the might of the IKS. The Hidden Stone, the Hidden Cloud, and the Hidden Marsh, all combined with the River Army? Konoha, even allied with Suna, wouldn't be able to withstand the strength of their _**Raigunryo**_.

The magnitude of such a responsibility was too big for her.

_No, don't think like that! Focus. FOCUS._

They were at the end of the ventilation shaft. An exceedingly low amount of light drifted in through the air conditioning vent…but Hanzou was just beyond there.

Moujinauru calmly tensed up, gently pushing at the vent. It slowly flipped up; it wasn't nailed down. Perfect.

Like lightning, he moved into action.

xxxx

/50th Floor, Salamander Citadel, Amegakure, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

Sanshouuo no Hanzou had seen a lot of things in his lifetime. Nothing surprised him anymore.

Which was why when an ANBU of Konoha suddenly emerged from the ventilation shaft above his door, he expressed no shock.

But his two guards did. The Sawa-nin, before they could even reach for kunai, froze as the ANBU plunged two fingers into their necks. The small spike of chakra cut upward, slamming into their brains.

_Jūken_, thought Hanzou as the two Sawa-nin slumped to the ground, unconscious. _A Hyuga._ Another ANBU followed the Hyuga out, landing silently beside him. The two wordlessly made their way over to Hanzou, undoing and tearing off his restraints. As chakra began to circulate through his system once more, he asked, "Might I inquire as to the nature of this rescue?"

"Hokage-sama wants an audience with you. She wants to offer asylum to you, the Ame-nin, and the citizens of Amegakure."

Hanzou rubbed his wrists as he stood up, his joints creaking. Although he had been fed regularly, his stomach starved for REAL food. And he needed a shower (let's just say that he had been forced to use a bed pan. Not pleasant.). "Hmm. I see. I'll have to consider…I suppose I am to come with you to Konoha."

"Yes."

Hanzou sighed as he let his chakra flow; his supply of chakra had dwindled due to those chakra seals. It would take time for his chakra to replenish itself.

A hand held up a small red pill towards him. The female ANBU, who had been quiet until now, calmly offered, "Soldier pill?"

"Gladly." Hanzou downed the pill in one gulp. Moments later, chakra began to surge through him. "Ah…much better."

Moujinauru's _**Byakugan**_ suddenly shifted downward. "The Sawa-nin felt that surge. They're coming!"

"You two leave then." Hanzou knelt down, picking up his headgear and putting it on his head. With a quick _whoosh_ of air, his two tubes sucked in the surrounding air; they would provide him with a suitable supply of breathable should he go underwater (this was why ninja from the Rain and the Mist had these facemasks; due to constant combat with _**Suiton**_ jutsu, it was quite easy to accidentally drown). "I'll follow shortly…I have a message to deliver." He gazed out the large windows, looking down at the ruins of the Central Water Tower.

Pein's grave.

Grabbing a nearby desk, the shinobi – possessing a strong, virile body despite his elderly age – hefted it and threw it out the window.

_**SMASH!!!**_

Glass cracked and shattered, splattering and falling down like a rain of glass. "This rain will cut you conquerors in Pein's stead…but I will flood you and signal the return of the Hidden Rain." He did not need to glance back in order to see that the two ANBU had already left. Once he did this one jutsu, he'd head to the Fire Country.

But first…he had to deliver one last strike.

Clouds were beginning to gather over Amegakure. All that was needed was the flash of lightning and the booming of thunder…but alas, there was no rain. There simply wasn't enough clouds gathered to allow for a natural rainfall. Pein had never had that problem; he could turn any cloud into a torrent of watery knives.

Letting chakra surge through his feet, the Salamander of Amegakure charged down the side of the building. His legs pumped as adrenaline surged, even as his hands moved like lightning through multiple hand seals. "_**Suiton; Suisanshouuodan no jutsu!**_"

His chakra roared through the ruins of the Central Water Tower.

"WATER ELEMENT; WATER SALAMANDER BLAST!"

xxxx

/Ruins of the Central Water Tower, Amegakure, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

Jakuyamori had already departed for the Fire Country by the time Hanzou had emerged from Salamander Citadel.

Gininu's eyes narrowed. Why was Hanzou doing this? And where were Moujinauru and Kenryu? _Hmm…probably a distraction. Making it seem like Hanzou escaped on his own?_ That would work out. It would lessen the chance of Konoha being fingered in Hanzou's escape if it was assumed that Hanzou had escaped on his own.

"I should be going," muttered the Silver Dog as he stepped away.

The ground suddenly rumbled. The silver-haired ANBU thought he heard the shifting of water beneath his feet._ Hmm?_

Nine salamanders the size of an apartment complex suddenly roared from the wreckage; their watery forms moaned as they soared into the sky, controlled by Hanzou's chakra. The Copy Ninja blinked as the watery beasts erupted and crashed into the interment camps, blasting away at them with a deluge of water. _Ah. Providing water for the imprisoned Ame-nin. That attack would have freed at least one of them…and shinobi of the Rain would know that such a jutsu could only belong to Hanzou._

Things were looking better. The sight of Hanzou's jutsu would certainly galvanize the Ame-nin…and the more Ame-nin that were freed, the better. It would draw the attention of the Sawa-nin towards Amegakure and away from the Fire Country border.

_Time to depart._

But just before Gininu could leap away, a hand emerged from the ruins, latching onto his ankle.

The Jonin paled. _Wha?!_

Then he arose. The dirt-covered man growled, "Do you…have a soldier pill?"

"…yes."

"Give me one."

The Konoha Jonin calmly obliged. Considering who this man was, he didn't have a problem with it. Inwardly, the Copy Ninja was doing cartwheels; this made things MUCH easier.

xxxx

/2nd Floor, Salamander Citadel, Amegakure, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

Back down the elevator shaft they went.

They stopped above the elevator, quickly entering the nearest ventilation shaft. The building was buzzing with activity now; the sudden surge in chakra had caused all of the Sawa-nin to go into high alert. The two ANBU had to back out and get out of Amegakure **now**, while the River Army was still hopefully at half-strength (due to the laxatives) and while the Marsh ninja were dealing with the sudden attack on the interment camps.

Moujinauru and Kenryu silently shifted and crawled through the vents, their agile bodies creeping about until they reached an external vent. The filter there caught any impurities and dust before sucking in the outside air, to prevent the air conditioning system on the inside from going stale.

As much as Moujinauru wanted to kick open the vent, stealth was still needed. Reaching for his own kunai, he silently wedged the filtered hatch open, revealing the ruins of Amegakure. Shadowed by night, but lit by the moon and stars, the seeming serenity of the darkened village belied the activity now bustling throughout. Clouds were gathering, slowly blotting out the pale light and darkening the village even more.

"We need to hurry."

"Hai."

The Blind Owl leapt out, followed by the Blade Dragon. The two ANBU quietly crept as quickly as they dared, moving amongst the alleys and the ruins of Amegakure. They slowly drifted eastward, towards the Land of Fire.

But watching them from atop the skeletal structure of a wrecked skyscraper stood an ANBU with a black mask. He saw them…and he grinned.

"Well well well…two little rats scurrying away." Jadoku sneered as he began his pursuit, like a seasoned predator who regarded his prey as little more than playthings.

xxxx

/River Army Prison Complex, Amegakure, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

The Prison Complex was essentially a square, cordoned off into four smaller squares by earthen walls conjured by a _**Doton**_ jutsu. Within what remained of one of Amegakure's few parks, the complex stood silently. Makeshift shacks and tents held the imprisoned Ame-nin, their bodies restrained with chakra seals and iron binds. Their facemasks and headgear had been removed and locked away in a small storage shed. At least twenty Sawa-nin patrolled the complex at any one time, along with at least one hundred soldiers. All in all, fifty Ame-nin were being held captive here.

They were about to be freed.

The Sawa-nin could only pale as nine giant salamanders of water roared down from the sky, slamming into the prison complex. The earthen walls were washed away, and the tents and wooden shacks were torn to pieces. Although the iron shackles and chains weren't broken…the flimsy chakra seals were torn away. Mere paper couldn't withstand such a ferocious deluge.

And as the chakra of the Ame-nin began to flow once more. Their chains became pathetically easy to break once they had chakra at their disposal.

Chaos began to break loose throughout the internment camps as the shinobi of the Hidden Rain emerged from the water, their minds and instincts having become accustomed to being drenched and flooded in the past. The Sawa-nin and soldiers, meanwhile, were still floundering.

And then Hanzou fell amongst them.

"Hanzou-sama!" happily yelled the loyalists.

"Hanzou…" murmured the rebels.

Hanzou regarded each of them quietly. "Listen. An offer has been extended to me…and it'll allow us to take back our country at a future time. For now though, we must spread out and leave the Rain Country." He did not dare breath Konoha's name, not when there were so many enemies; besides, he had a feeling that it wouldn't be long before everyone would know that Salamander Hanzou had been granted asylum by Konohagakure. "You all need time to let your chakra replenish, so try to avoid getting in battle if you can." His eyes suddenly turned to the Sawa-nin gathering at the edge of the ruined prison complex. "Hmph…"

The Marsh shinobi now numbered at twenty-seven. Various soldiers trudged to their feet, bringing their rifles to bear after letting the water drip out of the barrel.

The Ame-nin tensed up. They had no kunai and no weapons. They didn't have chakra to perform any significant jutsu. Only Hanzou could fight.

As for Hanzou…his skin tingled. What was this strange feeling of chakra gathering the air…?

"_**Suiton; Amekirite no jutsu!**_"

Hanzou paled. _That jutsu!_ His eyes zoomed upward, looking at the several clouds that had coagulated over night.

Clouds that were now dissipating as their individual water molecules condensed into rain, as sharp as daggers and falling upon the conquerors. Blood ran freely as the Sawa-nin and River Army soldiers were ambushed by the sudden downpour, their bodies being torn to pieces by the rain.

The Ame-nin watched in awe…but the rebels faces were coated with gleeful grins. Only one person could use the 'Water Element; Rain Cutter' technique.

And there he was, walking over the corpses of the Sawa-nin and the soldiers. True, he looked gaunt and undernourished…but his face betrayed no emotion. His eyes, hair, and piercings were unmistakable.

"**_PEIN-SAMA!_**"

Pein calmly strode over towards the Ame-nin. Hanzou grumbled, "Hmph. It seems you're harder to kill than even I expected."

"And it seems you're getting hard of hearing in your old age. I thought I told you to evacuate the citizens." His eyes narrowed. "And you could at least be respectful and refer to me by my title, Sanshouuo no Hanzou."

"Of course…where are my manners?" Inwardly, Hanzou was happy. He could not hate Pein; despite their bitter rivalry, he held nothing but the utmost respect for him. "Welcome back to the land of the living, Fumetsu no Pein."

Pein snorted. "I never died to begin with, fool."

xxxx

/Wet Lizard Bar, Amegakure, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

The sounds of battle outside.

The lack of River Army soldiers.

And a snoring Soui Numa, who was out cold due to the poison. No matter how hard the three soldiers tried to awaken him, it was no use.

Uddomaru smiled. _Now this is more like it._

The people of Ame would not fall so easily.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**Escape from Amegakure! Can the Owl and the Dragon Avoid the Venom of Jadoku?**_

xxxx

Author's Note: Hmm. Once again, the chapter proves too long to be held in one. So you shall have to wait till the next one!

hey look pein's alive omg so unexpected

Did ya'll really think I kill off someone with such an (admittedly) cool character design?

And what's this about the Nibi? Opening a portal on his own like a certain seven-tailed demon cat? WHEN WILL THE CONFUSION END

Anyhow, I'm moving back to Digimon. I should be updating again before the end of the year. Late November at the earliest.

See you soon, and please review!


	41. Escape from Amegakure!

Author's Notes: I spent hours trying to find the Halo 3 Soundtrack. HOURS. No luck. ;.;

Oh well, enough about that. It's Naruto time!

…well, technically, but not time for Naruto the character. ;P

So…where were we…?

Ah yes.

Begin!

xxxx

_**Escape from Amegakure! Can the Owl and the Dragon Avoid the Venom of Jadoku?**_

xxxx

_/72 Days after Naruto Entered Makai/_

xxxx

Fuuma Pein had always been a tough guy. It was his nature, after all. He was a Fuuma.

The Fuuma. A legendary ninja clan of the Hidden Rain, specializing in ninjutsu…particularly _**Fuuton**_ and _**Suiton**_ jutsu. When they fought, they seemed to be able to fight longer, harder, and better than any opponent. When their eyes of gray – so many differing shades, almost like a gathering of thunderheads – fell upon you on the battlefield, you knew you were about to get into the fight of your life.

A shame, then, that the civil war had decimated them so. One by one, members of the Fuuma Clan fell in battle; they fought out of the belief that strength was absolute. Without strength, one was nothing…and their government was without strength. As such, it needed to be destroyed.

Thanks to the work of men like Hanzou, however, the Fuuma were no longer of any importance. Their strength had faded, their aura of invincibility falling to the wayside…nowadays, even the Uchiha Clan was spoken of more in the Rain Country. So utter was their destruction that all remnants of their once great clan faded away and vanished from the Rain Country, exiling themselves to regions beyond reach. None of the Fuuma remained.

Save for one.

A child. Said to be the last one to remain in Amegakure, now leader of the rebels.

His power was immense. He was a master of many _**Suiton**_ techniques…and that only aided him with his kekkei genkai all the more.

After all, there was a reason why the Fuuma had been so feared in battle. Why they could fight so long. Why Pein could have been trapped under the rubble of the Central Water Tower for over a month – with nothing but water pooling about his trapped legs, his entire body pinned and immobile – and still survive. A hidden Bloodline Limit that had never been spoken of to outsiders.

_**Tsuusan Shintou.**_

Total Osmosis.

The ability to externally absorb particles and minerals through the skin, letting any needed materials pass into the bloodstream, into the muscles, into whatever organ they were needed. It enabled one to absorb water into the body, hydrating the body without ever drinking. It enabled one to absorb scant quantities of nearby minerals – nitrogen, carbon, calcium – within the air and broken rock, using them as temporary supplements in exchange for actual nourishment. It even acted as a set of 'gills', enabling him to absorb oxygen from within water so that he could swim deep into the depths of any lake or river without breathing. True, it required chakra to use…but in the end, he had made ends meet. It had enabled him to survive.

At least, until he had been freed, when the water around him had certainly suddenly twitched and swarmed. With a life of its own, the water had surged into the air, breaking through the rubble and the ruin…and into the open air.

Freedom.

xxxx

/Amegakure, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

"So that's how you lived for so long," remarked Hanzou, secretly marveling at what he had just been told. The Fuuma, possessing a secret kekkei genkai! It was astonishing. And now he could make the connection. "No wonder the Fuuma were so tenacious. They could absorb minerals and necessary particles from their external environment to prolong physical activity."

"You are the first one outside of my clan to hear the truth about our Bloodline Limit," remarked Pein as he crept next to a fallen cornerstone, eyes peeking over and around. Sounds of battle, like echoes and whispers, drifted through the night air. The feelings of freedom and muted content from earlier had faded, replaced with a quiet tension. He knew that all other Ame-nin were feeling the same; those sounds, sounds of bullets firing and kunai clashing were only few and far between due to the fact that they were trying to flee without causing a ruckus. Then again, both Hanzou and he had seen to it that there'd be a sufficient amount of ruckus to induce panic amongst the ranks of the Sawa-nin and the River Army. It was a testament to the skill of both shinobi that they had yet to be caught by any of the Sawa-nin patrol teams converging upon the ruins of Amegakure. "I would not give myself the title of _**Fumetsu**_ without just cause."

Hanzou chuckled. "You Fuuma always were arrogant." His eyes shifted around; a few lattice beams from a broken skyscraper were hanging overhead. "Always flouting your superiority."

Pein's eyes glanced around as well. "You could call it arrogance if you want. It's well-deserved either way."

Hanzou suddenly shot his arms up, grabbing the arm of the Sawa-nin that had been creeping about the lattice beams, quietly pursuing them. A kunai was in his outstretched hand. Grunting, the wizened Hanzou ducked under the arm before bending it inwards towards the Sawa-nin, stabbing him in the throat with his own kunai. The shinobi of the Marsh gurgled as his hand fell away from the bloodstained kunai. As the ninja slumped to the ground, Hanzou glanced back at Pein. "We head to the east."

"To what?" asked Pein. The Fire Country – Konoha in particular – was to the east. After being given a soldier pill by that Konoha ANBU, there was no doubt in this mind that this escape had been engineered by the Hidden Leaf.

Hanzou glanced over at his enemy-turned-comrade, muttering, "I can only hope that there will be refuge." Another shifting of the eyes. "The coast is clear."

"Then let's go."

Both shinobi burst off towards the wooded forest to the east, fleeing through the open fields…and leaving Amegakure behind.

xxxx

/Fire Country-Rain Province Border/

Uchiha Sasuke knew now, without a doubt, that Sai got some satisfaction out of ticking people off.

"Why in the world would you use such an impractically long sword like a nodachi?"

The Sawa-nin standing right on the other side of the border scowled, his hand gripping the hilt of his five-foot long sword. "…"

Right now, a single line of wooden posts – separated at five-meter intervals – lined the border between the Fire Country and the Rain Province (at least in this particular area, where the forest was too dense to place anything like a wall, or even a decent fence). Sai was currently standing on the Fire Country's side of the border, with said Sawa-nin right on the other side. Sasuke was currently perched on a tree branch overlooking the border, his eyes shifting between the border, his fellow Konoha-nin hiding amongst the canopy, and the other Sawa-nin patrolling through the branches on the other side of the border.

But at the moment, his attention was mostly focused on Sai's 'conversation.'

Sai smiled blankly at the Sawa-nin. "I read in a book once that many men often purchase large or elongated objects to compensate for some deficiency. A midget, for example, will buy the largest horse to make himself feel taller. I don't quite understand the psychological reasoning behind such an idea…but it does happen."

_Doesn't this guy ever shut up?_ thought the Marsh ninja with an annoyed scowl.

Finally, Sai continued, "Perhaps purchasing such a large sword is your way to compensate for a small penis." He cupped his chin, as if processing a new thought. "On the other hand, perhaps you merely have an obsession with phallic objects. It could be one or the other." Still keeping that damnable smile on his face, the emotionless shinobi finished, "Tell me, are you a faggot? It might offer me some clue as to what the answer is."

The Sawa-nin scowled, unsheathing his massive blade. "WHY YOU **LITTLE**­-!"

"Calm down," grumbled another Marsh shinobi, his hand gripping the Sawa-nin's sword arm. "You attack, and they'll have free license to retaliate." Gazing around, the older Sawa-nin grumbled, "And seeing as how there's both an Uchiha AND a Hyuga around here tonight, I'd rather not give them that license."

_He has good eyes_, thought Sasuke from his hidden position. He himself had actually gone into the open earlier, but he knew for a fact that Hinata had not moved from her hidden spot within the forest canopy once Team 8 had arrived alongside Team 7. _But…I don't think it'll make a difference._ His eyes narrowed. Two chakra signatures were approaching. And fast.

The Sawa-nin also noticed. The nodachi-wielding shinobi turned around just in time to see his partner get assaulted by a hail of watery needles; he was skewered on the spot. _Senbon made of water?!_ The swordsman gripped his large blade tightly as four more Marsh shinobi came down from the interlocking branches of the maple and oak trees, preparing for battle.

Sasuke impulsively activated his _**Sharingan**_; he wanted to see what was about to happen in detail.

Two figures fell from the trees, performing a number of hand signs.

"_**Fuuton; Sugoikuuhaku no jutsu!**_"

"_**Suiton; Supaikukansei no jutsu!**_"

The figure in the front – with reddish-orange hair and many piercings – held his hands forward, a vortex of air in his palms. A cyclone had erupted from his palms…and it was pulling everything in. "Wind Element; Great Vacuum Technique!"

The Sawa-nin paled as the tremendous suction gripped them, pulling them towards the two ninja of the Rain.

The one behind the pierced man – clad in an elaborate headgear – had his palms on the ground, his chakra manipulating the water within the deep, moist soil. "Water Element; Spike Trap!"

The five Marsh ninja, their bodies in the grip of the redhead's vacuum, had no choice but to be impaled. Their bodies were gutted and pierced, like fish on a harpoon. Blood stained the water and the ground as the spikes drooped and collapsed with a simple slosh. The two ninja of the Rain calmly stepped forward, beyond the border and into the midst of the Leaf ninja.

_Well, that didn't take long_¸ thought Sasuke with an expression of amusement.

Sai looked up at both Hanzou and Pein. His eyes fell on the latter. "So many piercings. Tell me, do you enjoy cutting yourself?"

Pein calmly retorted, "I don't know. Do you enjoy looking like jailbait?"

Sai's only response was to quirk an eyebrow, his smile unfading. "Hmm…could you elaborate on what you mean by 'jailbait'?"

Pein rolled his eyes. _What a clueless child._

Sasuke and Sakura dropped out from their positions in the canopy above. Yamato emerged from _inside_ an oak. "Greetings." He glanced at both of the newcomers, frowning. "We were only supposed to meet one person. State your names."

"Hijikata Hanzou, the Salamander, leader of the loyalists," stated the man with the headgear.

"Fuuma Pein, the Undying, leader of the rebellion," stated the man with the piercings.

Sakura blinked. Sasuke's eyes slightly widened. Sai showed no reaction. Yamato's jaw fell slightly. This news was unheard of! "…we had received word that the one known as Pein had been killed in action."

Pein rolled his eyes at Hanzou's smirk. "It seems you're not the only who's decided to be ignorant of my title '_**Fumetsu**_'."

Sasuke lightly snorted. Sakura sarcastically thought, _Like YOU weren't once that arrogant._

"This talk is pleasant and all…"

Everyone turned to see a white-haired man approaching, his sandals clopping against the large root he stood upon. "…but I'd prefer it be continued in a safer venue." Looking over at Hanzou, the old man waved. "Yo Hanzou. Been a while."

The sagely Ame-nin chuckled. "Ah…Jiraiya. I take it you're to be our escort?" A nod was his answer. "Hmph. I should feel insulted."

"…Jiraiya of the Sannin." Pein glanced over at his counterpart. "If I recall correctly, you lost against Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru. Thirty-two years ago, around the time I was born…your first loss since becoming a Jonin, yes?"

Hijikata Hanzou snorted. _Impertinent youths._ "It was…it was only after that feat that they became known as the Densetsu no Sannin."

Sasuke glanced quietly between both Hanzou and Jiraiya. _So…it wasn't until they beat this guy that their team became known as the Legendary Three._ Such a title could only be true if it had been earned through an equally legendary accomplishment. _This Hanzou must be as strong as he's been said to be then…_

"Well, I'm sure we can all reminisce and feel nostalgic over a nice cup of sake later…for now," Jiraiya pointed a thumb over his shoulder. To the east. "I suggest we get as far away from the River Army and the Sawa-nin before they can reorganize."

Both Hanzou and Pein nodded. Whatever the Hokage wanted to offer, it would have to be quick, before the IKS could organize any hunting parties to track down the escaped Ame-nin.

So it was those nods that Jiraiya leapt into the treetops, leading the way for Hijikata Hanzou and Fuuma Pein to Konohagakure.

Sasuke, Sai, Sakura, and Yamato watched as the trio of shinobi departed.

"Hmm. Seems I'm the first one here."

Everyone whirled around to see an ANBU in a dog mask. The tuft of spiky silver hair was instantly recognizable. "Kakashi-sensei?" stated Sakura.

"I have no idea who you're talking about," deadpanned the ANBU.

Before Sasuke could make a snarky remark, Yamato whispered, "_During missions, ANBU are only called by their codenames._" Standing up, he bowed. "A pleasure to see you again, Gininu-sempai."

Gininu shrugged. "I'm glad to see you've settled in well." Glancing at Sai, he remarked, "I hope none of you have tried killing each other."

"Actually, yes, we have," helpfully answered Sai.

Sakura glared at the Root ninja's faux smile while Sasuke just shook his head. Sighing, Yamato looked wearily at his former sempai. "Is that an answer?"

The silver-haired ANBU sweatdropped. "I..see…"

Another figure dropped down beside them. Purple hair, complete with a gecko mask. "Jakuyamori…you just _now_ got here? You left after I did," lightly mocked Gininu.

"I had to take the long way around to avoid detection."

"Or maybe you're just getting slower."

"Gininu…!"

Sakura and Sasuke were still amazed that their former sensei hadn't been late.

Yamato chuckled. _Kakashi-san. Yugao-san._ It was good to see his former ANBU teammates. All they needed now was Gekko Hayate, and then their old ANBU unit would have been complete. Alas, Hayate was dead. _Such a shame…alas, we are all ninja. We all die eventually._ "I suggest we get back into our positions and wait for your two teammates, Gininu-sempai."

"What about the bodies of those Sawa-nin?" asked Sakura, pointing at the six corpses on the other side of the border.

"We'll leave them there. Let Sawagakure assume it was done by Pein and Hanzou." With that said, the silver-haired ANBU leapt up into the canopy, perching himself upon a thick branch. _Moujinauru. Kenryu. Hurry._

xxxx

Further to the southwest, two Konoha ANBU entered the forest.

Moujinauru calmly crept by the roots, trying to avoid stepping on any twigs or branches. Conventional wisdom would dictate moving into the canopy as swiftly as possible to avoid pursuers. However, given that he and his partner were near the border, there would undoubtedly be men hiding above, waiting for an ambush. Moujinauru would be watching with his _**Byakugan**_, seeing everything around him. And if he did find someone…then Kenryu would take care of them. She was actually in the trees, moving about in perfect cohesion with her ANBU partner.

Above or below: all points of attack were covered.

Moujinauru's eyes narrowed as he hid behind one massive oak, his nostrils twitching at the smell of dry bark. _Hmm. We're near the border…I see one shinobi waiting on the other side._ Quietly focusing, it took him a few moments to deduce who he was seeing through his oddly-colored vision. _Hinata-sama._ Glancing above, he flashed several words through hand signals. 'Shinobi. Seven hundred meters eastward. Ally. Konoha.'

From her position above, Kenryu nodded. Less than half a mile until they were home free. This mission was as good as won! _Excellent…we're gonna make it!_

Then Moujinauru, without warning, threw several kunai into the branches.

Kenryu frowned, glancing at where he was throwing them…and paled at the sight of a Sawa-nin in a black mask leaping aside, dodging the projectiles. _That Marsh ANBU! He followed us!_ Kenryu impulsively flipped backwards, falling out of the canopy and landing lightly beside her partner. "It's that ANBU in the black mask."

Moujinauru's blank eyes narrowed behind his owl mask. "So it would seem."

"_Not bad!_"

Kenryu and Moujinauru were silent. His voice was echoing through the canopy; he was trying to mask his position. "_You two Konoha-nin have a lot of guts coming here, trying to break out Hanzou…now everyone back in Amegakure is in a tizzy._"

"Do you see him?" asked Kenryu. Moujinauru quietly nodded. His _**Byakugan**_ could see the enemy ANBU quite clearly.

"_Jadoku is my name! And if you think you're crossing that border…you'd better think again._"

Moujinauru suddenly whirled around, unsheathing his kodachi.

_**CLANG!**_

Kodachi met kodachi as Moujinauru struggled to push back Jadoku. Twirling on his feet, the Konoha-nin poked the Sawa-nin in the arm, closing a tenketsu. Almost instantaneously, the black-masked ANBU flipped backwards, scaling up a large oak back into the canopy.

Kenryu calmly unsheathed her kodachi, holding it in her right hand while clenching a kunai in the left. "…still see him?"

"Hai."

"_Hee hee! That last attack proves it. You're a Hyuga!_"

Moujinauru tensed up. "And if I am?"

"_Oh, it means a lot…it means a lot indeed…Neji._"

Moujinauru tensed. Kenryu scowled. _How'd he know his name?!_

"_Wondering how I knew? It's not that hard to figure out. In a heated conflict, with no element of surprise on either side, most Hyuga try to go directly for the chest, to deliver a one-hit kill to the heart. But the more experienced Hyuga will know that anyone with the skill of an ANBU or higher would know their potential enemies' known techniques and favorite tactics…and they have no idea what their enemy has in store. What if he's expecting an attempt at a quick kill? What if he's expecting __**them**__ to make such an attempt, especially when he's the one ambushing them?_" There was a sneer to his tone…and an almost frenzied excitement. The glee that made it through his voice alone was enough to know that he enjoyed fighting. "_A Hyuga with the smarts to attack the more easily accessible arm rather than the riskier sternum…such Hyuga tend to be Jonin or ANBU. And considering your physique, voice, and lithe body…you're quite young. Not even twenty. You could only be Hyuga Neji; you're the only Hyuga who fits the profile. The next oldest Hyuga within the ANBU is over twenty-five._"

This was bad. Real bad. Despite Jadoku's apparent bloodlust, he had displayed keen insight…well, not so much insight as it was having a good source of information. And why would Moujinauru be surprised? Jadoku was a Sawa-nin, and Sawagakure was part of the IKS. The resources of the Marsh, pooled together with the Cloud and Stone. All information they had would be shared…and then some. _This enemy will be tricky…_

"_And given that, you also know what this means._" Somehow, Moujinauru and Kenryu could **hear** the man sneering. "_Hee…Konoha-nin, intruding on River Country territory…might risk a war…_"

Kenryu's fists tightened around her weapons. The jitteriness from earlier was coming back.

"_It won't be that long before the River Army reorganizes. Sure, they'll be preoccupied with all the Ame-nin that are escaping…but I give it less than a half hour before this entire border is teeming with infantry and Marsh ninja…but hey, it won't matter by then, will it?!_" A rustling of leaves. The ANBU was jumping from branch to branch. "_Because you're trying to make it to the Fire Country. To get there, ya gotta go through me…and the only way you're getting past me is if you kill me._"

_This guy's like Kidoumaru of the Sound Four_, thought Moujinauru with a frown. Eager to play, eager to have fun through the strife of battle. Toying with weaklings and nicking away at those with strength…this man seemed to fit Kidoumaru's psychological profile. At least, when it came to battles. _If that's the case, he'll try and pick away at us with something simple before going to the more complex techniques. He'll start long-range._ "Kenryu. Keep focused. He's probably going to use a long-range attack to deduce our individual weaknesses."

"Hai," replied Kenryu, her eyes narrowing beneath her dragon mask. _Focus._ "Once we get a chance, break for the border."

Moujinauru nodded. His _**Byakugan**_ remained focus on Jadoku's position within the canopy. The Marsh ANBU, for all his boisterous words, was still fairly easy to track.

"_Now…let's do something about those eyes of yours._ _**Dokuki!!!**_"

_Dokuki?_ Moujinauru tensed up. Something was about to happen.

Kunai – all attached to a network of strings, all set up at the spots Jadoku had stopped at – began raining down. Kenyu leapt back as Moujinauru began spinning. "_**Kaiten!!!**_" The dome of chakra spun, blasting all of the projectiles away.

It was in that instant, during the Eight Trigrams Palm Heavenly Spin, that Jadoku attacked Kenryu.

Kenryu twirled, lashing out with her kodachi and kunai knife as Jadoku flipped over her and kicked her in the back. Kenryu was launched into the air. He charged towards the Hyuga, his right hand sheathing his kodachi while his left hand glowed with a yellow aura.

Moujinauru's _**Byakugan**_ narrowed. _Yellow chakra?_ Was it that 'Dokuki' that the ANBU had spoken of? Grimacing as Jadoku came closer, the Blind Owl let his fists fly at lightning speed. Jadoku, showcasing his acrobatic maneuverability, rolled underneath the palms and brought up his right hand…releasing a small white orb.

The Konoha-nin flinched as the orb slammed into his face, momentarily stunning him as it released a cloud of haze. _Smoke bomb!_ Worthless against the Hyuga's dojutsu.

But that brief moment of shock at the smoke bomb allowed the Sawa-nin to slam his glowing fist into Moujinauru's chest. Scowling at the feel of the foreign chakra, he leapt back outside of the smoke cloud, watching as Jadoku scaled up another oak into the canopy.

And then he froze. _What…? What's going on?!_

Kenryu skidded to a halt beside her partner. "Sorry for the delay Moujinauru." Gazing up into the leaves high above, the Blade Dragon kept a tight hold on her weapons. "Can you see where he went now?"

"…no."

No?

Kenryu looked incredulously at Neji. Wait, Moujinauru. Did she need to stick with his codename when the enemy knew who he was? But wait, the more important thing: he couldn't **see** where the enemy went? "Did he move beyond your range?" _And that fast?_

"No." The Hyuga scowled, his fists tightening. This was unprecedented. Unthinkable. Jadoku had done something…and he didn't like it. At all. "My _**Byakugan**_ won't work."

"…how so?"

"It won't activate." Pumping more chakra to the retinas didn't do the trick. The ANBU scowled, his anger increasing; now he practically WAS a Blind Owl. His Bloodline Limit was no longer working!

"Won't _activate_?!" exclaimed the Blade Dragon, shocked beyond all belief. "How?!"

"_**Dokuki.**_ The Poison Spirit."

The two Konoha-nin looked over at the black-masked man, his long dark hair flapping in the breeze. "The Kuro clan isn't really that renowned, compared to others like the Fuuma, the Uchiha, the Hyuga, or even that extinct Kaguya clan. Being nomads, our alliances are fickle, and we don't really have that many numbers either…even our Bloodline Limit is somewhat humdrum. Use _**Dokuki**_ on a normal person, and a portion of their chakra is sealed…use _**Dokuki**_ on a person with special jutsu unique to one clan, and they'll find themselves having great difficulty using those special jutsu…" His sneer widened. "Use _**Dokuki**_ on someone with a kekkei genkai…and guess what happens?"

"…the kekkei genkai is sealed," finished Moujinauru, his teeth gritting together out of frustration.

"EXACTLY!" exclaimed Kuro Jadoku. "My Bloodline Limit can seal other Bloodline Limits! So long as my chakra is running through your inner coils, your _**Byakugan**_ will not turn on…and seeing as how your _**Jūken**_ is a special technique developed by the Hyuga, it will also be dulled. My chakra strikes at that which is familiar with the body, that which is used and utilized repeatedly…your strengths become null and void!" Jadoku clenched his kodachi tightly. "Either siphon out my chakra, or kill me to get rid of it. Cause I ain't letting you use your fancy jutsu on me."

Moujinauru seethed. He had pegged this guy wrong. Though bloodthirsty and hungry for battle, he wouldn't hesitate to weaken his opponent, to make the fight easier. To make toying with them easier. _Damn. Now I'm handicapped…my __**Byakugan**__ is useless, and my Gentle Fist attacks will be dulled._ He'd have to rely on more traditional tactics, along with kunai, his kodachi, standard taijutsu, and speed. He'd have to rely more on Kenryu as well.

He only hoped she'd be able to pick up the slack. Losing the _**Byakugan**_ and losing the full strength of the Gentle Fist was a heavy blow. And Jadoku's kekkei genkai…if what he said was true, he'd be a most formidable opponent against a multitude of Konoha shinobi who had special clan jutsu. What if a Nara were to suddenly lose control of his shadow manipulation after being hit with _**Dokuki**_? Or if an Akimichi were to kill himself because he could not grow his body correctly? _This man is a dangerous opponent…and he knows Konoha-nin were here anyway. If he escapes, he'll let Oda Nobunaga know…and then there will be war._ "Kenryu. We must kill this man. He knows too much."

"Hai." She kept a hand close to the scroll pockets in her gray ANBU vest.

"In any case, Oda-sama will appreciate learning that Konoha-nin were here in River Country territory." He flexed his neck, letting loose the tension. "Now…let's begin." Cue several kata. "_**Doton; Iwagan no jutsu!**_" Pounding two open palms into the ground, Kuro Jadoku picked up two large clumps of soil that began to condense and compress due to his chakra, becoming like rocks instead of dirt clods. "Earth Element; Rock Sphere!"

Moujinauru and Kenryu paled as he threw the twin spheres at them, moving as bullets. Rolling to the side, the two Konoha-nin could only gape as the two spheres burst through the tree that had been behind them…_and changed direction in midair_. "He can control those spheres with his chakra!" exclaimed Kenryu. Moujinauru scowled as he ducked and rolled, drawing one of the spheres towards him while Kenryu dealt with the other one.

The Blade Dragon calmly sheathed both kodachi and kunai, pulling out a small paper seal. Infusing it with chakra, the ink on the tag glowed as she summoned the weapons sealed within: a pair of nunchaku. The metal rods gleamed as she swung the weapons about, beating away at her respective sphere. However, with ever hit, it merely turned around and kept on coming…but fortunately for her, steel nunchaku did not break so easily. With a ferocious _thwack_, she sent the sphere into the nearest tree, the impact from both her blow and the subsequent crash into the oak's thick bark causing it to shatter. Her multiple hits with the nunchaku had weakened it considerably. _Moujinauru doesn't have nunchaku though._ Scowling, Kenryu took off to handle the problem at its source.

Moujinauru was bemoaning the loss of his _**Kaiten**_. The first time he had tried to use it since being afflicted with the Poison Spirit, he had felt an indescribable surge of Jadoku's chakra pushing back against his own. He had tried to spin, but the paltry amount of chakra he managed to eke out could barely create any rotational thrust, much less create his nigh-impenetrable dome of chakra. _Jadoku was right. The jutsu familiar to my body and mind…his __**Dokuki**__ is trying to block them all!_ He had settled for a game of cat-and-mouse with the flying rock, his role being that of the mouse. It was very infuriating for the Hyuga, who was not accustomed to actually having to turn his head to look behind him. _I've become too dependent on my __**Byakugan**__. I'm having trouble keeping up…!_

**BAM!**

A hit to the side. The Blind Owl gagged as he fell to his knees, grimacing as the compacted orb made a U-turn around the nearest maple and back towards him. Scowling, he mentally roared at his stunned body. _Get up…!_

The sphere suddenly dropped, rolling to a stop in front of the Konoha-nin. Blinking out of confusion, the Hyuga turned his attention to Jadoku, who was no longer focusing his chakra on the sphere.

The Sawa-nin had his hands full with a nunchaku-wielding kunoichi, his kodachi blocking and parrying each and every blow. Finally, Kenryu got a lucky shot; her right nunchaku wrapped around the blade. With a quick jerk, both nunchaku and kodachi went flying. The Konoha-nin immediately reached for another small paper seal while she struck at Jadoku with her left nunchaku. The Sawa-nin scowled; now he was reduced to fending off the lady's irritating sticks with a puny knife! _But it won't be like this for long…_

_Poof!_

A bo staff emerged from the seal, its steel surface gleaming in the few strands of moonlight that broke through the canopy. Light and shadow intermixed at random as the Blade Dragon abandoned her last nunchaku for total control of her bo staff. A whirling maelstrom was what she was; a living tornado of metal. Spinning the staff rapidly over her head – the centrifugal force building with each passing moment – Kenryu roared as she swung downward…into the waiting hands of the Sawa-nin.

Kuro Jadoku grinned as he immediately shifted his legs, twisting his body so that he could utilize the momentum of the staff. Kenryu paled – her hands still tight on the staff – as her world was turned upside-down.

**BAM!**

Her back met the ground. Grimacing, she looked up at the man in the obsidian mask, who was grinning. "Maybe I should crush your throat."

Jadoku suddenly released the staff and jumped into the air, avoiding the strike to his back by a kunai-wielding Moujinauru. The Sawa-nin rebounded off of the oak – grabbing his fallen kodachi as he rolled – and bounced back up into the canopy.

Silence.

Moujinauru dashed to Kenryu's side. "You okay?"

"I'll be fine." Kenryu tensed as she rubbed at the small of her back. For such an agile guy, Jadoku could put a lot of power behind his blows. _Should have bought some of dad's mujounium weapons…those would have been a lot of help._ "Let's make a break for the border. While he's recuperating."

A nod of the head prompted both Dragon and Owl to begin fleeing.

2,000 feet.

The border was so close.

1,800 feet.

"_**Mokuton; Uddoryuudan no jutsu!**_"

The nearest cluster of oaks exploded, forming a gigantic dragon of wood that snaked about the ground. The cacophony of shattering wood and splintering trees made it seem as though a ferocious roar was emerging from its gullet, its wooden fangs sharp as bone. The dense smell of bark and sweet sap suddenly filled the air as the dragon neared them.

Moujinauru scowled as the dragon neared them. "Do you know any Katon jutsu?"

"No, but I do have something else." Another paper seal emerged from Kenryu's pocket as she skidded to a halt, slamming her bo staff to the ground. With a small puff of smoke, a chain emerged, its tip ending in a large ball with cracks in it. Swinging it about above her head, the kunoichi heaved the ball into the mouth of the oncoming dragon. Some of its fangs were broken, but it did nothing to slow the beast's advance.

Moujinauru frowned. "Kenryu…"

"Not done yet." She held tightly onto the chain with both hands, performing a familiar hand sign. "**Tora!**" The Tiger.

Chakra poured through the chain; the weapons specialist strained to push her chakra through the metal. It was good at channeling her energy, but it wasn't mujounium. And that wooden dragon…_so close!_

The dragon was upon them.

And then it exploded.

Moujinauru and Kenryu were both sent flying as the wooden dragon shattered, a flash accompanying its destruction. Fragments of bark and oak clattered to the ground as the chakra that had animated the dragon dispersed. The Hyuga gave his ally a questioning glance.

"An explosive tag within the ball. It exploded once I applied some chakra."

"Ah." A satisfactory method of dealing with the Wooden Dragon Blast. "Good…let's keep going."

The two ANBU dashed ahead, Kenryu holding tightly onto her bo staff as they moved from tree to tree.

1,500 feet.

Moujinauru stopped. "Hmm. He's near." His senses as a shinobi were telling him to stop. He had heard movement. But where?

Kenryu tightened the grip on her bo staff. Jadoku wouldn't let them go so easily. Where was he? _In the canopy up there…somewhere._ The kunoichi grimaced. Despite the Sawa-nin's lust for blood and battle, he was also an ANBU. He could be stealthy and silent if he wanted to…and he was doing just that right now.

Now that there was a brief lull in the fighting, Kenryu couldn't help but be reminded of her jitters from earlier. Was it the consequences weighing on her shoulders once again? The possibility of war?

She would have none of it.

_I'm going to succeed_, thought the kunoichi with a determined frown as she peeked around. "I don't see him."

"Neither do I," replied Moujinauru, his eyes looking up at the interlocking branches, their leaves and twigs looking more like an inescapable net than the forest's 'blanket' (as he had heard the more poetic members of the Branch House often call a forest's canopy). At the moment, he had to somehow regain some measure of control over his Gentle Fist. Once he got back to Konoha, he was going to increase his repertoire. But for now…he had to think of a way beyond this impediment. _Think. It's just chakra. It won't let you leak it out…but there has to be a way to get around it_.

Flashes of older battles came to mind. Particularly, one between Hinata-sama and her little sister.

_Ah_. That would do just nicely. "Kenryu. Keep an eye out. I'm going to try something."

"Hai," replied the Blade Dragon as she crept along the large oak they had stopped behind. _Whatever it is Neji, it better be quick_, thought Kenryu with a frown (deciding that calling Moujinauru by his real name in her thoughts was just fine). _Because I don't know when this guy might pop up-_

He was right there, leaning against the other side of the oak tree.

The kunoichi paled as he reached for his kodachi. _How'd he get here without us hearing?!_

_**CHUNK.**_

Kodachi met wood; Jadoku scowled as his target stumbled backwards only to rise to her feet. _Crap. She ducked. Thought I had her head that time._ Dashing forward at top speed, the Sawa-nin had the Konoha-nin within his sights.

Then she pulled out two scrolls. "_**Soshoryu no jutsu!**_"

Kuro Jadoku frowned.

"Twin Rising Dragons!"

A multitude of all sorts of bladed weapons soared towards the black-masked ANBU.

"…that looks painful." Jadoku swiftly began fleeing in the opposite direction, bouncing from side-to-side to avoid the storm of metallic death that threatened to consume him. Bounding off the nearest maple, he immediately reversed his course, rushing back towards the weapons specialist. "HYA!"

Kenryu grimaced as she grabbed her bo staff once more, twirling it about to block Jadoku's advance. The ANBU parried her staff with his kodachi, avoiding her pinpoint thrusts with swings that glanced the strikes to the side. Ducking and lashing out with a sweeping kick, Jadoku grinned as she jumped into the air to dodge. _Too easy._ Springing off of his feet, the Sawa-nin slammed his fist into the girl's face, the force of his sudden hook so great that her mask cracked.

_Not good,_ thought Kenryu as she bounced off of the moist ground, her right arm tensing up as she pushed herself to her feet. _I need to turn the tables!_ Ignoring the cracks that now laced her mask – almost like a web – the kunoichi continued her assault. Spinning her staff around forced Jadoku to keep stepping back, although he was doing with so with an almost disinterested flair. Her brow was starting to become thick with sweat, running down her nose and eyes. The scent of her sweat was actually somewhat musty, confined within her white-and-green dragon mask. _Concentrate_. That last hit to the face had dazed her somewhat; the man was surprisingly strong. _Focus_. Thrust. Dodge. Parry. Block. Swing. Roll. An uppercut to the chin. _Missed!_ Scowling, the Blade Dragon went for the feet, scowling as Jadoku flipped over her and landed behind her.

They were now back-to-back.

The Konoha-nin immediately grabbed a kunai and stabbed behind her. No dice. Jadoku had already jumped away.

It didn't matter. Not now, when she was no longer Tenten or Tenjho Tenge. She was Kenryu. The Blade Dragon. An ANBU Black Ops shinobi for the Hidden Leaf. Her muscles tensed as she turned around, ready to strike again with her bo staff. She had the training, the experience, and the aptitude to claim victory. Here, against another ANBU, it was not just about having greater ninjutsu, as with most standard shinobi battles. She had felled a Wooden Dragon Blast with just a ball-and-chain with an explosive note. It was about tactics. Keeping one's wits about them. Managing to not falter in the constant back-and-forth game of tag this battle had undergone. Jadoku was 'it', and he had time on his side. She and Moujinauru (what was taking him so long, anyhow?!) were the 'victims', fleeing for safety. But in both cases, both sides were marked for death. For the mission to succeed, Jadoku would have to die.

She would succeed.

_I WILL succeed!_ mentally roared Kenryu as she finished her turn, ready to strike…only to pause as she saw Jadoku holding a paper seal.

One of her own. He had picked one of her seal pouches.

A quick application of chakra unveiled a large mace of steel in the Sawa-nin's hand, the end tipped with large spikes.

_Well crap_.

Jadoku swung, his first blow knocking the staff out of Kenryu's hands. The second blow – the momentum causing his body to spin and increase the force – came to her left shoulder.

A thick, pulpy sound emerged as Kenryu howled, the spikes digging into her skin as the bones in her upper arm were cracked by the force of the blow. The Sawa-nin smirked at the bits of flesh and red meat that had been torn off by the spiked mace. "Ouch. I heard that one…got a bit of muscle too."

The kunoichi impulsively kept a hold of her wound, blood leaking through her fingertips. _Agh…hurts…_

Jadoku sneered, his teeth gritting together and – were it not for his mask – revealing a toothy grin. The smell of the blood…pungent, meaty…invigorating! _Much more satisfying than that stupid orange-haired Pein…and that hit felt SO good._ "Heh heh heh…" Dropping the mace by his feet, he picked up the young girl by the scruff of her uniform, holding his kodachi to her neck. "Not bad. You provided some entertainment. But alas, your time is up."

"**KENRYU!**"

Jadoku hastily through Kenryu to the side as he whirled, blocking the kunai knife of Moujinauru. The Sawa-nin smirked as he dodged the Hyuga's angry swings. _Feh, how sloppy. Must have the hots for that little lady. Oh well. Maybe I'll rip her entrails out of her in front of him before I send him off to Oda-sama. Or perhaps I should kill him and then let the soldiers have their way with the little dragon. Decisions, decisions._ Finally, he sidestepped a lunge, grabbing the Hyuga by the arm and kneeing him in the stomach.

"_**Geh…!**_" wheezed the Hyuga. Now he too was being held by the scruff of his uniform, a kodachi being held closely to his neck. "…hmm…"

Jadoku smirked as the Hyuga dropped his kunai knife. "Accepted the inevitable, eh? Well, at least you're realistic. You don't have the _**Byakugan**_, your Jūken's worthless, and that little episode with the girl made you sloppy. Konoha deserves to fall for training such weak shinobi. You're not even worth that mask you're wearing!"

_**POW!!!**_

A swift hit on the forehead with the hilt of his kodachi completely shattered the owl mask. Moujinauru was now revealed to all, as Hyuga Neji.

The Hyuga scowled.

Jadoku smirked as blood trickled from the new wound in the forehead. "And now you're finished." A brief thought came to mind. "Hmm. The girl would probably be better to interrogate…and it'd be a heck of a lot more fun to." The undertone did not get past Neji, who merely scowled out of fury. "But you…you'd be a nice gift to our allies in the Hidden Cloud."

Hyuga Neji, for no apparent reason, suddenly smirked.

Kuro Jadoku scowled at the look on the Konoha-nin's face, his grip on the kodachi tightening. "Something strikes you as funny?"

"…the supposed fatal rush of anger…the supposed suicidal charge…so out of character for me. Unless…" Chakra surged through his head as veins pulsed. The longhaired Leaf ninja grinned as he opened his eyes. "Unless, it was all a diversion to make you drop your guard."

Jadoku, for once, was stunned speechless.

He was staring straight into the _**Byakugan**_. "How…?!"

Neji's right hand suddenly rose, striking away at Jadoku's left hand. The kodachi went flying as the Hyuga immediately began prodding at the Sawa-nin's opening points with his right hand, his fingers acting as lethal blades.

Jadoku snarled with fury as he stumbled backwards, his chakra output diminished drastically. _How…he couldn't have, my __**Dokuki**__ is invincible against other Bloodline Limits…how could he…?!?!_

"You are shocked and amazed at my accomplishment," stated Neji. He held up his left arm, which bore a number of marks on the forearm below the elbow. Signs of closed tenketsu. "I could not leak out your Poison Spirit, for to release chakra is to use the Gentle Fist…and as such, your chakra would resist. There is no medical ninja around to siphon the chakra out and nullify it with medical jutsu. But there was a temporary solution: force it into one section of my body and seal off the keirakukei. Your chakra is now trapped in my left forearm." Flexing his left hand's fingers, he finished, "I can't push any chakra through my left arm at all now…but the rest of my body is now clean of your Bloodline Limit. That includes my eyes."

Jadoku scowled. "Damn brat…"

"You believed your kekkei genkai to be invincible. That was your downfall. Nothing in this world is invincible." A brief thought crossed his mind. A thought of a smirking Hyuga, a genius who thought he was invincible, falling in battle to an idiot clad in orange. "That is a truth I had to learn the had way. And now you have just learned it."

"Fool, I'm still standing." The Sawa-nin snarled as he tried to get a feel for his chakra. Nothing. The coils leading to the hands had been closed, and the whole flow was wonky. He couldn't use any jutsu. But he didn't care…he would fight and win! FOR ODA NOBUNAGA! "_**I will not lose!**_" Howling with fury, he held his kodachi tightly and charged.

Neji swiftly grabbed the mace by his feet, spinning as he did. His left hand held the battering weapon tightly as chakra began to stream from his right arm and his legs, propelling his body into a clockwise spin. _One spin…two spins…THREE SPINS!_

The Hyuga narrowly ducked under Jadoku's thrust, his mace crashing into the Marsh ANBU's torso with an audible crunch. Blood spurted from the orifices in the ANBU's mask as he was sent flying backwards, into an oak…and _through_ it. Such tremendous force behind the blow.

Hyuga Neji looked on with satisfaction as the mighty tree creaked and fell. _That should be the last time we have to deal with him._ Dropping the mace, he turned and walked over to his partner, who was trudging towards him slowly. "Your arm okay?"

"Some first aid would help," grumbled Kenryu, who stared quietly at Neji's eyes. "Your mask is gone."

"I'll get a new one," replied Neji as he put his right arm around the kunoichi. "Let's go. I'll support you."

Kenryu was VERY glad she had her mask on. She knew otherwise that the sight of her blushing face would have been a total embarrassment.

The two ANBU took off towards the east.

And all the while…Kuro Jadoku struggled to his feet, his mouth gushing with blood. Several of his ribs were broken, he knew…he could tell by the sensation in his chest, his body enflaming in pain with each breath.

But this pain…it would _pale_ in comparison to what Nobunaga would do if this kind of failure occurred. Letting Hanzou escape?! Unthinkable. Unforgivable. He wasn't the only Kuro…he wasn't the only one with the _**Dokuki**_.

He was expendable.

_NO!_ Jadoku snarled with sudden rage as he gripped his kodachi from the ground, his frame trembling with each step. Those two rookies were so far away now…but he would catch up. He was older. Stronger. Faster! He would catch them!

1,200 feet.

They were at least three hundred feet ahead of him. He poured on the speed.

1,000 feet.

_I am an ANBU of Sawagakure! I will not lose…not with my power! MY POWER IS SUPERIOR!!!_

700 feet.

Only two hundred feet ahead of him. He could catch up!

500 feet.

They were within a hundred yards of the border now. He could barely see their backs. _**NO!!!**_

400 feet.

His tendons strained, and his lungs burned. His blood pulsed, and his emotions swirled. Sweat trickled, and muscles groaned. The leaves and grass beneath his feet were crumpled. The scent of the forest – the cool grass, rough-hewn bark, and the amber-colored sap – was gone, replaced only by the scent of the two Konoha-nin. He tracked them like a bloodhound, his mind driven into a frenzy by the thought of their blood staining the ground.

300 feet.

Yes, their blood would pool into the ground, as water after a rainstorm. He would kill them, and notify his superiors. Soui Numa would then tell Oda Nobunaga, and war would begin. He would be able to keep on fighting. Fighting was all he lived for…the thrill of the chase, the joy of cutting an enemy down, the ecstasy of killing! _I won't fail!!!_

200 feet.

Only a hundred feet in front of him! His legs screamed with pain as he ascended upward with each bounce forward, his body propelling off of the trees.

100 feet.

They were so close. SO CLOSE.

50 feet.

He could see the border. Those wooden posts, which the two Konoha-nin were about to cross. He didn't care. He would kill them. _I'll kill them…I'LL __**KILL**__ THEM!!!_

25 feet.

They crossed the border. He jumped off of a branch, his kodachi gripped tightly in his hands. A brief sensation of vertigo flashed through his body as he began to descend, head first.

0 feet.

He too crossed the border, his body soaring downward…and his kodachi aimed at their heads.

The two turned around, paling at his sight (the Hyuga visibly so). Those looks on their faces were priceless! Seeing him descend from the canopy, his black mask impassive, as though he were a god of death coming down from the heavens. _Yes…fear me. Fear Sawagakure. Fear the River Army. Fear __**Raigunryo**__. FEAR ODA NOBUNAGA!!!_ "_**DIE!!!**_"

Two bodies slammed into his side, knocking him off course. From out of the corner of his vision, he could see that there were a white dog and a boy with dark brown hair. _Wha-?_ Landing on his feet, he could barely keep his wits about him as he saw a girl with long dark hair tinged with a blue color, fingers dancing about his body as her white eyes narrowed. _Another Hyuga? WHAT?!_ His adrenaline began to fade, even as his eyes settled on the dark bugs that settled on his body, sapping away at his chakra. At the same time, red beetles crawled up and down his arms, biting so furiously that soon both limbs were numb and limp, feeling nothing. _No…NO…__**NO!**_

A women with dark, wavy hair took off his mask, her shaded eyes of crimson red gazing straight into his dark pupils.

And then all was gone, fading away as smoke. The forest was naught but vapors now, fading away. All smells, all sights, all sounds…gone. Nothing. Nothing save himself, and the sounds of his panicked breathing. "What…what is this…"

_**YOU SHOW GREAT FEAR.**_

Kuro Jadoku's eyes widened out of realization. _Genjutsu_.

_**WHY? WHAT WOULD DRIVE YOU TO CROSS THE BORDER, DESPITE THE CONSEQUENCES IT ENTAILS?**_

"Your damned ANBU were sabotaging River Country operations, you damned wench!" howled Jadoku, his dark eyes glaring into the darkness.

_**WHAT FEAR DRIVES YOU SO FAR?**_

"_Shut your mouth!!!_"

_**SHOW ME THAT FEAR.**_

And then his mind was pierced.

Jadoku howled as the genjutsu prodded into his thoughts and memories, probing anything and everything that defined himself. A soundless howl erupted from his throat as images flashed before him. Everything was being looked at, nothing was spared…it was as though his mind were being raped, brutally and without mercy.

His strength was nothing before the mental onslaught of Yuhi Kurenai, the Genjutsu Mistress of Konohagakure.

One image stood out above everything else.

A white-haired man, clad in eyeglasses. His hands glowed…and then he touched another Sawa-nin.

Jadoku screamed as the Sawa-nin fell to pieces, his body vaporizing.

The man turned his gaze upon Jadoku, his mouth moving. Words came out, emitting no sound…but he knew what was being said.

The price of failure.

Jadoku knew that failing Oda Nobunaga meant death.

The glowing hand came for him, and he screamed.

Then the darkness faded, and he was now back in the forest.

Yuhi Kurenai gazed warily down at him, trying to process what she had just seen. "…hmm…" _That was Oda Nobunaga. But what did he do?_ She would have to notify the Hokage about this.

Gazing over her shoulder, she saw that both of the Konoha ANBU had departed without a sound. _Neji. Tenten. Stay safe_.

Inuzuka Kiba gazed at the Sawa-nin, his nose twitching. The nin-dog by his side whimpered. "Yeah, I know Akamaru. This guy smells like swamp. Sour, nasty, putrid…"

"His arms are paralyzed. His chakra has been drained significantly. His ribs are broken. But he is still an ANBU. Do not underestimate him," calmly chided Aburame Shino as his bugs retreated into the pores of his skin. The black kikaichu and the red kikaichu had cooperated quite well. _A few more battles of fighting together, and they might be able to intermingle comfortably within my keirakukei._

Hyuga Hinata gazed over at her sensei, asking, "Ninja from Sawagakure will arrive soon…do you…I mean, what do you have in mind? About this man, I mean."

_Less nervous than she was in her old days_¸ thought Kurenai with a smile. But her bumbling sentence only indicated the thin tightrope they were all walking on. Yamato's team had already traversed northward, covering a portion of the border so that they would have an alibi for the slaughtered Sawa-nin. They would claim that Hanzou (hopefully, the Sawa-nin would still think that Pein was dead) had crossed into the Fire Country through that particular pass, while they were elsewhere. And besides, it wasn't as if they were obligated to stop Hanzou anyway; as per the orders, they were only obligated to stop any Sawa-nin and River Army soldier from crossing the border (unless they had diplomatic reasons). Speaking of the killed Sawa-nin, their corpses were roughly four hundred yards to the north. Hopefully, her new position would give her some leverage when any Sawa-nin eventually arrived.

Twenty minutes later, they did.

Five Jonin, ten Chuunin. One of the Jonin was immediately recognizable: Soui Numa.

And Numa looked rather worse for the wear. "Damn martini…tough stuff…" Ceasing his mumbling, his eyes fell upon Jadoku. "Mind telling me what in the world an ANBU is doing on your side of the border, injured and without his mask?"

Yuhi Kurenai mentally sighed. Time to see if she could one-up Kakashi in the art of fibbing. "Your man was the one crossed the border first. No one on my team provoked him."

Soui Numa raised an eyebrow. "That so?"

"Given all the noise coming from Amegakure tonight, we assumed there was an incident. We hoped to reason with him…but he wasn't willing to cooperate." Kurenai's eyes narrowed. "Perhaps his apparent madness is related to whatever happened in the Hidden Rain Village?"

Numa grimaced. "Eh, you have a point. There was a jailbreak. A bunch of Ame-nin escaped, including the head honcho."

Kurenai's eyes flashed with faux understanding. "Hijikata Hanzou? Hanzou the Salamander?"

"Yep. We suspect he fled eastward into the Fire Country."

"I see…no wonder it sounds so hectic over there." Kurenai was actually somewhat impressed with how she was handling herself. No slip-ups or anything. "My team and I have mostly constricted our patrol routes to the border south of Amegakure. There'll be another team to the north. Maybe they have answers to any questions you may have."

"…eh, fine then." Gazing back at Jadoku, Numa sighed. _Oy. Damn moron, probably got too hyped up. Should've kept him on a tighter leash._ "Oda Nobunaga's gonna want an explanation for all of this boy. Hurry up and get moving."

Kuro Jadoku's eyes dilated.

No. He was going to have to explain himself to Oda-sama. Even if he told Nobunaga that Konoha had instigated the jailbreak, he would perish for failing to keep Hanzou from escaping. He would be executed by the Field Marshal of the River Army.

_NO! I won't die, I still have to fight, there's still so much more fighting to be had!_ His eyes darted around as he struggled to his feet, his teeth gripping down on the kodachi in the grass.

Numa arched an eyebrow. "What'd ya'll do to him?"

"His arms are paralyzed. His chakra has been drained significantly. His ribs are broken," repeated Shino, as if reading off of a list.

Numa and his fellow Sawa-nin sweatdropped. "I…see."

Jadoku's nerves twitched. Some way to make up for his failure. Had to. Had to please Oda-sama, so he could keep fighting.

But…where…?

There. The little Hyuga girl. Those white eyes, the exact same as those of the brat in the owl mask. They would make a fine gift for Oda-sama's allies in Kumo.

Snarling, he pushed himself to his feet and dashed towards the Hyuga. The startled looks on the faces of the Konoha-nin. The commands of his superior to stop. Nothing mattered. He ignored them all. How could they understand?! He was doing this for ODA-SAMA! _Stupid little Hyuga girl I'LLSLITYOURTHROAT-!_

Hinata raised her palm, which was glowing with chakra. "_**Hakke Kusho!**_"

Eight Trigrams Empty Palm.

The torrent of chakra rushed through Kuro Jadoku, through his heart, where Hinata had hit him. The long-haired man gagged as blood rushed from his mouth…and then he slumped to the ground.

The Sawa-nin paled at the sight. Soui Numa's eyes narrowed. "Girl. You just killed one of our own."

"He was trying to kill me," replied Hinata, trying her best to keep her calm. Her _**Byakugan**_ flashed dangerously at the Marsh ninja. "Your ANBU need more discipline."

"…eh, I suppose you have a point." Numa sighed as he crossed the border and picked up Jadoku's corpse, handing it to one of the Jonin with him. "Have his corpse disposed of. In a friendlier locale." A quick glance brought all of the other Sawa-nin to attention. "The rest of us will meet up with the other Konoha patrol team and see if they encounteed Hanzou." He gave a gaze of regret to Kurenai, a small smile on his face. "My apologies for Jadoku's behavior madam. I'll see into it that standards improve."

"Arigato," replied Kurenai as the Sawa-nin departed to the north.

Once they were out of earshot, she sighed. "Whew. Pulled it off." She hadn't let anything slip, or done anything out of the ordinary. She had worried when Hinata had killed that Marsh ANBU, but she had managed to justify her actions. After all, in a shinobi's world…if someone was coming to kill you, you had the right to fight back. Besides, considering that that man had been pursuing both Neji and Tenten… it was a good thing he had died anyway. In any case, Yamato – from what little she knew about the man – was a far more skillful negotiator than her; he'd be able to talk Soui Numa off, even if he brought up questions about the slaughtered Sawa-nin.

"Damn Hinata, that was **BADASS!**" exuberantly exclaimed Kiba. "The way you just went like 'POW!' and then glared at that guy all serious-like, I mean, holy crap!"

Shino readjusted his shades, stating, "It seems our team's kitten has matured into a lioness without our knowledge."

Hinata suddenly blushed at all of the attention she was getting. "A-ano…I was just defending myself…"

"Okay you two, hush." Kurenai sighed as Kiba fake-palmed Akamaru, who dramatically fell over with aplomb. _That Kiba and his dog, I swear_. Turning her crimson gaze to Hinata, she asked, "You okay?"

Hinata nodded. "I am, sensei. I've had to kill before." It was true; she had managed to bring down two shinobi during the dual invasion of the Oto-nin and Akatsuki's Nukenin. "It's just…I hope Neji-san and Tenten-san are okay."

"I'm sure they'll be fine," answered Kurenai. The tension in the air was already loosening.

Meanwhile, five hundred meters eastward, Hyuga Neji stood next to Kenryu behind a massive oak. His _**Byakugan**_ had seen the whole confrontation. And he was glad.

Thanks to Hinata, Jadoku was dead. His knowledge of Konoha's involvement in Hanzou's escape was gone now, lost forever.

_Thank you Hinata-sama_, thought Neji. Setting Kenryu down, he said, "Let's bandage that wound."

"Hai," muttered Kenryu as took off her armored ANBU vest, its gray color looking dark underneath the cover of night. Taking out some of the emergency medical equipment in the vest pockets, she handed them over to Neji. "How's your chakra doing?"

"Now that Jadoku is dead, his chakra has vanished." He released a small bit of chakra from his left arm to show this. "His was a frightening Bloodline Limit though…and from the way he spoke, there are other members of the Kuro clan in service to Sawagakure. We'll have to include mention of the _**Dokuki**_ in our report."

"Indeed you will."

The two ninja glanced up, seeing the forms of Gininu and Jakuyamori perched on an oak branch. The former held up one hand. "Yo."

"Gininu-taichou!" exclaimed Kenryu. Then she twitched at the sudden pain in her left shoulder. Neji proceeded to wipe some antibiotic salve over her wound before moving onto gauze and bandages. "Did things go well?"

"Very well." Glancing over at Jakuyamori, the silver-haired ninja added, "I have to admit, I'm surprised I got here before everyone else."

"From what I've heard from Sakura-san, you're chronically tardy," joked Kenryu.

"True." The Silver Dog cupped a hand around his chin. "I was lost on the road to life…but I took a left instead of a right. Turned out to be a shortcut."

Everyone sweatdropped.

The Silent Gecko turned towards the Blade Dragon. "So, for your first ANBU mission…how did things go?"

"Some unfortunate problems…but we succeeded in our objective," answered thekunoichi with a hidden smile.

Gininu nodded as he removed his dog mask. "Good." Kakashi looked down at Neji. "We'll have to get you a new owl mask. Tsk tsk, so sloppy. And I thought Hyuga were supposed to be mannerly."

Neji scowled. "Hmph."

Uzuki Yugao smiled as she took off her mask. "In any case, once your wounds are tended to, we'll head back to the Leaf."

"Hai," replied Tenten as she took off her mask. Her hair was matted with sweat, her uniform was grimy, and there were some blood splotches. She had been involved with a life-and-death battle against a Marsh ANBU…

"Uzuki Yugao…Hyuga Neji…Tenjho Tenge…"

And her ANBU captain called her by her real name. _Rrr…_

Kakashi smiled behind his facemask, his visible eye winking. The moonlight filtered through the canopy, illuminating his figure. "ANBU Unit 17. Mission accomplished. Well done."

Despite all of that, Tenten felt very good.

A few minutes later, it was if the four Konoha-nin had never been there at all.

xxxx

/Two Days Later/

/Hokage's Office, Hokage's Palace, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Tsunade sipped from her sake bottle with satisfaction. "Ah…delightful." She couldn't feel better. Looking down at her desk, there was a newspaper clipping. It had one picture in it, along with some text.

The picture was of the front of the Village Council Hall; standing at a podium were Tsunade, Hijikata Hanzou to her left, and Fuuma Pein to her right. Behind them all were the members of the Council of Elders, with Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu standing at the forefront. Although the Council Room was located within the Hokage's Palace, it was only used for major meetings. The Village Council Hall was where standard, perfunctory meetings were held to help settle disputes between families, households, companies, and other legalities including lawsuits, permits, and a forum for complaints by the villagers. This facility had been the perfect place for the speech, where the Hokage and the two leaders of Amegakure had signed a treaty. The photo had captured the three of them putting their thumbprints onto the treaty with their own blood.

There was a headline underneath the photo caption.

**RAIN REFUGEE ACT SIGNED**

_Leaders of Amegakure Forge Treaty with Konohagakure_

Hijikata Hanzou (right) and Fuuma Pein (left) were enemies in the long-lasting civil war in the Rain Country. Now, driven out by the invasion of the River Army, the two rivals are now allies, having signed a treaty with the Hokage to permit the construction of a haven for Rain Country refugees outside the village walls. Falling under the defense of Konoha, this sanctuary will-

It cut off there.

Tsunade smiled as she thought of what would be occurring soon. A series of buildings would be built across the northern edge of Konohagakure, along the winding Shakou River, which was shaded by a canopy of interlocking oak branches for a good portion of its length. Housing would be provided, and the refugees would be permitted access to the village markets. In turn, the Rain Sanctuary could set up businesses of its own for Konoha's populace to partake in. Not even counting the amount of business it would bring for the carpenters and homebuilders of the village, the influx of new labor would allow for more jobs…and as the refugees earned money, they could form businesses of their own. Not to mention the strength that the shinobi of Amegakure brought to Konoha.

All in all, it was a boon for both sides. _Arranging a path between the village and the sanctuary will be a bit bothersome; forging a door through the wall…bah. Why in the world was the main gate built to be the main road for travel?_ Oh well. It could be dealt with.

Naturally, the announcement had resulted in a letter of protest from Oda Nobunaga. True, he hadn't outright accused Konoha of springing Hanzou from prison (and springing Pein from death, she thought with an amused chortle), but the text had certainly suggested such a possibility. Her reply had been swift: Konoha-nin had only been patrolling the border, as told by their village. They had only been told to prevent possible incursions by the River Army (and after the attacks on the Wave Country and Rain Country, not even Nobunaga could protest such a mindset). That Sawagaukre and the River Army had let Hanzou and the Ame-nin escape was their problem, not Konoha's. And hey, THEY had been invaded to begin with; why was it such a surprise that Ame had approached Konoha for an alliance?

To be blunt, she had told Nobunaga to go pound sand.

Tsunade briefly recalled the reports filed by both ANBU Unit 17, Team Yamato, and Team Kurenai, noting how the man known as Soui Numa had apparently awoken within a half hour after being poisoned by Yugao's toxin. _To think that man woke up after ingesting such a powerful sleeping potion. He must have a hardy constitution._ In future battles, he'd make good target practice for new poisons. And there was also Kurenai's report, concerning what she had learned from Kuro Jadoku about Nobunaga. _Probably a hysterical mental image. But I can't leave anything to chance if it actually turns out to be something later._ She filed that thought away for future analysis.

As for ANBU Unit 17, she was proud. Despite the fact that it was both Tenten and Neji's first ANBU mission – and despite the mess with Jadoku – they had performed with flying colors. _Those two kids are getting a pay raise_.

Though, now that things were underway regarding the sanctuary for the Rain refugees, she had to think of future events regarding the Hidden Grass and the Hidden Waterfall. Those two would be next on the River Country's list…and she didn't doubt that Iwagakure would contribute aid during those operations. As for the Fang and Claw Countries to the south of the Lightning Country…they had no shinobi villages. How was **that** situation going to be resolved?

She had some ideas…and one was gaining a lot of favor within her mind. She just had to finalize it and make contact with representatives of Kusa, Taki, and the Fang and Claw Countries. Once things were fully underway, she could focus on fully annexing and fortifying the territory of former Sound Country.

There was also the matter of what Kuromaru had told Inuzuka Tsume. Apparently, the Biju – at least, Nibi no Inuhankou – could open portals between the worlds on his own, without a Gatekeeper Golem.

What did this entail?

_Another angle regarding the problem of travel to Makai…now the only constant is the Biju. Were the Gatekeeper Golems even necessary?_ Bah. What a nuisance. She took another sip of her sake as another thought came to mind.

Katsuyu.

It had been nine days since the queen of the slugs had told her to summon her in a week.

Well, she finally had some free time. Might as well see to it.

She only hoped that Mantarou hadn't killed her.

xxxx

/Honorstone, Outside Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"_**Kuchiyose ****no jutsu!**_"

A giant puff of smoke was the first sign to Tsunade that at least one slug was alive.

Then she saw the giant white-and-blue form of Katsuyu, she knew things were fine. "Katsuyu!"

"YES?"

"Sorry for being late. Things have been hectic here in Konoha."

"APOLOGY ACCEPTED. I WAS WONDERING WHY I HAD NOT BEEN SUMMONED. IN ANY CASE…" A slug suddenly emerged from Katsuyu's skin, slithering off…and one its back were two scrolls. One was giant, colored green and brown…and the other one was small, colored lime-green and red. The former was as large as long as Konohamaru was tall, whereas the latter could have easily fit in her hand. "I FOUND THESE TWO SCROLLS. THE LARGE ONE IS DIRECTED TO YOU AND HIS 'PRECIOUS PEOPLE'. THE SMALL IS DIRECTED ONLY TO 'UCHIHA SASUKE'."

Tsunade gingerly took the two scrolls, smiling with immense appreciation at Katsuyu's deed. "Thank you Katsuyu." Looking up at her summon with pleading eyes, she implored, "Please…try to keep your head low. I don't want you to be killed by Mantarou."

"I WILL DO MY BEST TO KEEP HIDDEN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDLY WORDS TSUNADE. UNTIL NEXT TIME."

_POOF!_

Katsuyu was gone.

Tsunade high-tailed it back to her office, where she immediately slammed the large scroll on her desk…and opened it.

She read it.

She read everything.

By the time she was done…tears were coming down her face. Tears of joy. "It sounds…just like him…" Rubbing away at the tears in her eyes, Tsunade quickly grabbed a brush, a bottle of ink, and a few dozen scrolls. Her will had been galvanized by the message, and it was time to put an end to the poster debacle once and for all.

For the first time, the people of Konoha would learn everything.

And from there…she could only guess as to how many people would support Naruto.

But she had to try.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**Choose Konoha! Will you Accept or Reject Uzumaki Naruto?**_

xxxx

Author's Note: Ah…this felt so good. Nice to get things moving again.

Anyhow, I'm going to do a bit of a back-and-forth between FFX-3 and Legacy. But first, FINAL EXAMS. :O

See you soon, and please review!


	42. Choose Konoha!

Author's Note: Now it's time to see if Konoha's ready to accept Naruto for who he is. Given that the elders of Konoha have not really allowed Naruto's exploits to reach the ears of the younger children…it'll be interesting to see their preconceived notions going up against reality.

Now…

BEGIN!

xxxx

_**Choose Konoha! Will you Accept or Reject Uzumaki Naruto?**_

xxxx

_/74 Days after Naruto Entered Makai/_

xxxx

/Training Arena, Kazekage's Palace, Sunagakure, Wind Country/

Baki had nearly had a heart attack the first time he saw Gaara's 'training outfit'.

Needless to say, his opinion of the outfit had been shared by the entirety of the Sunagakue Council. The fact that it had been green was bad enough (since when was **GREEN** a suitable color for a desert-based shinobi?!). But that it had orange legwarmers…and that it was a bodysuit…the dork factor was just too high. They wouldn't DARE let their Kazekage be seen in such clothes…the Hidden Sand would be mocked all over!

Unfortunately, they had chosen to inform him of this during his first training session with Rock Lee. He had proceeded to throw them out of the Training Arena in a wave of sand.

A compromise had been called for.

A compromise that had Rock Lee tearing. "Your youthful suit…IT HAS BEEN RUINED!!!"

"My apologies Rock-sensei," remarked Gaara as he removed his regal blue-and-white robes, revealing a brown jumpsuit with tan-colored legwarmers. "The Council was being…obstinate. I managed to keep the suit, in exchange for having colors more fitting for the Sand."

Before Lee could say anything else, Maito Gai – who was strapped to Lee's back – commented, "Now Lee…remember that Suna's ways are not Konoha's. Gaara is still trying to be as youthful as possible, but under the colors of the Sand!"

"Ah…YES! That makes sense." Lee turned toward his student. "It is acceptable!"

"Very well." Gaara held a single hand up. "Shall we begin?"

"Yosh!" shouted the Taijutsu Specialist as he let Gai unhook himself. The Jonin waddled off as the Chuunin slid into his own defensive stance. "After one training match, I have an important announcement from Hokage-sama. It involves Naruto-kun."

Gaara's teal eyes narrowed. "Then we'd best get this over with quickly." He shifted his foot, his dark gray footwear crackling against the dirty white tiles.

Lee's eyes narrowed. _Sand lines the entire arena. Just like in our first training session._ He briefly wondered how Gaara would exploit it THIS time.

The ensuing match – taking place in the 200' by 200' Training Arena of the Kazekage's Palace, much larger than the all-purpose public arena located just down the street – was watched by only three people: Maito Gai, Temari, and Kankuro. The puppet-user remarked, "I wonder if it'll end as quickly as it did last time."

Temari glared daggers at her younger brother. "Hey. Cut Gaara some slack. He's never been one for taijutsu. Besides…" Her lucid green eyes settled on the Godaime Kazekage…her youngest brother. "He's been training hard for the last month. He'll do better."

"He'd better. He got knocked out in less than thirty seconds last time."

Temari walloped Kankuro on the head with her fan.

"Either way…" Maito Gai grinned holding himself up on one hand. He had gotten quite adept at moving without the aid of his legs. "This match will be a glorious one either way, for the protégé of my precious protégé will be unleashing his youth for all to see! **Such a heartwarming sight…**!"

Temari and Kankuro sweatdropped. _He has to be brain-damaged. HE HAS TO._

Rock Lee and Gaara did not move.

Then Gaara charged.

Lee's wide dark eyes narrowed. _He's faster than last time._ Stepping back as Gaara neared, Lee bent downward and performed a sweeping kick, smiling as Gaara jumped and flipped. _A flip kick. But he's not close enough to-_

**POW!**

Lee's brain decided to have a meeting with his skull in response to Gaara's unexpectedly powerful kick. The Taijutsu Specialist quickly scrambled backwards, blinking at his student. "?!?"

A small column of sand had wrapped itself around Gaara's right foot, increasing his reach. "I've been working on my chakra control, trying to regain mastery over the sand." The sand crumbled to the ground as Gaara slid back into his battle stance.

Lee grinned. _You have obviously been training hard, Gaara-kun._ "Very well then. Let me try a little harder then!"

_SHOOM!!!_

**KAPOW!!!**

Gaara felt like his chin had exploded. Lee's upward kick had sent him flying.

Temari and Kankuro paled. Not because of the Chuunin's unbelievable swiftness, but because of the kick. _Is he going to use that crazy piledriver move again?!_

Gai's eyes narrowed. _Lee…_

Lee did not follow up with the _**Omote Renge**_.

Rather, he merely leapt up, twisting and kicking Gaara in the side. The Kazekage went downwards, barely catching the ground as he skidded to a halt. _Nearly landed on my head_, thought the Kazekage with a scowl. As Lee landed, the red-haired Suna-nin lashed out with several hooks and jabs, ultimately scowling as his blows were blocked or parried. _So fast and powerful. The limits that one could surpass, even without the aid of a Biju._ A kick to the head was ducked under. Gaara paled as Lee immediately rose, fist tightened. _NO!_

A thrusting punch into the gut knocked the wind out of the Kazekage's lungs. Lee spun around and slammed his forearm into his side, sending him hurtling into the walls of the Training Arena.

Kankuro gulped. _That fruity kid's good…_

Temari's eye twitched. _Geez…seeing Gaara get thrown around like that…it's not natural!_ She couldn't wait until he was back at his proper strength. If nothing else, it would set her world back in proper order again.

Gaara's gaze flickered as he wearily sat up, clutching his side. Such raw, brute power. _I will attain it._ "Well…at least I hit you this time."

"Indeed you did Gaara-kun. Keep on training, and one day you shall be as youthful as Gai-sensei and myself!"

"ATTA'BOY, LEE!" cheered the legless man from above.

"As for Hokage-sama's message…" Lee helped Gaara to his feet. "In four days, she is going to deliver a defense of Naruto-kun to the people of Konoha. She'll have several people testifying, and she wants you to be one of them."

"Hmm." An opportunity to let those fools in Konoha know how lucky they were. How fortuitous. "I will accompany you to Konoha." Looking up at the balcony. "Kankuro. Inform Baki that he is to tell the Council that I'll be going to Konoha for personal business. Temari, pack up. We're leaving immediately."

"Hai, Kazekage-sama!"

xxxx

/Desert Gateway, Sunagakure, Wind Country/

The only way into the massive valley that Sunagakure sat in was through a large chasm called the Desert Gateway. On each side of the entrance, massive stepped cliffs provided an adequate lookout and offensive position for the shinobi for Suna. They could see for miles around. Any unwelcome parties who entered without authorization would be attacked and cut asunder immediately. The only ways to get past the Desert Gateway unharmed would be with either sabotage (as Yura had done when letting Akatsuki enter Sunagakure unimpeded, the traitorous dog) or with overwhelming force (which Akatsuki could have done when Gaara had been kidnapped, but that would have been too messy…plus, it would've wasted too much chakra). All in all, a formidable defensive position.

It was from the Desert Gateway that the shinobi of Suna watched their Kazekage depart, alongside his siblings and the two Konoha-nin. At the moment, they were somewhat perplexed at his outfit, seeing that his Kazekage robes and tricorne hat were tethered to his back, revealing his bodysuit to all (and to be honest, were it not the Kazekage they were witnessing, they would have probably laughed).

Down below, Gaara glanced back at his siblings. "It shouldn't take more than a week for us to return, so don't worry about Suna." A pair of nods was his answer. Turning to his taijutsu teacher, he suggested, "It would probably be best if we continue our training while en route to Konoha."

"A splendid idea Gaara-kun! But how to fully capitalize on our available time?" Lee put his thinking cap on, trying to fathom a way to train. True, they could do sprints to save time…but where was excitement in that? Shinobi often went at full speed to decrease the time taken traveling from Suna to Konoha (and vice-versa). In order to maximize the effectiveness of their time, they would have to do some kind of alternate runs. But what kind?

"Lee-kun. I have a suggestion. Think about how I walk!"

"…Gai-sensei…YOU'RE A GENIUS!" Lee grinned. This would be perfect! "**GAARA-KUN!** While we head for Konoha, we shall walk on our hands for the first leg of the trip! The sense of balance, the muscles in the arms, hands, and fingers…all shall be developed at once!" Lee practically threw Gai off as he got on his hands, his legs dangling in the air above his head. "Come Gaara-kun!"

Gaara thought Lee's reasoning was plausible. "Very well." The Kazekage calmly planted his hands on the ground, bringing his legs up over his head. Scowling as he tried to keep his balance, the redhead manipulated the sand with each handhold; this allowed him to maintain level balance on the shifting desert ground . The look on his face – irritation, laced with anger – revealed that he knew this would be difficult. But he didn't care. This would make him stronger. _And that is all that matters._

"YES! You two are doing great!" cheered Maito Gai as he waddled along.

Temari and Kankuro…well, they could only stare as a legless man and a kid in a green bodysuit lead their brother along in a 'handstand contest'. Needless to say, they knew the sentries at the Desert Gateway would be laughing themselves silly once they were out of earshot.

And they couldn't blame them.

_There's just no way this can be happening,_ thought Temari with a grimace, her feet trudging against the sand. _They're trying to humiliate the Kazekage on purpose! There's just no WAY they're serious about this!!!_

xxxx

/Three Days Later/

/Great Courtyard, Hyuga Clan Grounds, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Hyuga Hiashi liked the smell of irises. A refreshing smell, akin to that of a violet.

They reminded him of his late wife. They had always been her favorite flower…and Hinata's by extension.

The Great Courtyard of the Hyuga Clan, spanning over three hundred yards in each direction beyond the Elder Hall, was one of Konoha's most prominent and beautiful landmarks. The Great Courtyard, covered with fresh-cut grass, finely-grained pathways, and a plethora of flowers (daisies, tulips, violets, and sunflowers) and trees (bamboo, willows and sakura the most prominent of all) made the venue a relaxing haven for the mind, body, and spirit. The very scent of a natural paradise permeated the area, instantly melting away all thoughts of one's daily grind in the village. Just walking through here made one feel content. It was another source of pride for the Hyuga, and a testament to their wealth and prestige.

Of course, not every section of the Great Courtyard was open to the public (and even the areas that were open were ALWAYS under constant supervision by the _**Byakugan**_ of at least five Branch House members). One particular section was surrounded by walls of gray cobblestone, littered with headstones and markings.

Graves of the Main House families.

Right now, standing in front of a headstone adorned with irises, Hiashi was quietly thinking of Hoshi. As far as Hyuga went, she had been exceptionally vibrant and cheerful, a ray of sunlight into the normally drab proceedings that affected the clan's politics. Considering that she had been a child of the Branch House, she had been…well, very much unlike a Hyuga.

Familial relations concerning the Hyuga were often convoluted. The Hyuga Clan had arisen out of fifty individual families, all possessing the _**Byakugan**_. The exact origins of their kekkei genkai were rather unclear; clan historians had long ago concluded that the fifty families had – jointly or separately, it was unknown – made a pact with a diety or demon to obtain their distinctive eyes of white. The exact natures of such a deal or how they had all gathered together into the current system of Main House/Branch House were uncertain, as the strife of the old wars had rendered most of the old clan documents asunder. After years of hardship, the Hyuga had settled down amongst many other clans under the leadership of the two Iga brothers: Nagi and Yoshi. Otherwise known as the Shodai Hokage and Nidaime Hokage.

Under the great forests brought forth by the incredible _**Mokuton**_ ninjutsu of Iga Nagi, Konoha had been born. And it had not taken long for the Hyuga to be recognized as one of Konoha's greatest strengths.

But with recognition, came a desire to keep it.

Hiashi frowned as the wind suddenly blew harder, as though voicing his wife's displeasure. _You always disliked the politics that came with being Head Elder. And I could never blame you._ The ten strongest families had formed the Main House, while the forty other families were bound to the Branch House, sworn to protect the Hyuga Clan. Due to the ferocious fighting of the old days (before the formation of the ninja villages and the solidification of countries), and the occasional betrayal, the 'Caged Bird' curse seal had been crafted. The Branch House members would be branded, signifying their duty to the Main House and the Hyuga Clan. Upon death, their Bloodline Limit would be sealed away and utterly eliminated.

It had been a measure proposed for the sake of survival. In those days, such measures had been necessary.

Nowadays?

That was often the subject of many a debate, particularly when Neji – being the young genius that he was – had been so powerful and Hinata so weak, that he had been doomed to never become the heir to the position of Head Elder.

Thoughts of Hizashi drifted to mind. _He became so bitter. To think such a situation would cause twins to drift so far apart._ Not that he could blame Hizashi. To see the strength of his son doomed to obscurity while his weak niece – the heiress – was to be awarded the title of Head Elder…it would drive anyone to fury. _But you would be able to defuse his anger and make us remember that we were brothers. If only for a short while._ Hiashi smiled a rare smile. Hoshi had been a rarity indeed.

Due to the need to keep their vaunted kekkei genkai within the family, marriages and relationships were strictly bound to be with other members of the clan. The Branch House, being far greater in number, was allowed to mate outside the clan. The Main House, however, was not so privileged (or perhaps they were, depending on your point of view). Despite the abundance of families, the Hyuga knew that interbreeding would eventually lead to recessive and weak genetics. That's why members of the Branch House were allowed to copulate with members of the Main House, to preserve the biological superiority of the ten strongest families. It was a precautionary measure, to elongate the durability of the Hyuga genes. There were exceptions to the rule, however; sometimes, Main would mate with Main, or a prominent Lord or Lady would ask for a Hyuga's hand in marriage.

Not that Hiashi complained. After all, it had allowed him to marry Hoshi.

The wind blew again, making his hair whip about. "It seems you're rather testy today." The wind always seemed to react to his thoughts whenever he came here. He liked to delude himself into thinking it was his wife talking to him. Such fanciful delusions were a nice break from harsh reality anyhow. _I can understand why you're upset about all of the problems concerning the two Houses. But being Head Elder can only get one so far…and the curse seal is the only reliable way of preventing the __**Byakugan**__ from falling into the wrong hands._ Then again, there had been the lone case of a Hyuga's curse seal being removed. _Hyuga Hiatari. The mentor of Uzumaki Mantarou._ He could recall the fervor he (and later, the Hyuga Clan Council) had felt upon learning that little piece of information. It certainly made the argument that there were Branch House members willing to rebel for the sake of freedom.

Granted, this was only because of the other facet of the 'Caged Bird' seal.

With but a single kata, complete with the proper activation of chakra, a Main House member – being the only one who could activate the seal – would cause an indescribable rush of pain, capable of causing death if activated for too long. To be blunt, it was simply the activation of the seal for just enough time to get one's point across…be it for purposes of submission, control, or simply a power trip.

Hiashi could pride himself on the fact that he had only used it on Branch House members who got too unruly or 'snippy', to put it lightly. Though he had never quite gotten over the time he had been forced to use it on Hizashi. _I'm sorry brother, but the look you cast at my daughter was unacceptable._ If any glare could have said 'KILL!', it had been Hizashi's at that moment. To choose between his twin and his daughter…

A gust wrapped around his form before departing. "Hmm. True…decisions are often forced." Despite his misgivings about the structure of the Hyuga Clan, matters concerning its prosperity and safety had always been at the forefront of his mind. That's why, when Hinata had shown no aptitude or capacity for becoming strong, he had gladly handed her off to Kurenai in favor of training Hanabi, who was far more skillful. A weak Head Elder would have done no good, after all…and Hinata had undoubtedly been a weakling.

Perhaps a bit harsh. But they lived in a shinobi village. One more lenient than most, undoubtedly…but a shinobi village nonetheless.

The wind caused his long dark hair to smack him in the face. "I understand your frustration…I should've been more lenient." Hoshi's death following Hanabi's birth had been hard. He had lost his 'safety valve', the one person who could make him forget his troubles with a well-timed quip or joke. Hinata had lost many things; her mother, her best friend, her source of confidence, her teacher…perhaps Hinata had been hit hardest of all. He could not recall her stuttering before Hoshi died, at any rate. Though, from what he had been hearing, Hinata had been doing better.

That little thought took him towards another tangent: his daughters and their position as heiresses. Hinata was now the heiress once more, having reclaimed the position from Hanabi officially when her strength as a shinobi had made itself known (and unofficially when she had defeated her in the training bout just over two months ago). He knew that the Hyuga Clan Council – consisting of the Head Elder and the other elders of the Main House families – would be testy at the thought of the heiress going out and about, fighting against the forces of the IKS. Then again, it wasn't an anomaly; during the Great Ninja Wars, all of the clans had been required to pitch in with their all. For the Hyuga, that included both Main and Branch. Although he had no earthly idea as to when such a situation would arise…he had no doubt that the impending conflict with the IKS (and there would be conflict, of _that_ Hiashi was absolutely certain) had the makings of the Fourth Great Ninja War. Both Hinata and Hanabi would be serving in such a case.

Speaking of Hanabi…

"Our youngest now desires to become a shinobi like her sister." The wind now tickled at his ears. "I'm sure Hanabi was astounded at being defeated by Hinata for the first time…but it would seem there would be more to it than that." He briefly recalled Hanabi asking for his permission to become a Genin. When inquiring as to her reason, she had simply replied: 'I want to find a reason to become strong. Like Hinata-chan.' Not that Hiashi could fault her…but in a way, it bore the influence of Hinata's crush.

Uzumaki Naruto.

The wind cooled, making him shiver. "I am aware of the troubles facing the boy." Alive. Dead. No one quite knew the truth about the boy's current condition. _I do not hate the child, despite what some may perceive…it is only a matter of realism. His purpose was to be the Kyuubi's vessel. He was supposed to keep the beast imprisoned. He failed the most important of tasks…and for that reason alone, he is deemed a failure._ He did not care about Hinata's objections or feelings on the matter. The boy, despite his accomplishments, still possessed the taint of a demon fox that had already tasted freedom once. There was _**no**_ way he was going to let the Kyuubi get anywhere close to his family…provided Naruto even made it back.

At least he had left a positive influence. Considering his beginnings, that was more than enough.

"There is going to be a meeting tomorrow though." Hiashi frowned. Hinata had told him that she would vouch for Naruto at this village-wide meeting. Everyone would be there. "Compared to her previous attitudes, she is somewhat more 'zealous' in her desire to defend the boy." He could only hope that anything she said would not impugn the Hyuga of any overt wrongdoing. That would only denigrate her image in the eyes of the other Elders, and she was still too young for that.

Hiashi sighed as he felt a headache coming on. How he despised politics. _A necessary evil though._ Glancing back at the headstone, he smiled. Hoshi had been, in his opinion, what he wished would be the model Hyuga. Kind, caring, generous, always willing to help…a warm ray of light incarnate. He liked that idea. _A shame our traditions hold us so tightly._ He knelt down and bowed once. _Maybe Hinata, Neji, and Hanabi will be the ones to change things._ Standing back up, the Head Elder finished, "By the time I join you…maybe things will be better."

And so Hyuga Hiashi left the graves, departing from his wife's lighthearted world and returning to a dull and dreary reality.

xxxx

/One Day Later/

/Nakano Shrine, Uchiha Clan Grounds, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Uchiha Sasuke had lost track of how many times he had read the back of the tablet within the Nakano Shrine.

Ever since his final words with Itachi, he had overturned the tablet to read the history given there.

The sheer number of characters had been overwhelming at first, but it contained a detailed, if somewhat simple, history of the conflict between Sojobo and Uchiha Madara.

xxxx

_Sojobo. The Tengu King._

_The tengu, cast into a war against foxes. Seeking an advantage against them, the Tengu King came to our world. Our world, also in the midst of war and strife, provided opportunity._

_Hyuga Hikari and the __**Byakugan.**_

_A woman with eyes of white, the power of her bloodline came to the attention of the Tengu King. Shadowing himself in the form of man, he set out to claim her heart. He succeeded, obtaining Hikari, her love, her body, and her soul._

_Madara._

_The name I was given upon birth. My eyes were not those of my mother, but something new. The Tengu King, revealing his wings to my mother, explained his true form as a demon. He said that he came to this world looking for a new life…and that he had found it in Hikari._

_Lies. Slander. He desired the power of a White Eye twisted by his demonic chakra. My dark eyes could turn red, seeing the chakra of ninjutsu techniques, peering into the future, mimicking the actions of my foes…this red eye, spinning like a wheel, was dubbed the __**Sharingan.**_

_Years passed. My mother was disowned by the Hyuga for marrying outside the family. The Tengu King takes both of us to his world. Things are different there, and his true form is terrifying to my mother. But with but a few words and an illusion, he returns to the image of a winged human. My mother is pleased, and she comes to accept living in this world of demons. As for me? I am trained in the arts of illusion, element manipulation, and proper usage of my eyes._

_Then I discovered the truth._

_Father wanted me as his vessel. He wanted to place his soul in my body, taking the power of my eyes for himself._

_Out of fear, I fled. I ended in the territory of my father's enemies: the foxes._

_One of them – the mightiest of all – suggested an alliance. I only wanted to free my mother from the clutches of the Tengu King. Using a temporary seal, this beast with nine tails sealed part of his chakra into my body. Filled with power, I set out to destroy the Tengu King and remove the grasp he had on my mother, the only person I cared for in this world._

_The battle that ensued wrought large devastation. My father's power grew with his rage. I set out to deliver one final blow._

_He used my mother as a shield._

_Her corpse fell into my hands. I can no longer remember the thoughts that went through my head at that moment._

_The emotion and the rage were overwhelming. My eyes changed yet again, becoming twirling kaleidoscopes. The __**Mangekyou Sharingan**__. My new powers were immediately unleashed upon the Tengu King._

_Then the fox with nine tails, using his power, shoved us into my world. Our battle took place over a vast portion of land, raining death and destruction upon anything and everything and our path. Weakened and losing power, the Tengu King was no match for both my rage and his archenemy, the demon fox. Before he could flee, I sealed his very essence into a stone tablet. The nine-tailed fox applied his own seals atop mine, fully trapping my father._

_It was over. But our battle had scarred much of the land. The devastation we had wrought had ended many lives. Out of fear and terror, the warring clans and lords ceased fighting, bringing the First Great Ninja War to an end._

_So much bloodshed._

_The demon fox took his chakra back from my body and returned to his world. I was left behind._

_Such rage. My power brought ruin to so many. I will not let this happen again. The power of the Tengu King courses through my veins, and the temptation to use it often tickles at my mind. I will cool my emotions, staying away from the fire of rage and the shame it wrought. My descendants will bear this burden, as I have._

_As I write these words upon this tablet, I am now in the land of my birth. The Hyuga are distrustful of me, and I cannot blame them. Rumors abound of two brothers of the Iga Clan, working with the Koga and seeking to form an alliance with many clans under one banner._

_I am old now. Through a wife and many concubines, I have fathered over twenty children. They are the first generation of the new clan called __**Uchiha.**_

_Another war has begun. I will likely pass on before the Second Great Ninja War ends. All I can hope for is a quick and bloodless ending._

_I leave only my story behind. May my descendants remember the warning inscribed on the tablet. Remember my fury, my shame, and my resolve._

xxxx

It was like a poem, in a way.

But what interested Sasuke most were two things.

One was the symbol etched into the tablet, shaped as the _**Mangekyou Sharingan**_. It was most likely the seal that Madara had put onto the tablet, trapping Sojobo. Sasuke didn't dare tamper with it.

The other thing? The whole stuff about foxes and a demon fox with nine tails, who could be none other than Kyuubi no Yoko.

_Hmm. The Nine Tailed Demon Fox, having a hand in the founding of the Uchiha._ It was almost amusing to think about. The Kyuubi – the source of Naruto's immense chakra reserves – having a hand in defeating the original Uchiha's father? How queer. But to be honest, he didn't give much stock into whether it was important or not; it was a facet of his history, and nothing more.

Though it did give him reason to wonder why a number of Uchiha died during the Kyuubi's invasion if the damned fox had aided them so long ago. Bad memory? A different nine-tailed fox? Plain evil?

Oh well, it didn't matter now. Though he did snort at one particular thought; considering the likelihood that most, if not all, kekkei genkai originated with the proverbial 'deal with the devil', everyone's hatred of Naruto for being a demon vessel stunk of hypocrisy. _Wonder if this'll be mentioned at the meeting._ Heck, perhaps he might as well say it. He was going to be speaking in defense of Naruto anyway (and after everything the blond baka went through to try and bring him back to Konoha – including taking Orochimaru's body-stealing jutsu head on – he wasn't going to just sit on the sidelines on watch his old teammate get denigrated). Then again, it wouldn't mesh well with the theme of his whole message. He knew, for the most part, what he was going to say already.

The Uchiha chuckled as he stood up, going up the small stairway that led to the meeting room's secret entrance. How odd that things had turned out the way they had. Thinking back now, his mindset…it had been somewhat one-sided. There had been no room for anything in his '**KILL ITACHI**' point of view, aside from training, training, and more training. Anything else? Sheer annoyances.

Now?

Well, he was a lot looser, for one thing. That seemed to be a definite plus, to not brood all the time. True, Itachi's massacring of the entire clan was – in his mind – still a horrible atrocity. But hey, a lot of things shinobi did were seen as atrocities by the victims. At least he had a more suitable motivation to go with the action. _Hmm…would I murder my entire family if I knew that, aside from wanting to overthrow the Hokage in a coup and seal a demon into my body, they were going to seal a demon into my little brother if I didn't cooperate?_

Much more plausible than wanting to kill a clan to measure one's capacity.

Sasuke calmly emerged into the main section of the shrine, pushing the tatami mat back down into position. _There's still one thing left unsettled: resurrecting the clan._ That would come later, when things were less tense concerning the IKS. The threat of war made the idea of settling down seem somewhat implausible. The next defining question would be…well, with _who_?

He doubted that his legion of fangirls still existed after his betrayal. Even two months after his return, he still got frosty looks from a majority of the village population. Not that he could blame them. I mean, thinking about it rationally…he had gone to Orochimaru. _**OROCHIMARU.**_ The guy had killed the Sandaime Hokage; of COURSE anyone associated with him was going to get icy looks (to say the very least). Even if the Sannin had gotten his body, the damned snake probably wouldn't have gone after Itachi anyway. He'd have no reason to. Come to think of it, he had gone to train with the man who couldn't get Itachi to begin with. _Huh. I left to train under a guy weaker than Itachi._ A brief chortle escaped his lips.

Had his common sense really been so clouded by anger back then?

Thinking back, his memories seemed somewhat fuzzy. Although the Heaven Curse Seal still remained, it was the only thing left that tied him to Orochimaru. The techniques he learned, the jutsu he knew…that was all. Everything else had faded away. Even his old mindset. Though, to be honest, that mindset was probably the only reason he had remained as sane as he had. Orochimaru's experiments, constantly taking and kidnapping children, women, men, nukenin, shinobi…trying out new chemicals, new synthetics conjured up by Kabuto, creating new variants of his Curse Seal, testing what positions on the body they would be suited for. What spot would offer more power? What location would lead to greater chakra conversion? What area would cause quicker cellular degeneration? Breaking and surpassing the limits of the human body, learning secrets about the DNA and the even deeper secrets behind the human genome. Testing the capabilities of the keirakukei, delving into its elastic properties, devising ways to push more and more chakra through the coils. Muscles, bones, nerves, brain tissue, lungs, liver, heart, blood cells…every part of the body had been Orochimaru's plaything, to work with, alter, destroy, and recreate as he wished. The wails and screams of the dying, the rank stench of the dead, the sickly stink of rotting flesh, drying blood, and the utterly disgusting smell of industrial cleaners washing away the sickness and decay, over and over and over…

Sasuke had ignored it all.

All of it. Every atrocity, every horror, every unthinkable crime against humanity that he had witnessed…he had ignored it. The little mass of humanity that he had left would twitch as he observed and listened to Orochimaru as he experimented on an unwilling 'specimen'. Then he would move on, focusing on increasing his power. The humanity he had retained would quiet down, and he would ignore it. All thoughts of what he had seen would then go away, never to be brought up again. So long as he was gaining power, so long as his strength was growing…he would witness everything Orochimaru did in his little abattoirs, and then proceed to ignore every bit of it.

All he had cared about had been Itachi's death. That focus and drive had enabled him to stay relatively intact. But now…given how upside-down his world had become, how long would it be until those forgotten memories decided to roar to the surface? How long until every facet of what he had seen – and, in some cases, of what he had _partaken_ in – made itself known, clawing at his mind and raging for release?

Shaking his head, Uchiha Sasuke stepped out of the shrine and into the open sun. The cool breeze moved about his body, caused his black robes to flitter about. Such questions could always be asked later.

Right now, he had to focus on the task at hand: defending Uzumaki Naruto before the people of Konoha. All other concerns faded to the wayside.

xxxx

/Central Square, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

The Central Square was the large, open area sitting directly in front of the Hokage's Palace. Connected to the village's main thoroughfare and several other roads, this area was a prime location, seeing as how the area offered more standing room than the Village Council Hall. Considering that everyone – and that includes, anyone, someone, and **EVERYONE** – was in attendance, that was a good thing. Speakers had been wired throughout the street, transmitting the voice of whoever would be speaking into the two microphones at the podium. There was even a cameraman or two, so that images of the event would be transmitted to bedridden patients at the hospital, or to the elderly that couldn't make it. The only ones not witnessing this event would be the shinobi patrolling the village walls, the shinobi out and about on missions, and – obviously – the Ame-nin working on their haven just outside the village.

Iga Tsunade smirked. _Do or die time_.

Well, in a manner of speaking. She was essentially going to be arguing in favor of the boy that most villagers over the age of 33 hated, that over half of the villagers between the ages of 15-33 felt some measure of disgust for, and that most villagers younger than that knew only what their parents told them. Due to the Third's law, the most they knew pretty much would've amounted to '_don't go near that boy, he's icky, nasty, smelly, and has cooties!_' Or something to that effect.

Glancing down at the immediate front of the podium, she saw first the people who would be defending Naruto's honor. Akimichi Chouji, Inuzuka Kiba, Nara Shikamaru, Ichiraku Teuchi, Hatake Kakashi, Konohamaru, Rock Lee, Hyuga Neji, Hyuga Hinata, the Godaime Kazekage, Haruno Sakura, Jiraiya, and Uchiha Sasuke. She would conclude this entire event with a recital of Naruto's message.

But after her intro, the first person to speak…well, it was quite obvious who it was.

Naruto's very first precious person. His first friend. His father, in a way.

Umino Iruka.

The Hokage frowned as she gazed down and to her right. Iruka stood quietly, arms crossed and left foot tapping quietly. He did not look happy at the moment. And she certainly couldn't blame him. Having been away on a mission during Mantarou's attack on Konoha (having been sent to Takigakure and Kusagakure to try and procure supplies for repairs following the previous attack by Akatsuki's Nukenin and the forces of Otogakure), he had missed the entire kafuffle concerning not only the Kyuubi's brief return and Naruto's kidnapping, but also the fact that the information from the subsequent meeting had not only leaked out to the public…but had led to some unfortunate consequences.

One word: posters.

The first poster Iruka had seen, he had immediately requested several missions. Missions that would take him outside Konoha for a while.

Tsunade had granted him this request. He had been back inside the village for about a week now, having previously been out and about to observe River Army troop movements and the whereabouts of shinobi from the Stone, the Cloud, or the Marsh.

The moment he learned of her idea to have this village-wide meeting, Iruka had practically stormed through to the Hokage's office to sign up.

He was eager to defend the honor of the boy who had had nothing for so long. Nothing but pain and anguish.

Tsunade turned her gaze back to the crowd. Behind the speakers were other close acquaintances of Naruto's and the speakers, including Team Kurenai, Team Yamato, Team Asuma (including Ino…perhaps some of words about to be spoken would jar her memories?), Team Ebisu, and the Suna Siblings. Further back, the crowd's faces faded into anonymity. The ones that **definitely** supported Naruto stood to the front. Beyond this small collection of a couple of dozen people and their associates, she wasn't sure how many supported Naruto. _Well, that's why we're here, hmm?_ And forget escaping; the ANBU had been instructed to not let any villager leave until this meeting had reached its conclusion.

The scroll Katsuyu had given her, the first one, was held loosely behind her back. The second one was tucked away within her sleeve, to give to Sasuke after this event reached its conclusion.

Tsunade glanced down once more, seeing Shizune holding Ton Ton quietly. The pig oinked quietly as the apprentice nodded, as though saying 'good luck'.

_Never have had the best of luck…oh well._

It was time to begin.

"**People of Konoha!**"

Tsunade's voice rang out through the air, crystallized and clear. The populace's confused chatter minimized to naught but faint whispers. They were not aware of why she called this meeting.

"**I, Iga Tsunade the Godaime Hokage, have called you all here for a very important matter.**" She paused, gauging reactions. No outright hostilities yet. They probably assumed it dealt with the IKS, or the River Army, or the Rain Refugee Act. In a way, they were right. "**The actions of Oda Nobunaga, the River Army, and the IwaKumoSawa alliance have had a dramatic effect on our foreign policy. With the fall of Amegakure and the Rain Country, the relocation of the Hidden Rain's shinobi to the Hidden Leaf only signifies the reality that lies before us. War may be upon us, and we will need to be unified in the face of the challenge before us. To obtain this unity, there is one problem that needs addressing.**"

Here goes.

"**Uzumaki Naruto and the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox.**"

Almost instantaneously, various looks of anger, irritation, disgust, fury, rage…the whole gamut of emotions. Some people muttered something about the Third's law concerning the boy.

"**Given the recent attack by Akatsuki and its Leader, it seems that the information learned during those battles has made its way to the general population. I need not mention the posters depicting Uzumaki Naruto, should I?**"

Brief worry. Would they be executed?

A haughty smirk crossed Tsunade's face. "**Worry not. I'm sure many of you will be happy to know that I've rescinded the Third Hokage's law. You are now free to talk about Uzumaki Naruto in public without fear of retribution. However…**" She had to cut through any premature joy quick. No way was she going to tolerate such lies. "**Slander will not be permitted. I will not have Konoha's youngest generation and the next told lies and mistruths about a boy who had no choice about what happened to him.**" Looking at the crowd, listening to its increased –also now confused and agitated – chatter, she asked, "**To all the young ones out there. When you saw a blond, blue-eyed boy walking the streets in tattered clothing, looking for some fallen ryō, what did your parents do? Were you told to ignore him? Stay away? Beware of that 'blond child'? Did any of you wonder why such a little boy received so much anger?**"

She saw a few hundred nods. Several dozen "_Hai, Hokage-sama_"s. Yes, yep, yes ma'am…either way, she had her answer.

"**I'm sure some of you have seen this boy on several different posters over the past several weeks. Some place him next to the Nine Tails, or to Akatsuki's Leader. In each poster he looks somewhat demonic, yes?**"

Same responses as before.

"**There is a reason for this. Uzumaki Naruto is the son of Uzumaki Mantarou, founder of the defunct criminal organization called Akatsuki**." The looks of shock that drifted over the faces of the older children signified realization. They were the ones who paid attention to their surroundings. "**However, Akatsuki's Leader was not here for Naruto's birth. Naruto never even met the man, much less knew he was still alive, until their battle seventy-eight days ago. I can understand how some wish to try and link the deeds of Akatsuki and the madness of its Leader with that of Naruto, but I can assure that that's not the case. There is a saying that says 'the sins of the father pass on to the son', and in a way it's true; the actions of our forebears have consequences. The legacy of those who came before us is something we must deal with. The past affects the present, as we are now affecting the future. Mantarou's action had dire consequences for Naruto, and Naruto responded by fighting. To make up for the father's sins, the son fought against him.**" There were other details though. The father's sins were real; Mantarou's actions by founding Akatsuki had been felt far and wide. However, he hadn't known that his son had still lived. But alas, those were semantics. "**Naruto paid a price for fighting against his father; he is now trapped in the world of the creatures that shinobi summon in battles, in the world of demons: Makai. He is trapped there now, with no way out. But the price he is paying now paled compared to the price he had to pay the villagers simply because he was chosen by the Yondaime Hokage to be the vessel of the Kyuubi no Yoko.**"

Cue shock! Gasps and confused shouts. As if the posters hadn't made it obvious enough. Then there was panic and outrage. The Kyuubi had been alive the whole time?! The Yondaime hadn't _KILLED_ it?! But the history textbooks! The official records! But but but-

"**I know it's shocking to some of you,**" stated Tsunade, her stern voice cutting through the crowd's growing sense of pandemonium. "**But I want to make it clear that Naruto is NOT the Kyuubi reborn, or possessed by the Kyuubi. The Fourth used all of his vast knowledge to make a seal that would not allow the demon fox to take over Naruto by force. Have more faith in the former Hokage's work. Besides, though he may be the vessel of the demon fox, that does not automatically **_**make**_** him the demon fox. Would an Aburame be considered a kikaichu, considering they serve as the hosts to kikaichu?**" In the crowd, she saw several Aburame – Shino included – smirk. "**However, even in the face of the immense devastation wrought by the Nine Tails, the Fourth was unable to destroy him. He could only seal him away, for a Biju like the Kyuubi is nigh impossible to kill.**" Some people began to complain that she actually assigned a gender to the fox. What was she supposed to do? The Kyuubi was clearly a guy, not an 'it'."**To prevent Naruto from learning the truth about his fate – so that he could actually enjoy his childhood – the Third brought forth a law that forbade anyone from saying ANYTHING about Naruto and his status as a Jinchuriki. A shame that he was not able to have such an enjoyable childhood.**" Her brown eyes hardened. "**He was nothing but a child. Tell me, what threat is a tiny little boy? If he truly had been the demon fox incarnate, would any of us still be here after everything that had happened to him? The Fourth wished for Naruto to be seen as a **_**HERO**_**. But instead, he's treated as an outcast.**" Glancing about, she saw several disgusted villagers trying to leave. But the shinobi were blocking their paths, as ordered. "**I will let the others speak. Just let it be known that were it not for Naruto, I would have NEVER returned to this village, much less become the Fifth Hokage**."

HAH! Let them chew on _that_ one!

"**I will now let Umino Iruka, Chuunin and teacher at the Konoha Ninja Academy, speak to you.**" Tsunade unscrewed one of the two microphones and took it with her. She stepped aside, watching as the scarred man came up the steps. "_Knock em' dead_," she whispered.

Iruka said nothing, his eyes staring keenly into the eyes of the villagers. He may not have had anything like the _**Byakugan**_…but he could see very well into their psyches without them. He had always known that their hatred for Naruto had been extreme…but to last for so long? To sink so low as to link Naruto…with the evil of Akatsuki, simply because his father had been their Leader? A father Naruto had never known existed until the day they had fought?

Unforgivable.

He would make this short. Other people would have more to say than he would. But he would make his point; holding several rolled up pictures tightly behind his back, the normally laidback Chuunin stepped in front of the podium. "**Greetings, people of Konoha. I, Umino Iruka, was one of Naruto's teachers at the Ninja Academy. Sometimes, I wonder if I was the only one who bothered to teach him anything.**" Several academic faculty in the audience scowled at the accusations. Well _screw_ them. Mr. Nice Guy was on vacation for the moment! "**For a boy who failed the final tests three straight times, he manages to defeat a traitorous Chuunin named Mizuki, using a technique that even most Jonin cannot perform. It made me wonder how much he had been taught incorrectly by the other teachers…but I digress. I'm not here to make accusations based on nothing but circumstance. Rather…I am here to compare and contrast.**" He pulled out one of the scrolls and unrolled it, holding it open for everyone to see.

It was a sight that made them revile.

One of the few pictures taken of the Nine Tailed Demon Fox, standing tall above the forest and raining destruction on everything attacking him. It represented everything that the villagers feared and despised about the beast. The damage wrought by the beast, the ferocity of his fire and the sheer power.

"**This is a picture of Kyuubi no Yoko attacking Konohagakure. Now, take a look at this picture.**"

This next photo was…less intimidating.

It was from a time before the Fifth.

After all, it was a picture of Monument Range, and it only had four faces. All four of which were covered in paint, colored and vandalized. Mockery, that's what it was!

Snickers impulsively filtered through the crowd. Oh, they remembered that particular prank _VERY_ well.

"**This is a picture of Uzumaki Naruto's handiwork when he was twelve years old, just before becoming a Genin.**" Out came another picture. This time, it was of a cafeteria. A number of students were standing up, complaining to the lunch ladies. For good reason; their bottoms were glued to the chairs. More laughter arose (and Chouji and Kiba calmly gave each a high five at the memory). "**This is a picture of every student at the Academy being glued to their seats, save for Uzumaki Naruto and his fellow pranksters Inuzuka Kiba and Akimichi Chouji. Nara Shikamaru, who often got into trouble like they, declined to partake because it was 'too troublesome'.**"

_Unn. Did he have to mention me by name? How annoying_, thought Shikamaru with an annoyed frown.

Another picture. This one of…a long line to the restroom. Well, to be honest, it was more like the Ninja Academy teachers were mobbing around the faculty restrooms. "**This is a picture of what happened when Uzumaki Naruto spiked every single drink in the faculty refrigerator with laxatives. This happened on the day the Third Hokage happened to inspect the school. We were all absent from our classrooms for a few hours, while Sarutobi-sama waited patiently for our return.**"

More snickers in the audience. Kiba couldn't help but chuckle along with Akamaru. He remembered the annoyed look on the Sandaime's face **so** well. _Heh! That was one of the idiot's better pranks!_

"**These are just three pranks out of many. Tell me; do these actions strike you as being those of a demonic fox committed to our total destruction, or of a little child who's only looking for attention?**" THAT shut a lot of people up. The laughter was now conspicuously absent. It made Iruka want to snort at their bias. "**I hate the demon fox just as much as anyone else. I lost both of my parents to that beast. But Naruto was chosen to be the beast's vessel, and nothing can change that. However…Naruto was one of my greatest students. So determined to succeed, so driven to move on despite all those who tried to handicap his progress…so deadset on becoming Hokage. To see you all doing this to him even now…**" His eyes narrowed. "**It disgusts me.**" He stepped aside from the podium, looking at the Godaime. "I've said my piece, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade blinked at Iruka. "What? That's it?"

"Others have plenty more to speak about. Besides…" Umino Iruka gazed wearily at the crowd, looking uncharacteristically tired…and angry. "I don't think I could keep speaking without losing control. I'd end up shouting and screaming, and that would make Naruto look worse. It's just…" He sighed out of defeat. "I'm tired of all the hatred."

"I understand," replied Tsunade, patting Iruka on the back. "That's why we're doing this: to stop it, or curtail it at the very least." Pulling her own microphone up, Tsunade cleared her throat. "**Now I introduce Akimichi Chouji.**"

The rotund Chuunin stepped onto the stage, his blue uniform and green armor shuffling about his body as he stood in front of the podium. "**Hey everyone. Akimichi Chouji here.**" He quickly took a cursory glance – seeing his dad, Asuma, Ino, and Shikamaru in his field of vision – before starting. "**Now, those pictures you just saw were kind of provided by me. Seeing as I was kind of a slowpoke back then, I was often the cameraman. Either me or Shikamaru, depending on how much walking we had to do. But anyhow, that's pretty much the only time I spent with Naruto during our days at the Academy.**" Grinning at the memories, Chouji continued, "**That kid was a riot! Always with a joke and a smile! Knowing what I know now, I can't believe he was able to be so happy all the time. Well…either that, or he was awfully good at hiding it.**" Saying that kind of hurt. Very few people had taken the time to see Naruto's sadness. "**But the past is the past. He was a good teammate and a valuable ally as a shinobi. And to seal the deal…that kid could EAT! He'd eat like, over TEN bowls of a ramen in **_**ONE**_** sitting! How could a guy with an appetite like that be bad, you know?!**"

All of the Akimichi in the crowd roared their approval.

Chouji smiled as he stepped down. "I'm done."

Tsunade arched an eyebrow. Two speakers down already? She hadn't anticipated this. Though…no, it wasn't a problem. Iruka had decided to simply break the ice, instead of going on about everything he could have. He had chosen to actually _show_ the people the difference between the Kyuubi and Uzumaki Naruto. As for Chouji…well, he didn't seem like the type to make long speeches anyway. The crowd would be getting some **real** meat by the time Kakashi got to the stage. And when it was Gaara's turn…HOO BOY, was it going to get interesting. Barely containing her mirth at the thought of how Gaara would rip those uptight jerks a new one (figuratively; if it was literal, then things would get messy, and she'd have to step in. That wouldn't be nice.), she spoke, "**Next: Inuzuka Kiba.**"

"_RAAAARF!!!_"

"…**and his dog Akamaru,**" added Tsunade as she sweatdropped. She had forgotten how much of a bond those two had, going EVERYWHERE. _Rrr. That mutt better not ruin anything!_

"Our turn!" Kiba grinned as he came up to the podium, baring his fangs to the audience. "**Inuzuka Kiba here, Chuunin and toughest guy around!**"

"**RUFF!!!**"

"**Tell em' Akamaru!**"

Many in the crowd began to sweatdrop as they bemoaned the introductory antics of the duo. The very least they could've done was to make this meeting easier on them! They already had to deal with stupid words dealing with the demon child; the last thing they needed for this mandatory meeting was a loudmouth!

A few seconds passed before one of the villagers, being a pet shop worker, through some kibbles of dog food over to the far side of the stage.

Akamaru hastily leapt off of Kiba's head. "**HEY! NO FAIR!**"

"**Just get on with what you have to say!**" roared Tsunade into her microphone, the crowd howling with approval at her order.

Kiba blinked. "**Fine fine…ahem, anyhow…**" Donning a mask of seriousness, the Inuzuka continued, "**Now, I didn't really know much about Naruto. Sure, we did some pranks, and we goofed off during our days at the Academy…but you know, there wasn't a lot that we knew about him. In our eyes, he was just, well…the 'dead last'. The guy who couldn't graduate, even though he started at the Ninja Academy three years earlier than most of us. He did fail the finals three times, you know.**" He saw smug looks, heard the gritting of teeth as some people smirked, and smelled copious amounts of sweat from said individuals. They were nervous about being forced to come here, but they enjoyed hearing about Naruto's failings. _Geez, it's a wonder Naruto didn't became a head case._ "**It wasn't until the Chuunin Exams that I actually got a closer look at the gaki. Honestly, I admired his guts…but his stupidity was something else. I mean, we were there for the first part of the exams, and he goes and yells,**" Inhaling and pointing his finger out, he mockingly imitated Naruto's voice. "**'MY NAME IS UZUMAKI NARUTO!!! I WON'T LOSE TO YOU BASTARDS! YOU GOT THAT?!' A frickin' moron! He turns a whole room of prospective Chuunin into enemies in five seconds! Made me laugh!**" The aforementioned individuals broke into chuckles. Then again, this was honestly humorous, so Kiba would let it slide. "**Turns out I had to fight him in the preliminary rounds. I thought I had it in the bag! He didn't seem up to snuff at all! But he just kept coming back. Again, and again, and AGAIN!**" Now Kiba was starting to annoy himself. That loss had been a hard one to take at the time. _Jealousy, AWAY! BEGONE! SHOO! NOW'S NOT THE TIME! BAD EGO, BAD!_ The annoying itch in his mind was gone now. _Good._ "**Really irritating! He even took Akamaru down for the count, which REALLY pissed me off, right buddy?**"

Akamaru was too busy eating.

Kiba facefaulted.

Down in the audience, Ino – wearing a white T-shirt and blue slacks – poked Chouji in the sides. "This guy 'Kiba'…he's kind of funny."

Chouji nodded. "Kiba's always been a bit of a joker. Not as much as Naruto was, but a pretty jovial guy. But I always hear from Asuma-sensei how Kurenai scolds him for being a braggart. And for vulgar jokes."

Ino arched an eyebrow. "What kind of jokes?"

"…I'm not really sure myself." Truthfully, it was more along the lines of 'I'd rather not say.' But hey, the amnesia had reduced Ino to an innocent! A lot of things couldn't be done or said yet.

"**Anyhow…**" Kiba grimaced as he picked himself up. "**That brat did the impossible and actually managed to beat me! Me, defeated by the dead last! I mean, looking back, it's not that big of a deal…it DID take all of his strength to put me down, but he did hit me pretty good.**" Several annoyed glances told him to stop hamming it up and stretching it. He ignored them. "**Lucky shot was what it was!**"

"But…that's not what happened…"

Several people turned towards Yamanaka Ino, who was calmly holding her head with one palm. Shikamaru and Asuma blinked as Sakura and Chouji's eyes widened. Tsunade, a wicked gleam in her eye, said, "**Yamanaka Ino? You say something else happened?**" She held the microphone towards Ino.

The girl's blue eyes suddenly seemed to go blanker than thought possible for her pupil-less gaze. She was talking about something she wasn't completely sure of. It's just…that 'Inuzuka Kiba'…he had been talking about some fight with this 'Naruto' character (and who was he anyway? This whole meeting was about him; had he been someone important?). But something about the fight…it just leapt out at her, unbidden and unknown. Clawing to break free of her delirious mind, lost enough as it was through the fog of amnesia. And it was so…_outrageous_, really. No way it could have been true.

But she had to voice it.

Looking squarely at Tsunade's outstretched microphone, Ino immediately blurted out, "**Naruto farted in your face, and he knocked you out while you were reeling from the stench.**"

Silence. Birds chirped in the sudden, immediate silence. Ino felt oddly embarrassed; had she said something wrong?

Kiba's response was, of course, predictable. "**OY! **_**INO!**_** YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO TELL THEM THAT PART!!!**"

Now the crowd knew it was true.

This resulted in peals of laughter, especially from the younger portions of the populace. After all, what male child didn't enjoy a good fart joke?

Kiba grimaced as he pounded his head into the podium. _CRAP! Now everyone knows!_

Nearly everyone was enjoying a hearty laugh. Chouji merely patted the bewildered Ino on the shoulder, reassuringly saying, "Hey. That's the truth, you know, about what happened…this means your memory is retrievable. Don't know how much, but you're starting to remember a FEW things at least." The large Akimichi had learned greatly in the art of subtlety during the past couple of months. Though Ino had originally been one to talk carefully around anyway (for fear of invoking her wrath), she – currently being an amnesiac – had to be handled with delicate, professional care.

Judging by the small smile that graced Ino's face, she was doing fine at this realization. She could take things slowly. No need to rush. "That's good to hear…Chouji-san."

Chouji grinned.

"**Bah, fine, laugh if you want! Naruto kicked my ass after playing dirty. Literally!**" Kiba crossed his arms out of irritation. Out of the immense concentration of laughter, he thought he could hear his mother and sister giggling. "**The kid's determined, I'll give him that. For a guy who went through what he did, he's got guts! I'll leave it at that.**" Kiba stomped off stage, dragging Akamaru away from the dog food.

Tsunade smirked as she spoke. "**Well, there's our comedy routine…now it's time for Nara Shikamaru to speak.**"

Shikamaru sighed as he stepped up towards the podium, hands in his pocket. His new uniform was on display for all to see; doing away with the standard blue, Shikamaru now wore a long-sleeved shirt of black satin, fitting with his black pants. His green Chuunin vest was zipped up, and the metal band of his hitai-ate – the part bearing the image of the Leaf – was grafted into the fabric below his left shoulder. The pineapple-headed Nara looked lazily down at the audience, pondering over what he would say for the two hundredth time. Ever since he had agreed to do this, he had gone over all possibilities about what he would say. The whole thing was just nothing but trouble; if the people had Konoha hadn't been so thickheaded about Naruto, none of this would have been necessary. Oh well. Couldn't be helped. "**Hey. I can't really say much more than what Kiba did about Naruto's part in the Chuunin Exam Preliminaries. Chouji and Iruka pretty much said all that needs to be said about his days at the Academy…have to begin with the invasion by Oto and Suna. No offense to the visiting Kazekage, of course.**"

Gaara said nothing. Shikamaru took it as an 'okay'. "**Anyhow…our fellow shinobi were fighting and dying all around us, trying to fend off the Suna-nin and Oto-nin. One of our own, Uchiha Sasuke, had gone off to pursue a trio of Suna-nin, one of which being the most powerful of the enemy forces. I was ordered along with Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto to pursue him.**" Shikamaru quickly glanced at the three Suna Siblings before continuing. "**Can't say much about the fight that occurred, seeing as how I had to stay behind and give the others some time by holding off a group of Sound ninja. Didn't really do much; Asuma-sensei took care of most of the work.**" Rubbing away at his neck, Shikamaru muttered, "**Well…I suppose most of what I know about him as an individual starts with when we were tasked to retrieve Sasuke following his defection to the Hidden Sound.**"

Sasuke said nothing.

Shikamaru also took that as a 'go ahead'. "**Can't say I've seen someone so driven to get someone before. I mean, true, we were given a mission to get him back before Orochimaru…but logical thinking would dictate that it would be best to forget about him. He had left voluntarily for reasons known only to himself, so who were we to shed blood for his sake?**" Shrugging, the Nara briefly recalled Naruto's steadfast drive back then. It had been nothing but trouble, but who was he to complain now? "**Can't say I can recall someone going so far for a guy who betrayed the Leaf. But hey, if something's happening that concerns the people he sees as his friends…not really much you can do about it. Gotta respect a guy like that, you know?**" _Not like everyone agrees_, thought Shikamaru with an annoyed frown. A great number of the younger civilians were looking up confusedly at their elders, asking more about Uzumaki Naruto. Apparently, this was their first time being exposed to information that contradicted everything they had been told. And what were the parents going to do? Tell them that the Hokage and her featured speakers were lying? Shikamaru had to admit; this idea of Tsunade's had been ingenious. "**It's kind of odd for me. I don't really bother myself with such troublesome things…don't really care what other people think about me or annoying stuff like that. But Naruto ain't like that; he'll argue till he's blue in the face about how he'll become Hokage and how he'll become the best ninja anyone's ever seen and how he'll beat the crap out of anyone who disses him…that's the sort of guy he is. Not one to let any injustice go on…guess that's why I'm talking. After what he's done for the village, a lot of you still feel like badmouthing him…but he's not here to defend himself. Since that's the case, it just didn't feel right for me to sit back and not say anything…or something to that effect.**" Feh. That they had to have this meeting at all to begin with was annoying. _Stupid people are annoying._

"**Thank you Shikamaru.**" Tsunade gestured over to the first civilian speaker. "**And now I bring you Ichiraku Teuchi, owner of the Ichiraku Ramen restaurant. In all probability, he's the first person out of our speakers to have had a close connection to Naruto.**"

"**Indeed, Lady Hokage!**" exclaimed Teuchi with a big, hearty grin. Several dozen members of the audience lightened up on impulse; Ichiraku Ramen was the best place to go for a ramen purist (and their other foods weren't bad either), and his jovial attitude toward life made for a magnetic persona. "**Greetings, people of Konoha! My daughter would be here with me to speak in defense of Naruto, but she's out to establish a SECOND Ichiraku Ramen in another country. Alas, what can one do?**" A wave of moans emerged from the crowd (one coming from Kakashi). They had liked Ayame! "**Now now, I know you'll miss Ayame-chan…but she might visit eventually!**"

"**Teuchi-san.**"

The old chef chuckled as he nervously rubbed his head. "**Ah, of course Lady Hokage.**" Clearing his throat, Teuchi began. "**I remember when that boy first came to my daughter and me. We HAD seen him on other occasions, wandering the streets looking for scraps. I am…**" Teuchi grimaced. "**…somewhat ashamed to admit that I didn't give the boy much of a second look at first. I was well aware of the fact that he was the vessel for the Kyuubi. Given how wary the other villagers seemed of him, I decided to simply ignore him. Then came the fourth anniversary of the Yondaime's sacrifice: the Fox Fall Festival.**" An interesting play on words. The Kyuubi's defeat was celebrated every October 10th; the day that the Yondaime had died and the demon fox had fallen. Hence the name; a festival in the fall, dedicated to the fall of a fox. The villagers all celebrated. Sake was available in mass quantities. Even the foreign stuff from Iwagakure – whiskey – was up for grabs. "**I saw that little blond kid running as though his life depended on it. I let him hide in my stand. Turns out there were a few dozen drunkards chasing him with knives, broken bottles, and the like.**" Looks of shock amongst the more sensitive members of the crowd. He thought he recognized a few of the hooligans that had been chasing the boy! "**It didn't take long for me to realize that there was nothing demonic about the boy at all. He was just confused, naïve, and above all else, HUNGRY. My daughter and I fixed up a bowl of ramen for him…and his eyes…**" His characteristic grin came back. "**They just LIT UP! It was like he discovered the greatest treasure in the world! I got my best customer EVER on that day.**" Teuchi smiled. Naruto had always been coming to the ramen shop. If not for the food, then for the chance to actually talk with someone without being glared at. "**He would come and talk about how horrible cup ramen was compared to ours. He'd talk about annoying things at the Ninja Academy, how some instructors irritated him, how he DESPISED **_**Bunshin no jutsu**_**, how he was going to defeat 'Sasuke-teme' **(at this, Sasuke briefly snorted)**…all sorts of things.**" Teuchi's eyes twinkled, as though he knew some great cosmic secret. "**Just a human boy with everyday problems like you and I. What's so hateful about that?**"

Then he walked off of the podium.

Tsunade smiled. NOW it was about time for some real meat. "**And now I bring you the sensei of Uzumaki Naruto during his time as a Genin on Team 7: Hatake Kakashi!**"

The silver-haired Jonin quietly stepped on stage. It was to his surprise that he heard a small emergence of 'ooohs' and 'aaahs'. _Hmm. Wonder what brought this about?_ Oh yeah. Highly-ranked shinobi known all over as the Son of the White Fang and – most of all – the Copy Ninja. _Hmm. I forgot how popular I am compared to the other shinobi._ Oh well. It certainly didn't make up for his constant tardiness in the eyes of his coworkers. _That's life though._ "**Hmm…I've never spoken to such a large audience before…wouldn't be a good thing to get stage fright right now…hmm, no. Nothing to worry about.**"

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. Sakura managed to stifle her snarl at Kakashi's 'hamminess'. Gai angrily clenched his fist. _Curse you Kakashi, acting so dramatic and cool! Now's not the time! Now is the time for Naruto-kun and him only!_

Tsunade cleared her throat.

"**Ah, my apologies Hokage-sama.**" Kakashi sighed. _Now…what should I talk about?_ "**…there are a number of things I could talk about. I could mention his creative uses of the **_**Kage Bunshin no jutsu**_**, or how he came through for our team during our encounters with the missing-nin Momochi Zabuza, or his take on what the Way of a Ninja should be, or his performance during the Chuunin Exams.**" His only visible eye winked. "**But I won't. Rather, I will do something a bit…different. A character examination. To all members of a book club, please take note of my method.**"

Most of the shinobi sweatdropped. Tsunade palmed her forehead. _Why can't this man take this seriously?_

"**To be honest, within the past year or so, my teaching habits have fallen under…criticism.**" He glanced at the two primary complainers: Tsunade and Sakura. "**To be specific, it revolves around my instruction of Naruto following the Chuunin Exams…or lack thereof. To be specific, I am accused of focusing more on Uchiha Sasuke, giving little to no attention to Haruno Sakura or Uzumaki Naruto. To be honest, this could only apply to the time frame between our mission to the Wave Country and the Chuunin Exams, and the time frame between the Exams' Preliminaries and the Third Test…considering how, following the invasion by Oto and Suna, I was comatose until it was a bit too late to do anything regarding training with any member of Team 7.**" He sighed, as if sinking into deep thought. It was actually the honest truth; not that he had ever been given the time to defend himself. It's not like he wanted to be known as a lousy teacher. "**Hmm…**"

Everything began to quiet down, as though the entire village itself desired to hear Kakashi's answer.

Silence.

"…**now, what was I going to say…?**"

Cue facefaults by a few hundred people. Tsunade roared, "**GET ON WITH IT!!!**"

"**Ah. Right.**" Kakashi lazily turned his eye towards Uchiha Sasuke, who stared back with – to the casual eyewitness – what seemed to be a bored gaze. In all actuality, it was Sasuke's way of saying that he could talk about what he wished without any objections. Besides, Shikamaru had already spoken of Sasuke's defection, so what harm was there in talking about the Uchiha Massacre? "**Considering the unique situation with Uchiha Sasuke's 'family problems', his rage made things quite problematic…particularly concerning his desire for vengeance. Given how bad things tend to happen to vengeful people, I took upon myself to not only give Sasuke proper training with his **_**Sharingan**_**, but to try and ward him away from his path in life. Living dedicated solely to the death of one person…it's dangerous to give anyone that much power over your own life. Unfortunately, it seems my actions didn't really accomplish much…**" Sasuke's look was one of indifference…no, there was _something_ there. Regret? Over what? Working with Orochimaru? Abandoning Konoha? Or…killing Itachi? _Hmm. I wonder what was in that scroll Mantarou gave him. He never did tell me._ "**Alas, the past is past. What does any of this have to do with Uzumaki Naruto?**"

Tsunade and Sakura were giving him looks that yelled 'hurry up!'.

"**To be honest, my lack of training concerning Sakura is not as troublesome as my lack of training Naruto. After all, she is quite an intelligent kunoichi, and she was back then as well. But alas, she was not going to be in the Chuunin Exams. As for Naruto…well, I can honestly I didn't feel the need to train him in that particular timeframe.**" Kakashi suddenly smiled, his lips hidden by his facemask. "**That's because I knew Naruto's drive would make up for any lack of training by my hand.**"

Now he had looks of slight confusion. "**Granted, both Sasuke and Naruto possessed incredible drive and determination…but Naruto's goal was one of attaining recognition, respect, and the normal things he had been denied as a child. Despite the abuse he has suffered at the hands of some in this village, he continually strived to obtain enough power to become Hokage. To obtain the acceptance of the people in this village, Naruto would do whatever it took. Even if he had to endure brief humiliations of his pride, he would continue to grow stronger. That's one of the reasons why I felt it safe to…focus on Sasuke more than Naruto. Had there been more time…had things proceeded differently…perhaps I would've been able to do more for them.**" He sighed, seemingly out of remorse. The amount of time Team 7 had had back then…now, it seemed so short. "**But I digress; Akatsuki forced Jiraiya-sama to train Naruto outside of Konoha. Sakura trained with Tsunade-sama. And Sasuke trained with Orochimaru. Yet despite all of that…I would say that Naruto became quite strong. I only wished I had helped him a little more, but what can be done. I would say more, but…I'm currently drawing a blank. I'm sure other people can fill in more details.**"

_Lazy bum_, thought the Hokage. Even so, she could see the words of Kakashi piling onto those of the previous speakers. More confused mutterings were arising out of the crowd. More questions directed from the indifferent to those full of hate. _Good._ "**Next, I call upon the grandson of Sarutobi Saikyou, the Sandaime Hokage: Sarutobi Konohamaru!**"

The exuberant eleven-year-old – hand gripping one of the infamous posters – hopped up to the podium, scowling at its height. _Fooey! The crowd can barely see my head!_ "**Hmm…well, hi everyone. I'm Konohamaru…my two teammates would be here, but they're still recovering from a stupid trick bomb.**" An angry scowl crossed his face. It sucked without Udon and Moegi! Without them, there was no Konohamaru Corps.! "**First of all, let me say that I think Oda Nobunaga SUCKS! Who agrees?!**"

A collection of whoops and hollers responded. Nobunaga's attempted assassination of the Hokage had brought great anxiety to the village populace, but it hadn't gotten him any fans or popularity. Any excuse to loudly boo the head of the River Army and Sawagakure was okay by them!

"**Now, about Naruto…**" Konohamaru puffed up his chest. "**He's the Boss! And that's because he's stronger than me! He showed me that only hard work and guts can help one become Hokage, because there aren't any shortcuts!**" Konohamaru's eyes narrowed."**He always struggled…and even though I know the truth now, it still doesn't excuse those stupid posters! Not only do they make the Boss look angry and irritated, but they're just plain wrong! He's not a demon or anything like that! He certainly didn't act like one, that's fersure!**" Konohamaru grumbled as he performed a single hand seal. "_**Henge!**_" One puff of smoke, and there stood a perfect replica of Uzumaki Naruto. Speaking and looking perfectly like Naruto, Konohamaru roared, "**If I were still here, I'd get the posters and do this!**" He grabbed the poster with both hands and began ripping it to shreds.

Hinata blinked. Konohamaru did a rather good impression of Naruto. It only made her miss him even more. _Naruto-kun…_

"Hmm. Is that what Uzumaki Naruto sounds like?" asked Sai, glancing over at Sakura and Sasuke.

"Hai," replied Sakura, whilst Sasuke only nodded.

"He sounds…very whiny. Like a girl who lost her favorite toy."

Sakura's eyebrow twitched. "_Sai_…not NOW."

Sai cupped a hand around his chin, suddenly falling into deep thought as 'Uzumaki Konohamaru' continued to eviscerate the poster. "Hmm. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised now. Naruto's whining like a little girl, Sasuke's somewhat feminine physique…" Sasuke snorted in response. "…perhaps this is why you act so masculine. To balance things out."

Sakura's face began going red. "SAI…"

"Or maybe it's because of their femininity that you developed no interest in men. Explains why you act like a tomboy and act so butch, pink hair aside." Turning a serious gaze to the gaping kunoichi, he asked, "Tell me Sakura, are you a lesbian?"

Konohamaru's voice suddenly drowned out to Sakura's ears.

(Inner Sakura: …he…_said_…_**WHAT?!?!**_)

"**SAI-BAKA!!! **_**SHANNARO!!!**_"

_**POW!**_

Sakura's uppercut sent Sai flying into the stratosphere, providing momentary entertainment to the more bored members of the audience.

Yamato offered an apologetic glance to Tsunade. "My apologies Hokage-sama. I'll go retrieve him." The Mokuton specialist leapt away, moving towards the direction of Sai's launch.

It was about this time that Konohamaru dropped the _**Henge**_, completely oblivious to Sakura's super uppercut. "**The Boss would probably use that **_**Rasengan**_** thingy he told me about, but I can't do it.**"

A brief gasp could heard from multiple sections of the crowd. Uzumaki Naruto, capable of using the legendary jutsu created by Yondaime-sama?! Impossible. IMPROBABLE! Many who hadn't bothered to fully research Naruto's dossier turned to those who would, asking questions.

Tsunade smirked. "**That's no joke. Naruto can indeed use the **_**Rasengan**_**. Taught to him by none other than my fellow Sannin, Tobokeru Jiraiya.**"

Jiraiya grumbled. He _HATED_ his family name. _I don't play the fool. Now, my dear aunt Oroka, rest her soul…she was a crazy fool!_

"**Anyhow, I know how good the Boss is. He's tough and strong! When he says he's gonna become Hokage, he means it!**" But to become Hokage…it meant more. To go beyond mere strength, one had to fight as though the entire village was your family. Everyone was a brother, sister, son, daughter…you had to protect the village with that mindset. It gave one strength. At least, that's his grandfather had said. But to fight for these people who had been mean to such a cool guy? "**I don't know why you guys are acting so stupid about it, but he's cool! PERIOD!!!**"

Konohamaru stomped off of the stage.

Tsunade arched an eyebrow. "**Well…let's bring up our next speaker, Taijutsu specialist Rock Lee.**"

"Knock em' dead Lee!" exclaimed Maito Gai, giving Lee the Nice Guy Pose.

"**OOOOOOOOOOH!!!**" roared Lee as he came to the podium. "**Greetings, people of Konoha! I am Rock Lee! And I tell you now, NOTHING is more beautiful or invigorating than the Fire of Youth! Allow me to tell you all the reasons that Naruto is youthful!!!**"

Tsunade sweatdropped, suddenly thinking that letting Lee speak was a bad idea.

xxxx

Yamato sweatdropped at the sight of Sai. "Yikes."

Sai was hanging upside down in an oak tree within the village walls, his leg having been caught near the bottom branches. However, considering the Sai-shaped hole in the tree's otherwise unbroken covering of leaves, he had gone through quite a bit of foliage before coming to a stop. The artistic ninja merely replied with a smile. "I am not completely damaged, Yamato-sempai."

The Mokuton specialist sighed. "And again with the 'sempai' honorific. I know I did serve as your superior following the dissolution of Root, but I haven't really taught you anything of note."

"Then should I say _Yamato-taichou_, like when we still worked in the ANBU before our current assignment with Sakura-san and Sasuke-san?"

"No, I'm not a captain of an ANBU unit." Yamato sighed again. "Although you've served as the rank equivalent of an ANBU while working under Root and myself, your official rank within the village is **Tokubetsu Jonin**, Specialty in **Assassination** and **Espionage**. You outrank Haruno Sakura, who is Chuunin, and Uchiha Sasuke, who is still technically a Genin." Yamato briefly recalled Sasuke's irritation when he had learned that little factoid, shortly after the mission to the Wave Country. _All I did was ask if he was going to partake in the Chuunin Exams…no need to get so snippy._ "Yamato is fine enough."

Sai calmly freed his leg, rotating his body and landing on his feet. "Hmm. Is that so? That implies…closeness, to refer to someone without use of an honorific. At least, that's what it said in a book I recently read."

Yamato arched an eyebrow. "Well, in terms of strict mannerisms…yes. But a lot of people are casual these days with that sort of thing. With the exception of those from prestigious clans, you'll often see people call each other by name without thinking about it, unless using an honorific as a term of endearment. Like how Sakura sometimes says 'Sasuke-kun'."

"But she often slips and sometimes tries to hide the fact she said it," remarked Sai. It was truly fascinating how words could mean so much. "It is not as though it means too much to me…I just wish to learn exactly how they tie into everyday emotions, into everyday conversations."

Yamato blinked at Sai's admission. Then he understood. "Ah…is that why you're acting so 'antagonistic' to Sasuke and Sakura? To fully experience the emotions of their responses, so that you can understand better?"

Sai nodded. "Hai, Yamato-sempai."

Yamato sighed at the honorific. "I'll just chalk the 'sempai' part up as an old habit."

"Would it be a bad habit or a good habit?"

"…it doesn't really matter," replied Yamato with a smile as he turned back towards the direction of the Central Square. For all of his skills and power…Sai was still like a naïve child at times. Perhaps that's why he was so deadly. "Let's head back. The meeting is still going on."

"Hai."

xxxx

/Central Square, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"**REASON #31: NARUTO-KUN SPRINTS FULL OUT, NEVER LETTING UP FOR ONE MOMENT! REASON #32: NARUTO-KUN-!**"

Tsunade flashed a few hand signals.

Lee was suddenly tackled to the ground by several ANBU and hauled offstage.

The villagers immediately cheered. They were saved!

Tenten sweatdropped as Maito Gai mourned. "Poor Lee-kun." The ANBU turned towards her teammate. "Maybe they were a bit too harsh?"

"I'm surprised Tsunade-sama let it go on as long as it did," grumbled Neji. Tenten lightly whacked him on the back of the head.

Tsunade suddenly cleared her throat. "**My apologies for that everyone. Rock Lee can be…overzealous at times.**" _Mental note: NEVER invite Rock Lee to speak at a public function again!_ "**Now for a more even-headed speaker, I introduce the Jonin Neji of the Hyuga Clan.**"

The Hyuga calmly stepped in front of the podium, his white eyes gazing at the crowd in silence. The chattering and mutters of the populace began to quiet down as they looked at those white eyes of his. This was Hyuga Neji, vaunted as a genius Hyuga and one of the most powerful to ever arise out of the clan. To those with a good enough memory, they recalled that he had lost to Uzumaki Naruto in the Chuunin Exams. So…why?

Why was he here, speaking in his defense?

Neji smirked as his eyes took in the expressions of the audience, as though he were reading words from a book. Even without his _**Byakugan**_ activated, he could read their faces quite easily. Civilians just couldn't compare with shinobi. "**I'm sure many of you are wondering why I, the one who lost to Uzumaki Naruto in the Chuunin Exams three years ago, have decided to speak in his defense.**" The crowd began to quiet down. Some of them wondered how he knew. Others chalked it up to the fact that he was a Hyuga. "**It's interesting, how I view fate…and time.**" He smiled wistfully, as though remembering an old story. In a way, it was; a story of his past, where one boy had helped change his philosophy over the course of one fight. "**I still hold fast to one thing: our lives all end at one destination. The destination is death, and nothing can change that. However…I once believed that our path to that destination was fixed. It couldn't be changed, altered, or manipulated in any way. Once you were born, you moved in only a line determined by fate, ending only at death. Never did it ever occur to me to wonder if paths could cross, or if I could change directions…I held steadfast to my conception of fate. After all, it was all I knew in my younger days.**"

Out in the crowd, amongst over five hundred white-eyed Hyuga, Hiashi watched in silence. _Hmm. I suppose we are about to hear a repeat of what he told Uzumaki at the Chuunin Exams?_

"**My father, Hizashi was born mere seconds after Hiashi, the current Head Elder. For that reason, he was cursed to a life of servitude in the Hyuga Clan's Branch House. After my birth, I would bear that curse.**" Briefly unwrapping his hitai-ate, he revealed the green manji atop his forehead to the crowd. "**This 'Caged Bird' curse seal is branded onto all Branch House members. It does not dissipate until we are dead. It is a mark…a symbol we are burdened with until death.**" He briefly closed his eyes as old emotions stirred. _Things are different now, though._ "**It is for this reason, among others, that I became so coldhearted. It is a consequence of my clan's continuing legacy, a legacy that splits us apart. I had accepted that…but not without letting hatred grow and consume me.**" A small chuckle emerged from his throat. "**Imagine…to think that the dead last of his respective graduating class would get me to change my mind.**"

Everyone stared.

"**Uzumaki Naruto, who is able to create hundreds of **_**Kage bunshin**_** without breaking a sweat, failed the Ninja Academy Final Exams three times in a row. The reason for failing? **_**Bunshin no jutsu.**_" The better-educated members of the audience gaped. A kid who couldn't use a simple Clone jutsu could use the Shadow Clone technique?! How…_how_ was that possible?! "**It would've been four failed exams in a row, had he not learned **_**Kage bunshin no jutsu**_**. But alas…it was my arrogance that cost me. Deep down, I wanted to fight my fate, but I was too stubborn with my viewpoint to do anything constructive about it. I nearly killed Hinata-sama out of anger…and in retribution, Uzumaki Naruto defeated me in the third round of the Chuunin Exams.**" A mirthful smile came to his face. Thinking back to that time, here and now…the irony was almost too much! "**Hmm hmm hmm…the dead last of the class, beating the previous class's Rookie of the Year…amusing.**" Looking back at the audience, he continued, "**Naruto has made a living defying his fate. As a Jinchuriki, a demon vessel…he was cursed to a life of suffering. Those who hate the demon transfer their hatred to him. Yet he did not wilt or buckle under that pressure; he chose to fight back, to go on a different path than the one he was given at birth. As a result, he became a powerful shinobi loyal to Konoha, one who fought against Akatsuki and Orochimaru without looking back. He was fated to die…so instead, he simply chose to live.**"

It really was that simple.

And Neji had no more to say.

Just as Yamato and Sai returned, the Hyuga calmly stepped offstage. This allowed Tsunade to speak. "**And now for another Hyuga: the heiress of the clan, Hinata.**"

Hiashi's eyes focused as Hinata slowly stepped onto stage, clad in her usual uniform used on missions. As her white sash billowed around her waist, the Head Elder spoke to the older man beside him. "Neji's testimony should be quite convincing. Some of the other Hyuga of the Main House seem quite…perturbed, though."

"Ah, but it's only natural. Many people have a dislike for the demon fox. Rightly or wrongly, that's how they view the boy…" The older Hyuga chuckled. Though his face was lined with wrinkles, they still did not take away from his vigorous vitality; even now, he still possessed jet-black hair and a keen gaze in his clear eyes. The older man looked back at Hiashi with a quiet grin. "We DID lose over a hundred Hyuga that day, when all the casualties were tallied. We were among the hardest hit."

"I am aware of that Akari-sama," replied Hiashi, looking over at his father with a calm eye. "I am also aware that you are sore concerning the information we learned regarding your brother Hiatari. I remember how you act when feeling sore…so please try and let Hinata have her moment. She will not shame the clan."

"…" Hyuga Akari merely shook his head, looking back at the podium. "You could at least call me 'chichiue'. No respect these days…"

"**P-People of Konoha.**" Hinata calmly took a deep breath. No time to stutter. No time to back down. This was all for Naruto-kun. "**I…have to say that I have been watching Naruto-kun for a long time. I…never had the courage to go and speak to him directly.**" Her timid and feminine voice, amplified by the microphone. Her utterly cute appearance. Who could hate _HER?_ Tsunade mentally smirked; Hinata was practically the perfect candidate for winning people over. "**I…was not as strong as Neji-san, or even Hanabi-chan. For a child of the Hyuga Main House…I was weaker than expected. But…I saw Naruto at the Ninja Academy, trying his hardest. No matter how many times he fell…he always got back up. I called him a proud failure.**" Always, always, always. Getting back up when no one gave him a chance, when no one expected him to do anything. Surpassing all expectations, time and time again. The kind of quality…was admirable. Perhaps by watching, she had hoped to pick up on it. "**I always thought I could become stronger through sheer determination, never backing down. It was hard…but the more I thought about Naruto-kun, the harder I tried. He was a very…inspiring person to me.**"

Jiraiya resisted the urge to chuckle. _Inspiring? In pervertedness, maybe._ After all…he was the inventor of the _**Sexy no jutsu**_! _Heh heh._

"**Naruto-kun also cares a lot for his precious people. He doesn't back down or run away if they're threatened.**" Naruto had sworn to fight for her sake against Neji. Odd as it sounded, it had made her so happy! A shame that she had fallen unconscious before the match's conclusion. "**His spirit…Sandaime-sama called such determination the Will of Fire. I believe that Naruto-kun lives by example…but…I always wondered why everyone hated him so much. Why just a few pranks could make people despise him so…**" He looked imploringly at the populace, her eyes withholding no emotion. She was baring it all, and she wanted people to _know_. "**Naruto-kun became a shinobi, made many friends, and became strong…yet people still hated him…and he revealed the truth to us not too long before Akatsuki's Leader attacked. Even though I now knew why…I did not care. Nor did anyone else.**" She smiled, recalling Naruto's dumbfounded look when everyone still stood by him, even after they learned of the Kyuubi. He had been so happy. "**If we could understand that…why couldn't everyone else?**"

Tsunade glanced at the people of Konoha, taking their reactions in. Hinata's voice was downright _perfect_. The younger ones were totally enraptured by what they were hearing, while teenagers and young adults were launching a series of questions at their elders. _Good. Ask away kids. Start learning! Keep listening!_

"**I…really care for Naruto-kun…**" _More than that_, thought Hinata with a blush. Much more. It went beyond that. Not just friendship or caring…but love. "**He…fought so hard, to stop Akatsuki's Leader…to stop his father.**" Thinking about it now, it seemed so cruel. For a child to fight their father in a life-or-death battle…where was the justice in that? Where was the humanity? "**I've seen so many posters of Naruto-kun, looking like a demon, paired up with Akatsuki's Leader…**" A brief flash of anger crossed her face before dissipating. "**Naruto-kun…does NOT deserve that. They may share the same blood, but they are not the same. Family ties, names, bloodlines…in the end, they do not ultimately determine who you are, who you become.**"

Hiashi closed his eyes. He knew part of that was directed to the Hyuga Clan. _How true. But will anyone take the words of the heiress to heart?_

Hinata suddenly smiled, her face brightening. "**I do not know how Naruto-kun is doing. B-But…I do know that he still has his dream. He is still going to fight for what he believes in…and I know he's going to try to get back to us, his precious people. Because…**" She recalled every single time he had shouted his dream, telling anyone and everyone. "**…he will become the Hokage one day. And I will be there to support him.**" She bowed. "**Thank you for listening.**" She calmly walked offstage.

There was actually some brief applause, much to Hinata's surprise. Those who clapped were quickly shushed by elders and parents.

This did not go unnoticed by Tsunade. _Hmph. Killjoys._ But the next guest speaker would ASSUREDLY show them all a thing or two. "**Thank you, Hyuga Hinata. And now for our first speaker from outside the village walls; I introduce Sabaku no Gaara, the Godaime Kazekage.**"

The audience, now unnerved and relaxed by Hinata's words, suddenly tensed up as the red-haired shinobi moved to the podium. Clad in his regal Kazekage robes, the teal eyes of the Sand's strongest ninja glanced over the entire audience, taking all of their reactions to his presence. They remembered who he was…many recalled his performance in the Chuunin Exams. But few, if any at all, knew of his subsequent battle outside the village…where he had transformed into a demon.

But he saw the looks in their faces. Those looks were not due to him…but they were still due to thoughts of Uzumaki Naruto.

Fear.

Loathing.

Uncertainty.

Doubt.

Fury.

"**How pathetic.**"

Everyone blinked as Gaara's deep, gravelly voice echoed out through the air. His steely gaze was laced with condemnation. "**I've looked at your faces ever since this meeting began…no. Since I came to Konoha months ago to speak to the Hokage, where I first saw those posters. I learned of your treatment of Uzumaki Naruto…and I recall two distinct feelings.**" The sand began to shift around his feet, slowly crawling upwards from the dirty road that the entire village populace stood on. "**Rage. You treated him like trash, yet the treatment he gave you was nothing but that of the utmost kindness. And the other feeling…was disbelief.**" The sand began to curl about his arms. "**After all, unlike Naruto…I responded with violence. And yet I was made Kazekage.**" The Fifth Wind Shadow scowled."**What's wrong with this picture?**"

People looked at him confusedly. Tsunade frowned at the sight of the shifting sand. _He'd better not try anything._

Gaara chuckled. "**Perhaps I should start at the beginning…**" He performed a few hand seals, concentrating his chakra. The sand about him suddenly shifted, coagulating into a miniature version of a VERY familiar figure. The people suddenly screamed at the visage they saw hovering above Gaara. "**This is nothing but an image…but it is the image of Ichibi no Shukaku, a Biju much like the Kyuubi. The One-Tailed Demon Tanuki was to be sealed into my body, much like the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox was to be sealed into Naruto's. But…it was done differently.**" The sand slowly drooped to the ground, leaving Gaara's control. "**The soul of Shukaku was sealed into my mother while she was still pregnant with me. The jutsu used to do this required the sacrifice of the host mother for the demon's soul to be implanted into the child.**" He heard gasps emerge from the audience. If there was one thing to be said about Konoha, it was that they were FAR more sheltered than other ninja villages. Their prosperity probably allowed this…but alas, it didn't really matter. "**As I was born, my mother died. As she died, she cursed our village, our family name, everything she had ever known.**" Instead of looking solemn or sad, as the average person would expect, he merely droned on, "**I suppose my father's immediate reaction was not surprising…in reaction to my mother's curse, the Yondaime Kazekage forbid all talk and mention of our family name. It was stricken from the records and all but forgotten. Would anyone like to know why?**"

Temari and Kankuro looked silently at their younger brother, their hearts twitching with pain. He didn't have to go _this_ far…no! To reveal their family name? A name that fit so, **so** well? No. He didn't have to. The futility and finality of such a name would have to be crushing!

But…this was Gaara.

And he did not care. "**Bachiatari Gaara. That is my full name.**"

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed as nervous mutterings emerged from the audience.

Bachiatari. Cursed.

"**A forlorn name that fit my life so perfectly…alas, my father was always easily cowed by superstition and overwhelming power.**" He sneered, recalling that foolish man, and his fears. He had done nothing to aid his son…for all Gaara cared, the man could rot. "**I was born to be Sunagakure's perfect weapon…and yet, while I was still a child, I was targeted for assassination.**" The looks of horror on the faces of the populace grew and grew as the Kazekage continued. "**Over and over, assassins would show up to kill me. Even as I served the Yondaime Kazekage in mission after mission, killing anyone who crossed me…he would continue to send his pathetic killers, trying his hardest to get rid of me. It was in that bloodbath that I finally defined my lonely existence: to kill or be killed. To prove my existence, I would continue to kill. By killing the strong, I proved my own strength. THAT, foolish people, was my life.**" His contempt for Konoha barely showed through. "**The classic life of a Jinchuriki, epitomized. Yet…**" His gaze softened, just a tad…memories of the boy who crawled through the dirt, using naught but his chin to pull himself forward. The aftermath of the struggle between Bachiatari Gaara and Uzumaki Naruto. "**Through the course of one battle, my perspective was changed. I, who fought only for the sake of myself, lost to one who fought for the sake of his precious people. Two Jinchuriki…astonishing that they could be hated so much and yet become so different. And imagine my surprise when I was approached little more than a year later, asked to fulfill the position of Kazekage.**" If one didn't know any better, one would've said that Gaara looked…delighted at the shocked expressions he saw. "**Yes…desperate to rebuild an image of strength and power, they approached a known murderer simply because I was the most powerful shinobi in the village. But even as I was sworn in as the Godaime Kazekage, I swore to myself that I would work hard and protect everyone to the best of my ability…so that one day, they would see me not as a Jinchuriki or a murderer…but as Kazekage.**"

Kankruo briefly smiled. He recalled Gaara's words dealing with this very subject. _And you've done a great job._

"**That is why I see you all as nothing more than **_**vermin,**_" growled the Kazekage, his teal eyes as hard as steel. "**I, a Jinchuriki, responded to the hatred of my people with death. I murdered countless people and shinobi, and no one dared to help me. Yet now, here I am as Kazekage, showing the people of Suna that I can change…and that I can be better than the curse I was born with. But you…**" His glare sharpened even more, honed by sheer disgust. "**Uzumaki Naruto, a Jinchuriki, responded to your hatred with nothing. He never lifted a single finger against any of you, choosing instead to become someone that all of you would acknowledge. Always fighting for you, always shedding blood for your sake…dreaming of becoming Hokage for such ungrateful scum.**" The looks of indignation and cowardice did not cow him. He was in the right. "**You always cry 'monster'. Your hypocrisy is truly breathtaking.**"

Nothing could be said in front of Bachiatari Gaara's damning condemnation. Even Tsunade couldn't help but feel shivers. _Eesh._ But it was necessary; it wasn't enough to merely shower Naruto with accolades and tell everyone how great he was and how he wasn't really a demon; the people of Konoha would also have to be shown WHY they were wrong. In that respect, Gaara had performed spectacularly.

"**I've said my piece,**" finished the Kazekage as he stepped down, taking his position beside his siblings.

Tsunade held her microphone back up. "**Thank you very much Gaara. And now for our next speaker; one of Naruto's teammates, Haruno Sakura of Team 7!**"

The pink-haired Chuunin calmly stepped up, looking about with her emerald eyes. Where was…there. She saw both of her parents. A red-haired man and a woman with brown hair tinged with white streaks at the roots. They didn't bother looking at her as they came up…and Sakura couldn't blame them. They had told her not to associate with Naruto either, as a child. Not that they had been as vehement or malevolent as some others in the village…but their indifference had been there all the same. They were feeling guilt about it now, which was good enough for her.

After all, she had once treated Naruto like trash as well. "**Hello. I am Haruno Sakura, apprentice of Iga Tsunade and a medical ninja. I've come before you today to speak about one particular subject: attitude.**" She lightly smiled, recalling her own 'attitude' from long ago. "**Save for a few, you all have a negative attitude concerning Naruto. Indifferent and irritated at best…and aggressive and vengeful at worst. Treating a little boy like a nuisance…**" She sighed out of remorse, closing her eyes sadly. "**I suppose I have no room to complain, seeing as how I once treated him like garbage.**"

Kakashi – who had by now started reading through Icha Icha Paradise Volume 17 again – peered over the top of his book. _Oh. So she's going to talk about this, hmm?_

"**When I was younger, I would look at Naruto's antics and frown upon them. He always seemed so annoying and in-your-face…loud, rude…obnoxious…the whole gamut of unpleasantries, really.**" She fought the urge to rub the back of her head out of nervousness; who was she one to talk, really? She had been all of those things as well, on some level. "**Naruto…well, he was always trying to get my attention, and I didn't really give him the time of day. Like most of the children in the village, my attitude stemmed directly from that of my peers: one of indifference. Naruto had always been annoying…and I always treated him as such, even after we became Genin.**" A look of nostalgia came to her face. The older days, when Naruto still shouted off how he was going to defeat everyone and become Hokage. The village so much quieter without his pranks and antics. "**Like many of you still are, I was rooted to my old ways of thinking. Even as Naruto continued to improve…I didn't want to acknowledge it. It clashed with my image of him as that dead last idiot who somehow got onto a Genin team with me…and that's how it continued to proceed. I even went so far as to attribute some of his successes to other people…**"

Sasuke didn't have to be told what Sakura meant by 'other people'.

Sakura frowned, recalling a very VERY sore time in her past. "**The one I idolized…he had left. And Naruto promised to bring him to back, despite all the mean things I had said and done. It was at that point…that I realized how far ahead of me had gotten. How strong he had become…and how weak I really was.**" Brushing aside her pink lock, she huffed with authority and pomp. She wasn't weak anymore. No sir'ee! "**I swore to become stronger as well! I wasn't going to let my preconceptions of reality dictate me; I had to move on. I told Naruto that I would get stronger as well, so I could help him fulfill his Promise of a Lifetime.**" Then she giggled nervously. "**Never did get the chance though…to busy helping to fend off the invasion here in Konoha. But all in all…you all shouldn't let your attitudes cloud your perception of Naruto. He's AMAZING. Think about it for a moment, what happened not too long ago in Suna; he partook in a battle against ten missing-nin, and **_**ALL**_** of them were S-Class criminals. Allow me to repeat their names.**" This was the advantage of being the Hokage's assistant: access to confidential files. But alas, much of the information had been made public anyway. Better for the audience! "**Hoshigaki Kisame of the Mist's Seven Legendary Swordsmen. Akasuna no Sasori of the Hidden Sand, a master of **_**Kugutsu no jutsu**_**. Deidara, a serial bomber of the Hidden Stone. Toya Shuu of the Hidden Grass, who had a mastery over special plant-based ninjutsu. Koumorimaru of the Hidden Cloud, a woman who could use abilities similar to those of a bat. Yagami Hiroto of the Hidden Stone, a man who could literally becoming a living incarnation of stone. Fujiwara Akira of the Hidden Waterfall, whose ninjutsu capacity was so refined that he could utilize **_**Suiton**_** and **_**Katon**_** chakra simultaneously to manipulate steam. Koga Orochimaru, the infamous traitor who was once a member of the Three Legendary Leafs, and his equally notorious assistant Yakushi Kabuto…whose medical skills were almost on par with that of Tsunade-sama's. And last, but not least….Uchiha Itachi.**" It had definitely settled in by now. The sheer magnitude of what Naruto had faced finally hit the crowd like a sledgehammer. "**Those were the kind of people he fought. Not just for his sake, but for his precious people. For our sake.**"

_That's right. Foolish boy almost got killed, with how hard he exerted himself_, critically thought Tsunade. Though Sakura's little list did remind her; she had a meeting with a couple of important guests after this meeting ended, one of them being of the Toya Clan.

Flexing her fingers, Sakura decided to wrap things up. Most of the previous speakers had said a lot of things that she could have said already. "**I guess…what I'm trying to say is this: our notions of how things are cloud our judgments. The prevent us from seeing the truth. And in the long run, it makes things more painful…so let's just stop now. There's no need to let our fear of the Nine Tailed Demon Fox stop us from treating Naruto like the human he is.**" Sakura calmly stepped down, feeling slightly odd for saying relatively little (in her mind, that is). But…there was so much that had been said!

The only ones left were Tobokeru Jiraiya and Uchiha Sasuke.

Speaking of the former, Tsunade spoke, "**Now for my fellow Sannin: I introduce Tobokeru Jiraiya!**"

_Does she HAVE to use my whole name?_ Jiraiya grumbled as he stepped over to the podium, his sandals clip-clopping all the way. "**Ahem…hello everyone. I am Jiraiya, the Gama-Sennin and the Sage of the Toads of Mt. Myoboku!**" _At least, I was. But hey, it's still a good introduction._ "**Now…first things first.**" He pulled out a copy of _Icha Icha Paradise._ "**I'm available to autograph copies of **_**Icha Icha Paradise**_**, and my loyal fans will be happy to hear that Volume 18 will be out sooner than you-**"

"_**GET ON WITH IT YOU DAMN PERVERT!!!**_"

Jiraiya recoiled at Tsunade's howl. "**Sheesh, fine…just thought I'd get it out there.**" Sighing dramatically, the Ero-Sennin began his tale. "**Now…most of the bases have been covered by everyone else. Perhaps I should go into Naruto's ancestry? Yes…**" A wicked smirk crossed his face. "**Sure, everyone knows about Naruto's father. But what of his uncle?**"

Oh yes, people were going to absolutely freak _out_ about this.

xxxx

/Village Cemetary, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

A destitute place.

Gravestones, headstones, memorial blocks…all lined and clustered, holding cremated ashes, dirty bones, and old corpses altogether. Willows emerged from the moist soil, providing a suitably dreary atmosphere to the graveyard. Numerous seals and wards were placed around the graveyard soil, to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and to ward off graverobbers.

Not that it mattered to this particular graverobber.

Stepping out of a tiny portal of blue, it appeared to be a small woman; not even five feet tall. Clad in a white yukata dotted with black blossom designs, the woman's long black hair – coming down to the small of her back – shrouded her face. In her dainty white hands was a single shovel, seemingly crafted out of black bones.

She stared down at one particular grave, touching the soil with her fingers. The protective wards seemed to burn away at her touch. Not that they would have stopped her to begin with. Compared to her abilities…well, humans just couldn't compare.

"Hmm. No cremation. For one of your stature, I would have expected it…" She seemed to be speaking to the grave itself. "Then again, you would have been under that Honorstone of theirs…I believe it's still called that." And it was under constant surveillance as well. Too much for her to handle. This little graveyard was much easier. The corpses weren't as important; shinobi did not tend to patrol this area much…besides, judging from how much life was coagulating near the center of the village, she doubted she'd get any company. She didn't want to get into any trouble. Not here, not yet.

_Oh well._ Her entry into Ningenkai was unauthorized anyway. The God of Death was awfully stern with matters concerning her kind. But it was to her fortune that his attention was elsewhere…not only on the Demon Slayer that was out and about, but also on the slow rise of her 'employer'. This was just one corpse…it was the stepping-stone to many more. It would help provide the key to her employer's resurrection…and in return, along with resurrecting her son, she would be able to resurrect a lot of human bodies.

They were always the most fun to poke around with. Demons lost some pizzazz after centuries of poking and prodding.

"Unfortunate that one of your strength is shown such shameful treatment," she said with a mock tone of sympathy. Performing hand signs, the bone shovel disconnected and converted into small sphere. The graveyard soil emanated with her chakra; remnants of bone and dirt flowed into the protective sphere as she emptied the grave of its 'owner'. "Then again, perhaps if you had done things differently, you would have been shown more respect. Maybe you shouldn't have killed yourself. Oh well…you'll have plenty of time to talk later."

The small graverobber calmly stood; the sphere holding the remains levitated in front of her, the bones and decomposed remnants floating about within. Soon, they would arise into new flesh…a body reborn, complete with the original soul.

She smirked, eyes hidden behind her long flowing hair of obsidian. "Don't fret…you will return soon enough…_Hatake Sakumo_."

Performing multiple hand signs, a portal opened once more. She always marveled at how simple slipping through was; much easier than in the older days. Perhaps it was because only one Gatekeeper Golem was left on this plane?

Nothing for her to worry about, at any rate.

The graverobber calmly entered the portal, sphere in hand. It closed behind her moments later.

Not another word was spoken as she took the remains of Kakashi's father to Makai.

xxxx

/Central Square, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

The shouts and screams of denial were absolutely **DELIGHTFUL**.

Summarizing his two-month trip outside of Konoha following Naruto's departure to Makai was simple enough. Things had gotten interesting the moment he spoke of his last meeting with Namikaze Yukina in Toratori…or, to be more precise, his last meeting with Kazama Kushina. The people of Konoha had shown utter shock at how a kunoichi of the Hidden **Cloud** had delivered Kazama Arashi to the Sandaime Hokage…and when he had revealed the Yondaime's father…

Well, all hell had broken loose.

Uzumaki Keihan, father of Kazama Arashi, father of Uzumaki Mantarou…grandfather of Uzumaki Naruto.

Kazama Arashi, the uncle of Uzumaki Naruto.

The sheer howl of outrage nearly made Tsunade giggle. _You just can't handle the idea of Naruto being related to the Fourth, hmm? Too bad!_

"**Come now, is it so hard to believe? Just look at the similarities in their face!**" Sighing out of irritation, Jiraiya simply continued on. Let them complain if they wanted to, it wouldn't change anything. "**Regardless of how you feel about the subject, Naruto is related to a Hokage by blood, just as much as Konohamaru is related to a Hokage by blood. And think about this; the Fourth's student, Suki Rin, was Naruto's mother. It was HER wish that Naruto be seen as a hero to the village. It was unfortunate that the boy's father never returned to watch over him, but the past is the past. What happened happened. And if you people can't get off of your high horses to see the simple truth that Naruto is NOT going to kill us, then quite frankly…what's the point?**" Jiraiya chuckled. Some of these people were so foolish. How come they couldn't see Naruto's potential? "**I trained the brat on my own for three years, moving around the world, staying in isolated areas away from the eyes of Akatsuki…I taught him a variety of Ninjutsu techniques, increased his stamina and chakra control, enabled him to more properly control the demon fox's chakra. And speaking of the demon fox…the Kyuubi is an awfully vain demon.**" Confused glances from the audience. What could he mean? "**Despite his capacity for destruction, the Kyuubi is a very old and intelligent demon. The Biju are the most fabled of demons, and the Nine Tails has been sighted quite a few times throughout our history. Yet, he understands the fact that he alone cannot break the seal of the God of Death…and he certainly did not want to be used by Uzumaki Mantarou or Akatsuki. That's why he also helped Naruto grow in power. I can attest to that; I was there, fighting alongside Naruto at the battle in Sunagakure. Would the Kyuubi escape if he could? Undoubtedly. But Naruto will not let him escape. Not **_**willingly.**_"

There were still murmurs of suspicion. And Jiraiya couldn't blame them; dealing with a crafty demon like the Kyuubi was a troublesome ordeal, and had to be handled carefully. Either way, it didn't matter. "**I know that Kyuubi no Yoko cannot escape on his own. Given the opportunity, he most certainly would. But THAT is why we must support Naruto, and help him remain strong! His power is vast…but without people to fight for, his purpose for having that power will whither away until he has nothing left but destruction and chaos. For his sake…for OUR sake…we must accept Naruto for who he is. He is a Jinchuriki, but he desires to serve and protect us as the Hokage. Is that too much to ask?**"

Jiraiya calmly stepped offstage, glaring once at Tsunade. "_I'll kindly ask you to NOT use my name again. I hate it!_"

"_You could just change it at the records office_," replied Tsunade with a whisper.

"_Feh, too much work._" Jiraiya walked back into the audience.

Tsunade shook her head as she spoke to her microphone. "**Thank you, Tobokeru Jiraiya.**" Cue a facefault by the Gama-Sennin. "**And now for our last speaker: Naruto's other comrade from Team 7: Uchiha Sasuke.**"

NOW people were paying attention. Whether it be to boo him for betraying the Leaf, or to look at the last of the Uchiha with awe…he commanded attention.

And he would use that attention to its fullest.

"**When I fought Naruto at the Valley of the End, I pierced his shoulder and right lung with my bare hand.**"

This was an interesting kind of silence. Dead silence, one of utter shock and revulsion. Sakura, Tsunade, and Kakashi shared in that surprise; out of all things Sasuke could've started with…they hadn't expected that.

"**Hmm. You seem shocked.**" Sasuke gazed at the audience. His overall opinion of them…well, he didn't really care what they thought. "**That's exactly what happened. I know that you all consider me to be a valuable commodity to the village. But I did commit a number of offenses; despite how you all view me, don't let your notions of who I am cloud your judgment. You should do the same with Naruto.**" He paused; he had known what he was going to say for hours now, ever since before the meeting started. It was easy to think about…but to say it now, in front of so many?

His words involved the admittance of…weakness.

And his pride wouldn't stand for it.

But he didn't care. His damned pride had gotten him into enough trouble throughout the years anyway. Pride had made him stubborn…and his stubbornness had often cost him. Considering everything that had happened in his life, ending the bond to his pride might not be such a bad thing.

…okay, maybe not totally. He was still an Uchiha, damn it! Justifying and admonishing himself to his peers was one thing; doing the same with biased ignoramuses like the people of Konoha was another thing altogether. "**…you're all aware of the Uchiha Massacre. How my older brother Itachi slaughtered everyone except me. I vowed vengeance, swearing to do anything I could to kill him and return honor to the Uchiha name. If it took abandoning all bonds, I would do it. If it meant sacrificing everything I had, I would do it. There was even a time where I swore that I would even kill my closest friend if I had to…anything to gain the power to kill Itachi.**" So casual. So unaffected. Some of the audience members began to recoil out of horror. THIS was the touted Uchiha Sasuke?!

Sakura frowned at Sasuke's words and the crowd's reactions. She hadn't expected him to be so forthcoming about his past…and she saw now how the audience were reacting. She had once been like them; attracted to the stoic, powerful image of the last Uchiha, creating an idol in their minds that couldn't even match reality. Seeing him as a thing, a title…not as a person, who was more than just 'the last Uchiha'. _Sasuke-kun…what are you trying to say here?_

"**This might not seem like it has anything to do with Naruto.**" Sasuke paused, gathering his thoughts. "**The dobe was always shouting his proclamations, always roaring how he was going to surpass me, how he would become Hokage. It got really irritating.**" Glancing over at Kakashi, he continued, "**Kakashi put it simply; both his drive and mine were about equal, but our goals couldn't have been more different. You'd think that dunce, the dead last of our class, wouldn't be able to do anything to perturb me, Rookie of the Year…**" Bragging and boasting. This was more familiar territory. But he couldn't linger on such things for too long. "**I have no idea how he managed to get under my skin so easily. Before I knew it, I had actually taken a killing blow for him during a mission.**" The mission to the Wave Country. The multiple needles, targeting him in such a precise manner that he was reduced to a death-like state. Not that Naruto could have told the difference at the time. "**As much as it pained me to do so at the time…I knew that he had become someone worth fighting. Not just because of what skills he had attained, but because he had somehow managed to forge a bond with me. Deep down…I knew I had to possess the power to break that bond. If I couldn't, then how could I defeat Itachi?**" His possessed such…an _old_ tone. It clashed with the image of a vital and vigorous Uchiha that many in the audience had mentally constructed over the years. Even after his departure from the Leaf, that image had remained. Imagine the joy they had felt upon his return! This was nothing like what they had expected. "**He continued to grow stronger. I didn't want to acknowledge that the dead last had managed to somehow become stronger than me. Even when Itachi briefly returned…it was to capture Naruto, not to settle things with me.**" How was he to know back then? Naruto had been a Jinchuriki, vessel of the Kyuubi. Sasuke had not cared for Itachi's reasons for wanting Naruto. His hatred had clouded his mind too much. _And to think you said I didn't have enough hatred._ Sasuke resisted the urge to snort, feeling particularly sore concerning his late brother's revelations. _If he wanted to die by my hands so badly, he should have asked. He should have told me everything._ "**He continued to become stronger. Due to my preconception of him…I thought that I was getting weaker as he became stronger. I refused to accept it. My desire to kill Itachi had become more prominent…whether it was my hatred of him, or the influence of Orochimaru's curse seal…I suppose it doesn't matter anyway. I left the Leaf one night, vowing to forsake all bonds I had with the village in order to gain power. But he still followed me. He still didn't want to let go.**" A bitter chuckle wanted to escape his lips. Back then, he hadn't really been much of a person worth fighting for. Prattling on about avenging the clan and killing 'that one person'…he couldn't have been that much of a friend. And yet, there was Naruto…charging with all the energy he had to spare. "**I'm not sure why he fought so much for the sake of our bond. I suppose it has something to do with the fact that he had never had bonds before…and that he supposed the bond he had with me was what it felt like to have a brother.**" Those words had stung Sasuke back then. Naruto thought of himself as a brother?! He was the brother of a _murderer_; why would anyone want to try and fill that void in his life?! Why would any _sane_ person try to fill Itachi's shoes? Then again…sanity and Naruto had never quite mixed. "**What a moron. Trying to help someone that tried to skewer his own heart with **_**Chidori**_**. He kept on…and on…and ON.**" Sasuke looked straight into the eyes of everyone in the audience, his _**Sharingan**_ blazing to life. "**By the time it was over, even as I stood over his unconscious body…I couldn't bring myself to kill him. I fled the Valley of the End, seeking to gain power from Orochimaru…I would not follow Itachi's path. I would not kill my closest friend. I would abandon my bond, running as far away as I could from it…but I would not sever it. Naruto…he somehow managed to forge that sort of a bond.**"

Sasuke suddenly went silent, and the entire audience was quiet. A few confused murmurs arose. This whole confession of sorts…it was unexpected. Even Hatake Kakashi couldn't help but arch an eyebrow out of surprise. _Hmm. He's matured a lot in the past few months, since the fall of Akatsuki._ Though…the way he talked…Sasuke seemed to have had a realization concerning his past. But of what? Undoubtedly, it had to have concerned the scroll Mantarou had given him. _I really wish I knew what Itachi had told him._

Then…came a chuckle.

Several.

"**Ku ku ku ku ku…why? Why go that far for a **_**wretch**_** like me?**" Sasuke's chest stung, his pride roaring with fury. He was no wretch! He had been set onto that path by a deceptive older brother and a manipulative snake named Orochimaru! "**I had tried to kill him…I had left him behind in the rain. I couldn't have made it any clearer: I was not someone worth saving. I was someone who should have been forgotten! And yet…**" Sasuke took a few deep breaths. Confronting his past…this wasn't easy, doing it out in the open before EVERYONE. He didn't really care what they thought…but what of those who truly mattered? His old teammates? His fellow shinobi? How would they react if they knew _everything_ he had done while serving Orochimaru? It was a thought he suddenly found to be a tad unsettling. "**Even as I continued to train under Orochimaru…even as I slowly accepted the fact that I would never be able to track down Itachi without his aid…I leapt at the chance when I knew were Itachi would be: Sunagakure.**" His red eyes swirled, his memories of the battle replaying. "**I was followed by Orochimaru and Kabuto. Even as I fought Itachi…I also had to fight Orochimaru. He was going to take my body as a vessel…**" More chuckling. It was just _so_ amusing! "**Can you believe that the dobe actually stood in the way? Let Orochimaru grab his body instead of mine? He ACTUALLY allowed himself to be targeted by the body possession jutsu, just so Orochimaru wouldn't get me. The fact that he survived is a miracle in and of itself, but forget about that…and just think about the act. He saved ME, the guy who tried to **_**KILL**_** him.**" Was it finally starting to sink into the heads of the most stubborn? Because Sasuke didn't feel like repeating all of this. "**I don't deserve such a bond…but the moron kept holding on anyway. Despite everything I had done, he still brought me back. Can you even comprehend that?**" A light snort almost escaped. He doubted they could. But at least they were showing it; even several of the shinobi closer to Naruto exhibited shock. Apparently, they hadn't known that detail concerning the battle at Suna. "**Konoha's lucky to have someone like that.**"

Sakura couldn't help but feel awed by Sasuke's words. He had obviously thought about this a lot. She only wished he had told his teammates…Kakashi and herself, if no one else. But that was okay; time – with a pinch of love – healed all wounds. She'd be there to support him.

Sakura deactivated his _**Sharingan**_. "**Your preconceptions of Naruto…they're preventing you from seeing him for who he really is. Sure…he's a dobe, a moron, a dunce, an idiot, and a fool…**" Everyone seemed to wince with each insult. "**He's also a fellow Leaf…and my closest friend. And I'll be waiting for him to return.**" With that said, Uchiha Sasuke finally walked away from the podium, stepping down the steps.

Iga Tsunade mentally smiled as she stepped up to the podium, large scroll in hand. All of the speakers had done spectacularly! _And now for the finale._ "**Thank you for your words Uchiha Sasuke. And now for one more presentation…and it's quite a surprise.**" She plopped the giant scroll on the podium, unrolling the brown-rimmed green paper. "**Believe it or not, this scroll is actually from Makai. It is a message from Uzumaki Naruto, penned no more than three weeks ago.**"

Everyone's heads jolted out of astonishment. Hinata's eyes quivered. A message? From Naruto-kun?

"**Due to the nature of the message, Hatake Kakashi has agreed to aid me.**" The silver-haired Jonin calmly stepped up, performing a single jutsu.

"_**Kage bunshin no jutsu!**_"

**POOF!**

Now Kakashi was joined by one other. They both roared, "_**Henge!**_"

**POOF!**

In the place of the original Kakashi stood Uzumaki Naruto.

In the place of the second…was a smaller version of the Nine Tailed Demon Fox.

Everyone yelped out of brief surprise; some impulsively tried to run. But there was no room. Tsunade quickly took control. "**Calm down. This is merely Kakashi transformed into an image of Kyuubi no Yoko. You'll understand why he transformed the moment he begins reading the scroll.**" Having the words being read by 'Naruto' would further cement the image and intent of the words. "**You may begin whenever you're ready Kakashi.**"

'Uzumaki Kakashi' (or 'Hatake Naruto'?) nodded as he cleared his throat. "**Okay…here goes.**" Then his blue eyes bulged out. "**Holy crap, the words are coming out as I speak them!**"

Hinata's eyes managed to sparkle. _He sounds just like Naruto-kun_. A very nice impression indeed!

"**OF COURSE THEY ARE,**" growled 'Kyuubi no Kakashi', impersonating the real demon fox's deep and guttural voice. "**A JUTSU THAT TRANSLATES SPOKEN SPEECH TO WRITTEN WORD IS MERE CHILD'S PLAY FOR A DEMON LIKE MYSELF.**"

"**Feh, who cares,**" grumbled 'Naruto' as he glared at 'Kyuubi'. "**Anyhow…I'm…uh, 'speaking' this message for my precious people in Konoha. Gama-Bunta chewed me out earlier, and he gave me some time to give you all a message…I'd try to be longer, but the Boss Toad wants to have at least one drink of sake before I leave Mt. Myoboku, and there's some kind of tournament at Port Youma that I want to go to!**" He suddenly looked back at 'Kyuubi'. "**Have I told you before that you demons have the worst sense of names? I mean 'Port Ghost'? And what the crap kind of name is 'YOKO'?! 'Spirit Fox'? Come on!**"

'Kyuubi' snorted. "**WHEN YOU'RE THE FIRSTBORN CHILD OF THE VERY FIRST FOX, YOU DON'T NEED TO BE PICKY. THE NAMES OF THE OLD AND ANCIENT SEEM 'UNORIGINAL' ONLY TO THE FOOLISH. BESIDES, YOU'RE ONE TO TALK, 'STEAMED FISH-PASTE CAKE'.**"

"**OY! I'll kill you, bastard!**" 'Naruto' suddenly began struggling as a few of 'Kyuubi's' tails wrapped around his frame. "**Get your frickin' tails off me!**"

"**HMPH. ALWAYS LOUD.**"

Jiraiya briefly peeked at the scroll, marveling at the words on the scroll. _Exactly as they've said. Hmm. Kakashi must have rehearsed this._

'Naruto' harrumphed as 'Kyuubi' released him. "**Damn fox. You'd better start respecting me soon! I ain't gonna put up with your crap!**"

"**AND HOW DO YOU THINK I FEEL? IF I KILL YOU, I DIE. IF YOU KILL ME, YOU DIE. IF THE LINK CONNECTING US IS SEVERED, WE BOTH PERISH. IF I HAVE TO REMIND YOU AGAIN, I'LL SUBJECT YOU TO A NIGHTMARE OF HELLISH PROPORTIONS THAT WOULD MAKE THE UCHIHA'S **_**TSUKIYOMI**_** SEEM LIKE A NICE WET DREAM IN COMPARISON!**"

Sasuke actually snorted out of amusement. What an…'interesting' comparison.

'Naruto' grumbled. "**Eh, nothing can be as bad as no ramen.**"

"**WHATEVER. AND SHOULDN'T YOU BE FOCUSING ON YOUR MESSAGE? YOU'LL RUN OUT OF ROOM.**"

The blond suddenly turned to the scroll. "**Oh…CRAP!**"

"**RAMBLING FOOL.**"

"**Anyhow…**" 'Naruto' shot one last glare at 'Kyuubi' before speaking. "**Here I am, in Makai…things are kind of different here. I think I've finally gotten used to the fact that the sky is red all the time, but the lack of any humans is really irritating. At least not every demon is as annoying as the jackass here.**"

'Kyuubi' snorted. "**WHAT YOU CALL ANNOYING IS WHAT MORE INTELLIGENT CREATURES CALL 'CHARISMA.'**"

"**Yeah right. As I was saying…I don't really know how long I'm going to be here.**" 'Naruto's' blue eyes became downcast. "**Haven't seen a peep of my old man…don't know where he is. But I won't be able to get home without going through that Gatekeeper Golem thingy, and he's the only one who can open it!**"

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. 'Naruto' had just confirmed one of his suspicions. _So it seems that Gatekeeper Golems DO correspond to the chakra of only a particular Biju…in this case, that of the Gobi._ But something still didn't add up…particularly, the words of Kuromaru, whose message regarding Nibi no Inuhankou had reached his ears within the past week. _If the Two Tails is not bound by the Gatekeeper Golems…is the Nine Tails?_ Things still didn't make much sense. More research would be needed.

"**I'm still training, Ero-Sennin.**" Jiraiya facefaulted. "**I gotta get stronger if I'm gonna beat Mantarou…no, AKATSUKI'S Leader! I'm going to kick his ass and make him bring me back home! Then I'll drag him along so he can answer for what he's done! Till then…I'm kind of stuck here.**"

As a few of Naruto's close friends deflated at the news (Hinata most of all), Sasuke took note of the tone of words. It was only a replay courtesy of Kakashi…but it seemed at first glance that Naruto had the seed of revenge planted in him, courtesy of his father. _…just don't let it consume you like it did me._

"**I really miss you guys…I miss Konoha. I miss RAMEN!!!**" 'Naruto' suddenly began to bawl. "**No ramen ANYWHERE! It's horrible, it's TORTURE! The moment I'm coming back, I'm going on an eating spree at Ichiraku's!**"

Ichiraku Teuchi let loose a hearty laugh. _I'll hold you to that!_

'Naruto' blinked. "**Think I heard Gama-Bunta calling us…ah man, I still wanted to talk more! No fair!**"

"**SHOULD I MENTION THE ORGY?**"

'Naruto's' eyes comically widened. "**You **_**swore**_** not to say anything. I'll tell them about the MURAL!**"

"…**FINE THEN.**"

Most were confused, while others were gasping with shock at the obscenity. Kiba couldn't help but howl with laughter. Hinata was blushing madly. _O…Orgy…?_

Sakura couldn't really believe her ears. _That can't be serious. No way._ What was going ON in Makai?

Jiraiya impulsively reached for his notebook and began writing. _Hee hee hee…the boy's already got me inspired. He's pure gold!_ The moment Naruto came back, he'd be asking ALL about this 'orgy'. _Heh heh. I'm so proud of him! He's come into his own at last._

'Naruto', growling at the 'Kyuubi' out of irritation. "**Stupid Kyuubi-teme…anyhow, I know this isn't much…but I'll hopefully be able to get another message out in the future! To Iruka-sensei…just be careful, and try not to worry about me too much.**"

Umino Iruka nodded with a smile. _I will Naruto._

"**I hope Gaara gets this…you keep on being a damn good Kazekage, you hear me? Show everyone what for!**"

"I will," muttered Gaara, speaking to no one in particular.

"**Kakashi-sensei, try taking off that damn mask by the time I get back! And Sakura-chan, you take care. Sasuke-teme, if I find out you've left Konoha or hurt Sakura-chan again by the time I come home, I'll kick your ass! And Hinata-chan…you be safe, okay?**"

Sasuke chuckled. _He has no faith at all. Stupid dobe._

Hinata resisted the urge to faith. _I…I-I-I…I'll be okay Naruto-kun. Just as long as you're okay._ The idea that he cared for her warmed her to no end.

"**Ero-Sennin, you keep out of trouble! You'll get killed one day from all the peeping.**" Cue another facefault by Jiraiya. "**Tsunade-obaachan, you keep healthy, because I'm still going to become Hokage! It won't do if Konoha keels over while I'm gone!**"

Tsunade smiled. Reading Naruto's words was a far different thing from _hearing_ them.

"**And to everyone else…just stay alive! I'll be home as soon as I can!**"

"**SO SENTIMENTAL. SO EMOTIONAL. I THINK I'LL VOMIT.**"

"_**BASTARD!**_" roared 'Naruto' as he punched 'Kyuubi' in the jaw.

That move actually elicited a torrent of cheers.

The fox went 'poof', and so did 'Naruto'; when the smoke faded, only one Kakashi was standing there. "**And that's where the message ends.**"

"**Thank you, Kakashi.**" Tsunade rolled the scroll up, looking out at the audience. "**Everyone…I know many of you are divided over Uzumaki Naruto. I know not all of you will change your minds…but I had to get this out in the open and offer an alternate viewpoint to everyone. Not just for Naruto's sake…but for the sake of our unity.**" Commanding everyone's attention, the Godaime Hokage spoke loud and clear. "**We are facing a new threat in the form of the IKS. The River Army is a new kind of enemy, and to face it…we must be united. I will not let our differences over Naruto diminish our fighting capability…because these posters, among other things, only serve to weaken the trust between comrades. I will NOT abide by this…understood? If similar posters concerning Uzumaki Naruto are found after today, the guilty party will be sentenced to a minimum of a month in jail. Got it?**" Silence was her answer, along with many uncertain nods. It would do. "**It's not a measure I want to take…I just don't want hatred tearing us apart. Not when we have a mutual enemy that would like to do the same. That is all.**"

And so it was over.

"**All civilians may return to their normal activities! All shinobi may report starting in two hours to receive mission assignments. DISMISSED!**"

And so the audience began to filter out as the Konoha-nin holding them in moved aside. As the mass of humanity began to dissipate, Tsunade reached over to Sasuke. "Hey."

The Uchiha turned towards the Hokage. "Hm?" He was handed a small scroll, colored lime-green and red. On its outer edge were the words 'To Uchiha Sasuke'.

"A second scroll from Naruto. Directed only to you."

"Hn," replied the Uchiha. "Thank you." The teen calmly walked away, heading back towards the Uchiha Clan Grounds.

Tsunade shook her head. _Still a loner. At least he's improved._

Meanwhile, as the entirety of Konoha returned to its normal state of affairs, two Ame-nin watched in silence.

"Hmm. Uzumaki Naruto sounds like an interesting character," remarked Hijikata Hanzou.

"Indeed," remarked Fuuma Pein. Both of the Rain shinobi leaders stood atop a roof, having seen and heard the entire event. "I would have liked to have met him."

Hanzou chortled. "Are you not called _**Fumetsu**_? You just might see him again."

Pein smiled wryly as he turned, heading back towards the location of the haven for the Rain refugees. "Perhaps."

In the meantime, there was work to be done.

xxxx

/Nakano Shrine, Uchiha Clan Grounds, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

It was ten minutes later, and Sasuke was rushing for the tablet.

This was unbelievable. Impossible. _How did he know? HOW?!_

Sasuke had unrolled the scroll moments after entering the district of his clan…and his shock had been paramount.

Quite simple to see why, considering the three-pointed shuriken surrounded by curves of ink and blood. Words beneath the seal had told him to cast _**Tsukiyomi**_ on both the scroll…and on the seal on the back of Sojobo's Tablet. Simultaneously.

_How did Naruto know about Sojobo? How did he know about the TABLET? And how did he make such a seal that would involve __**Tsukiyomi**?_

Impossible.

There had to be an explanation.

And by gosh, Sasuke was going to find out.

The Uchiha sat down in front of the tablet, cross-legged. His red _**Sharingan**_ eyes twisted into those of the _**Mangekyou Sharingan**_. Both seals were within his field of vision.

Taking a deep breath, Sasuke calmed himself. _Calm down. You'll get an answer…you'll get one._

"_**TSUKIYOMI!**_"

Both seals brightened with chakra, and Sasuke found himself in darkness.

Almost like that seal with Itachi's scroll. But there was no one there. "…hmm." The Uchiha turned around…and came face-to-face with the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox.

The massive monstrosity seemed to glow red inside the dark. "**HMM. GOOD. I CAN STILL CRAFT THE SEAL QUITE WELL.**"

Sasuke stared. "Kyuubi."

"**INDEED.**" The Biju glared at Sasuke. "**TELL ME…WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT TENGU?**" Sasuke's eyes narrowed…causing Kyuubi to smirk. "**SO YOU KNOW OF THE HISTORY INVOLVING MADARA THEN. EXCELLENT…THIS WILL SAVE TIME.**"

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

**_What Does the Kyuubi Want with Sasuke? Let Preparations for the Chuunin Exams Begin!_**

xxxx

Author's Note: BLAAAGH. SO FRICKIN' LONG.

(collapses) Thought I'd get it out by Christmas…but so much talking! Consider it a late New Year's gift. To make up for the brief wait, I give thee the LONGEST CHAPTER OF LEGACY EVER.

Lots of juicy information in this chapter. Hyuga and Uchiha history! Scenes of Rock Lee training Gaara! Hatake Sakumo's grave being pilfered!

AND THE NAMING MADNESS CONTINUES.

Naming the Shodai and Nidaime? GASP!

Suki Rin? DOUBLE GASP!

Iga Tsunade? Koga Orochimaru? Tobokeru Jiraiya? TRIPLE GASP!

BACHIATARI GAARA. SUPER GASP.

My madness knows no boundaries.

Hope you all enjoy it. Keep an eye out; some of the stuff here comes into play over the next few chapters. And a brief return (somewhat) of Naruto and the Kyuubi! Bask in the allusions to a sex orgy. :O

See you soon, and please review!


	43. What Does the Kyuubi Want with Sasuke?

Author's Note: Well, it is 2008, and a new semester has begun.

Back to college. :-(

But oh well. How about a few more chapters of Legacy before I head back to Digimon? I think that should be fine.

Begin!

xxxx

**_What Does the Kyuubi Want with Sasuke? Let Preparations for the Chuunin Exams Begin!_**

xxxx

/_78 Days after Naruto Entered Makai_/

xxxx

_Journal of Iga Nagi_

_Day 121, Year 4 of the Second Great Ninja War_

_I spoke with a man named Uchiha Madara today. He was interested in the rumors of an alliance being headed by my clan and the Koga. He brings a rather large family with him; he is over sixty years old, and has twenty children. Several are already old enough to raise families of their own. This is apparently a new clan…but their Bloodline Limit, the __**Sharingan**__, is intriguing. I will speak to him later about its powers, after he has been introduced to the other clans._

_The Hyuga seem distrustful of him. They apparently have a history together. I'll inquire later, when more time is available._

_The local lords are somewhat skeptical of our plans to create a military force under the command of a single daimyo. Planned locations are seen as inadequate by a few of the clans, particularly the Yamanaka and the Nara. The Akimichi and the Inuzuka are not as displeased…but the open plains make a poor location to defend. And the single mountain range to the south is under consideration. Its close proximity to water is ideal. But if we are swarmed over the open plains, the mountain will be as a corner that we're backed up against._

_My friend Koga Mitsuhide jests that I should just grow a forest with my __**Mokuton**__ ninjutsu, turning the base of the mountain into an easily defensible location._

_That might not be a bad idea. It would certainly give everyone pause, and more of a reason to believe in me. Though I will be honest; I've never used my abilities to such an extent before._

_My brother Yoshi will probably want to bet on how big it will be._

_Iga Nagi_

xxxx

/Guest Lobby, Hokage's Palace, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"Hmm. That was quite an event."

"**Indeed. Too much talking though. These humans would have a good use for a method of telepathic communication.**"

"I'm sure a Bloodline Limit exists somewhere capable of such a thing. Besides, this event was expensive in terms of opportunity cost alone. Who knows how much business revenue was lost because of this mandatory meeting? And all for a long-term goal of helping a child who might not return from Makai."

The first speaker flashed a weary gaze at the third. "You look at things too much from an economic perspective."

"I have no choice in the matter. I did not get where I am by thinking about business in an emotional manner…at least, not TOO much."

The first smirked. "I'm sure."

A door opened, revealing the Godaime Hokage. "Ah, the receptionist told me you were directed here. My apologies for the delay gentlemen."

The Guest Lobby was rather posh, given its size. Lush green carpet – feeling like cotton balls to anyone with bare feet – covered the entire floor, merging rather tastefully with the walls of flat pine and the polished wooden furniture (all of which were fitted with red cushions). Chairs, couches, and recliners were all present, complete with a desk that held a small television. A number of literature sat beside it, mostly comprised of newspapers and journals concerning events in Konoha or news of international importance. Brass chandeliers hung from the ceiling, illuminating the entire room with vibrant yellow light…fully illuminating the occupants within.

The one Tsunade saw first was the third speaker, a well dressed man if there ever was one. Clad in a gray business suit – and looking quite sharp – the man calmly pressed down on his slicked black hair, pushing it backwards while he adjusted his black tie. On his jacket lapel was a small golden pin, bearing the symbol of the Hidden Waterfall Village in turquoise. He picked up a small briefcase of black leather before standing. Dark shoes of polished leather rang against the floor, and he calmly held out one hand. Green irises with black sclera stared at her, reminding Tsunade somewhat of Hanzou (save for the fact that this man's actual irises were much larger, and possessed no pupils…almost like a mix between Ino's eyes and Hanzou's). "Greetings, Tsunade-sama. I am the representative of Takigakure, Giyoku of the Kashoku Corporation."

"An honor to meet you, Kashoku Giyoku-san." Tsunade turned her attention to the other occupant of the room, the first speaker…and by far the oddest of the bunch.

Wearing a black cloak over his whole body, the young man seemed to have…_leaves_…growing out of him. Thick branches, worming out from his skin and beneath his cloak's black collar, sprouting a number of green oak leaves that made him seem much larger. The leaves seemed to part around the front, revealing the face of the young man. Bearing well-tanned skin, wide yellow eyes with no pupils, and hair of a very dark green color (almost like wet seaweed, or boiled broccoli), this young man bore a very striking similarity to a once-living S-Class criminal. Wrapped around his bare neck was a black hitai-ate, bearing a silver metal plate with the symbol of the Hidden Grass Village. "Greetings, Hokage-sama." He lightly bowed; his voice was calm, and fluent…almost sounding like a flowing stream in its fluidity. "I am the representative of Kusagakure, Zetsu of the Toya Clan."

"Pleased…to make your acquaintance," replied Tsunade, a wary look in her gaze.

Zetsu remarked, "Ah, forgive me. I must bear some resemblance to my late brother Shuu. My apologies."

"Aa, it is fine. I never met Toya Shuu personally; I only read the reports. Though I am curious as to your current…appearance."

"**I assure you, my reasons for merging with Zetsu are far more pragmatic than my predecessor's**."

The thick, coiling branch wormed out through the leaves, possessing a small mouth at its tip. The branch spoke (Tsunade tried not to blink; she had seen far too many oddities in her life to be freaked out by a talking tree…that is, once she was prepared) quietly, in a very deep baritone voice. "**Greetings, Hokage-dono. I was once Hakutaizen, but have now taken the position of Ogi-Daimyou, once held by Shuu's partner Ogiwana. A pleasure to meet you.**"

Tsunade nodded at the new Plant Lord. "The pleasure is mine, Ogi-Daimyou-dono."

Ogi-Daimyou smiled as he retreated into the folds of his leaves, speaking all the while. "**You were right Zetsu. Konoha is quite welcoming.**"

"They do have a reputation of being 'tree-huggers'…not that's a bad thing, oh no," remarked Toya Zetsu as he gazed outside one of the Guest Lobby's three windows. "Konohagakure is a very prosperous village, yet it is also home to some of the most elite shinobi in the world. That – coupled with the mild climate and a fertile ecosystem – allows them to be nicer than other villages…when they desire to, that is."

Tsunade smirked. "I'm very flattered, Zetsu-san." Complimentary, yet cautious. Acknowledging the strength of Konoha, while at the same time making the point that friendships between villages could be unstable…and alliances fickle. Very respectful, in terms of diplomatic lingo. "Hmm…" Her eyebrow quirked out of curiosity. "I sent an invitation to Yukigakure. Has their representative not arrived yet?"

"The blizzards have prevented messenger birds from departing their country, but I've already received word through my clients in the Hidden Snow," answered Giyoku. "They're busy renovating and upgrading their chakra armor. The general mood is that they are uninterested in forging an alliance with anyone."

"Oh?" Tsunade's eyebrow twitched. "I suppose they must have that much faith in their chakra armor."

Giyoku shrugged his shoulders. "The elders and head shinobi of Yukigakure seem to treat the River Army's technological advances as a challenge of sorts. I suppose they feel that their shinobi, augmented with their best chakra armor, would be able to stand on equal ground with the River Army."

_Idiotic macho men_, mentally grumbled Tsunade. In her personal opinion, the chakra armor of Yukigakure was nothing more than a supplement that, if used too much, would only degrade a ninja's skills. Used too much, and you lost facets of your ninja training in the false belief that the chakra armor was enough to make up for it. But nevertheless…it was a very effective tool. Before the advances by Sawagakure had become public knowledge, Yukigakure had always been regarded as the technological bastion of the ninja world. But not anymore. "I suppose we should move our conversation over to a more private locale. Let's head to my office."

"**Do you have any water?**"

"I'll arrange for three whole pitchers to be brought up."

"**I'm liking this place more and more Zetsu**."

xxxx

/Realm of Tsukuyomi, Nakano Shrine, Uchiha Clan Grounds, Konohagakure/

Uchiha Sasuke was deathly silent as Kyuubi no Yoko calmly circled him, staring intently as he continued his stalking. "…"

"**HMM. SOMEWHAT LANKY…NOT AS CONSUMED BY HATRED AS YOU ONCE WERE. LESS ANNOYING…BUT LESS ENTERTAINING AS WELL. ALAS, I CAN'T BE TOO PICKY WITH MERE HUMANS.**"

Sasuke narrowed his gaze, trying to avoid being his usual snarky self. This was the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, one of the most powerful beings in all of existence. His strength was without equal, and he had lived for many many years. And, most importantly to Sasuke, he had had a hand in the founding of the Uchiha Clan. Calming himself, the last Uchiha respectfully asked, "What was your relation with Uchiha Madara?"

Kyuubi smirked. "**GETTING IMPATIENT ARE WE? WHY SHOULD I ANSWER?**"

"You are here to talk, are you not?"

"**YOU ARE QUICK TO ASSUME…BUT IN THIS CASE, YOU ARE CORRECT.**"

"Why me, specifically?"

"**YOU ARE AN UCHIHA. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING SOJOBO UNDER LOCK AND KEY. AND SEEING AS HOW I'M ENJOYING MY HOMECOMING, I'D RATHER NOT DEAL WITH TOO MANY NUISANCES.**"

Sasuke didn't want to do anything that would tick the Biju off. Kyuubi had somehow created a seal for _**Tsukuyomi**_. How? It most likely had to deal with how Kyuubi had aided Madara so long ago. But the exact details were something he wanted to know. And while he was at it…there were a few other matters that two certain Sannin would be very interested in. There was also the fact that he was unable to manipulate the illusion he was in. The Kyuubi held power over this realm…even though he did not possess the _**Sharingan**_. It bugged him. But he had to be careful. He had sometimes upset Orochimaru for insubordination. The Snake Sannin would usually proceed with a 'lesson', which involved learning a maddeningly difficult ninjutsu. All the while being lashed and struck for being 'bratty' (though it was nothing serious; nothing that Kabuto couldn't fix).

He had an inkling that upsetting a Biju would probably be a far more traumatizing experience.

But now for questions. "You speak of Sojobo…the tablet that holds Sojobo's soul spoke of many things. A war between the foxes and the tengu. A nine-tailed fox aiding Sojobo's son. Ring any bells?"

Kyuubi chortled, his fur practically glimmering in the darkness of the genjutsu. "**AH, THOSE OLD DAYS. SOJOBO WAS NOT ONE OF THE BIJU, BUT HE WAS AS POWERFUL AS HE WAS ANNOYING. AND CONSIDERING THAT HE PURPOSEFULLY SEDUCED A **_**HYUGA**_** OF ALL PEOPLE, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF SIRING A SUITABLE HOST TO USE IN BATTLE AGAINST ME…**" His fangs glimmered in a sneer. "**I THOUGHT IT FITTING TO AID THAT HOST IN FIGHTING SOJOBO. LESS WORK FOR ME.**"

"Was Sojobo really that strong?"

"**HE WAS A PEST, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING. HE HAD ALWAYS SHOWN ANIMOSITY AGAINST THE FOXES, AND DESIRED MY TITLE AS THE KYUUBI. WILLING TO GO TO WAR FOR IT.**"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "You speak of your tails as though they were up for grabs."

"**IN A MANNER OF SPEAKING.**" Sasuke arched an eyebrow, eliciting another chuckle from the Kyuubi. "**BUT SPEAKING OF THE BIJU IS NOT WHY I AM HERE. I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU A GLIMPSE AT SOJOBO'S POWER.**"

"Why? He's sealed away." Brief recollections of Itachi's last words came to mind. Did the Kyuubi have plans involving the Tengu King?

"**NOT FOR LONG, IF YOU MESS UP AND LET THAT FEATHERBRAIN SLIP THROUGH YOUR GRASP.**" The Kyuubi sat down in front of Sasuke, his sheer girth and mass snuffing away all thoughts of fleeing. The beast's presence was just that domineering; even if Sasuke fancied thoughts of trying to fight back or escaping, he couldn't do a thing in this realm. Even with his _**Mangekyou Sharingan**_. "**I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT HE'S CAPABLE OF, SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND **_**WHY**_** I WANT HIM TO REMAIN WHERE HE IS.**"

Sasuke frowned. "You speak as though someone's trying to get him…" His spiraling kaleidoscope eyes seemed to peer with all their might at the demon fox (who naturally shrugged off the glare with a snort). "Who's after Sojobo?"

Kyuubi sneered. "**FIRST THINGS FIRST, LITTLE PEASANT.**"

The Uchiha twitched, even as the darkness around them began to morph. Even now, his damnable pride was urging him to correct the Kyuubi on his grave error. But he wasn't so inclined to pay attention for once; the lack of Naruto made the beast's presence a lot more intimidating (not like wisecracks could be tolerated without Naruto there to put a tamper on the beast…and it was with that realization that made Sasuke mentally scowl at how much he missed the dobe). His _**Mangekyou Sharingan**_ gazed at the new surroundings; a nondescript field of ashen rock, complete with a sky of red. Clouds drifted lazily by, while a white-colored sun shined upon the barren wastes.

Then a man appeared between Sasuke and Kyuubi.

A rather tall man, possessing slim, defined muscles. Clad in black robes and a white haori, the man with flawless black hair possessed stunning red eyes, glistening like rubies. Were it not for those ruby irises, the man – with his long hair and stern expression – would have perfectly passed as a Hyuga. But there were subtle differences; a narrower face, a leaner build. But mostly superficial. And of course, there were the black wings folded behind his back. That was the biggest difference of all; long, obsidian feathers attached to folded wings.

"**THIS WAS SOJOBO'S HUMAN FORM, WHEN HE FELT IT SAFE ENOUGH TO MOVE ABOUT WITHOUT CASTING HIS WINGS INTO AN ILLUSION.**"

Then a giant appeared fifty yards away.

Sasuke couldn't help but feel somewhat intimidated.

A giant, as tall as the Kyuubi. Standing atop wooden geta bigger than a one-story house, the hulking giant's black skin rippled with muscle. Clad in a blue hakama and a white vest, the tengu's ripped abs – black as coal, blacker than night – stood out against the violet bead necklace encircling his neck (though these beads were, to be honest, almost as big as his sandals, and that was saying a lot), offering a fitting contrast. Almost as contrasting as the white, angular mustache and flowing beard was against his face of coal. The tengu's wings were now spread out wide, so thick and long that one would've assumed they were clouds if they were not attached to the demon's body. A small black cap – a _tokin_ – adorned his forehead, somehow managing to appear blacker than his skin. Vicious red eyes, hungry for war, peered all about…and in his thick hands were two fans made of black feathers. Of course, his most prominent feature was – as with all tengu – the long, protruding nose.

"**THIS WAS SOJOBO'S TRUE DEMON FORM. UGLY LOOKING THING, ISN'T HE? TASTES BAD TOO.**"

Sasuke turned his gaze back towards the Kyuubi. "He does look powerful. What is he capable of?"

"**WATCH**."

The image of Sojobo's human form vanished, and the demon shrunk until he was about the size of a ten-foot tall human. Two more figures appeared, staring him down. One was the Kyuubi, only about the size of a bull now, tails moving about wildly. The real fox chuckled at the sight of the human standing next to the miniature doppelganger. "**MEMORIES FROM MY MIND, AND THE MEMORIES OF MADARA THAT WERE EMBEDDED WITHIN THE **_**TSUKUYOMI**_** SEAL ATOP THE TABLET. SAY HELLO TO THE FIRST UCHIHA.**"

Sasuke took in the appearance of Uchiha Madara at a glance. Long, spiky black hair going down to the back, held out of his eyes by a single red headband. His pants and long-sleeved shirt – both the same shade of color as his hair – were covered by red armor over the shoulders, thighs, shins, waist, and torso. Strapped over his back was a long wooden staff with a fan attached. Three tomoe were painted onto the fan itself; had there been a circle and a dot added, it would've looked like a fully matured _**Sharingan**_. Speaking of _**Sharingan**_, Madara was glaring at Sojobo with the _**Mangekyou Sharingan**_. His body bubbled with red chakra: the portion that the Kyuubi had sealed into him. The images of the three were somewhat hazy and translucent, signifying that there were naught but illusions.

"**I'LL SHOW YOU A LITTLE PORTION OF THE FINAL BATTLE. THIS WAS AFTER I HAD FORCED ALL OF US OUT OF MAKAI AND INTO NINGENKAI.**"

Sasuke was reminded of Madara's words on the tablet. How had the Kyuubi pushed the three of them into the human world? Had he used a Gatekeeper Golem? His thoughts hadn't drifted to the mysterious statues in a while; given Sakura's close connection with the Godaime, she had been able to obtain all information regarding research into the golems and their connection to Makai. Thus far, a lot had been determined with relatively little.

A Level 1 Gatekeeper Golem – long since destroyed – from which Ichibi no Shukaku came.

A ruined Level 6 Gatekeeper Golem in the Water Country.

The ability of Nibi no Inuhankou, a Biju, to open portals WITHOUT use of a Gatekeeper Golem.

He had heard the information and catalogued it, understanding that he couldn't do much about it at that point in time. But now…there was an opportunity. He wouldn't let it go to waste.

The illusion shifted, revealing forests. The sky turned blue. And then the three moved.

xxxx

The forest was quiet, save for the sounds of crackling fire and a tremendous battle.

Madara's _**Mangekyou Sharingan**_ swirled as he performed a few hand signs. "_**Katon; Goukakyuu no jutsu!**_" The massive fireball rocketed forward towards Sojobo.

The long-nosed Tengu King snarled as he clenched both fans tightly, swinging his left arm. "_KAZEKESU!_" A burst of wind erupted from his left fan, breaking through the fireball and dispersing it in an instant. "_WIND ERASER!_" Twisting his right arm, a burst of wind rushed towards Madara.

He was now behind Sojobo. "_**Katon; Zanbato!**_"

Sojobo flew forwards as he dodged a swing from his son's tremendous _**Zanbato**_, the fiery blade nearly slicing his wings off. The lad's ability to manipulate fire was nothing short of astonishing…but his eyes! Powerful eyes! Eyes that he wanted so dearly! Used against him, even now…and tainted by the Kyuubi's chakra, which was now acting as specialized battery pack for the young man. This strange new form of the _**Sharingan**_ was undoubtedly deadly…what secrets did it possess?

Perhaps using the brat's mother as a shield had been a bad idea.

"_KAZEKESU!_"

Madara scowled as he held his fiery blade in front of him, his feet crunching into the ground as he was sent skidding by the winds.

But now it was the Kyuubi's turn.

"**TENSHIARASHI!**"

Sojobo grimaced as the stream of seven elements soared up towards him. "_ACCURSED KYUUBI!_" A quick flap of the wings moved him out of the way of the multicolored stream…

"_**Katon; Ryuuka no jutsu!**_"

…and towards the fiery dragon that now threatened to consume him. Clutching both fans tightly, Sojobo swung both fans in a sideways sweep. "_AORIKESU!_" An even stronger gust of wind blew through the dragon, slamming into the ground and kicking up a number of trees and chunks of soil. "_GALE ERASER!_"

Kyuubi no Yoko scowled as he slapped the ground with his tails, kicking up spires of rock that raised both Madara and the fox into the sky. Sojobo scowled as his two foes slowly ascended on rising earth. "_YOU…LITTLE WORMS!_"

"**I CERTAINLY DON'T FEEL LIKE A WORM. PERHAPS YOUR EYES ARE FAILING? NO WONDER YOU WANT THE **_**SHARINGAN**_" Kyuubi inhaled. "**FOGOUKA! FOX HELLFIRE!!!**" Blue flames soared from the Kyuubi's mouth, arching towards the tengu king.

Sojobo scowled as he held a hand in front of his mouth, blowing a concentrated stream of gray fire into the Kyuubi's blue wave. The gray flames only held back the Kyuubi's long for him to swing his right fan. "_KAZEKESU!_"

The spire that the Kyuubi stood on shattered. The fox swiftly moved to the next one, leaping over the forest below. A smirk coated his face as he gazed all around; so many humans had fled the forests now. 'Shinobi', they were called…fighting in their own pathetic wars, thinking they had faced true hardship. Nothing compared to this! Sojobo, a _daitengu_, one of the greatest of the tengu demons…no, more than that! He was the Tengu King of Mount Kurama! One of the most annoying pests he had ever had the displeasure of meeting. That he had corrupted a Hyuga for his own purposes was just icing on the cake. Sojobo was a powerful and annoying pest, and defeating him would probably require enough power to scar the land for years to come. Countless humans would fall underneath the stampede of a furious Sojobo, an enraged Madara, and a haughty Kyuubi. **OH YES. I'LL ENJOY THIS.**

"_**Fuuton; Kazekesu no jutsu!**_"

A swing of Madara's large fan sent Sojobo off-course. The tengu righted himself just in time to be pounced upon by the Kyuubi, the fox's fangs sinking into his shoulder. "_REMOVE YOURSELF, YOU RODENT!_"

"**YOUR INSULTS ARE USUALLY MORE COLORFUL.**" The two landed in the forest, and the Nine Tails leapt off. "**PERHAPS MADARA'S REBELLION HURT MORE THAN YOU THOUGHT?**"

"_YOU WILL BE SILENT_," growled the Tengu King as he stomped the ground, causing a number of fissures to erupt. How far had the battle spanned, even now? "_YOU HAD TO INTERFERE…THIS WAS BETWEEN ME AND THE BOY. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN SETTLED BY NOW._"

Kyuubi no Yoko sneered. "**AND LET YOU GET YOUR JOLLIES BY MESSING AROUND WITH A HYUGA? DID YOU THINK DOING THAT MADE YOU CLEVER?**"

Sojobo grinned. "_YES…THE HYUGA…AND THEIR BYAKUGAN…I WANTED THAT POWER FOR MYSELF, TO TWIST IT AND MAKE IT INTO SOMETHING NEW…AND I HAD IT…BUT YOU KEEP MEDDLING!!!_"

"**IF ONLY BECAUSE IT'S SO EASY TO MAKE YOU ANGRY.**"

The Tengu King howled as his rage grew; red chakra flared, and the forests groaned as he swung both fans wildly about. Yoko only sneered as his nine tails swung about, spawning earthquakes and tsunami-force whirlwinds. Chaos incarnate, spreading throughout the lands.

What a wondrous experience. It felt oh so _good_ to let loose.

Madara apparently agreed.

"_**Katon; Unari!**_"

**Splurtch.**

Kyuubi grinned as a fiery hand protruded from Sojobo's chest.

The Tengu King scowled, tilting his head back. The Fiery Fist…named _**Unari**_ for the terrible growl the flames emitted. Madara stood there, grimacing out of frustration; the winds from Sojobo had thrown his aim off. "I missed your heart."

"_SO YOU DID. HOW CALLOUS OF YOU TO ADMIT AIMING FOR IT._"

"You already killed my heart. My heart's name was Hyuga Hikari." Madara was practically SEETHING. "You used her…corrupted her, tainted her with your lies…"

"_SO WHAT IF I DID?_" Madara's swirling eyes narrowed. Those three-pointed shuriken…so maddeningly enticing to look at…the hidden power they must have held…! "_YOUR ANGER MEANS NOTHING TO ME. YOU HAVE BEEN MINE SINCE THE DAY YOU WERE BORN. FATHER AND SON, BOUND FOREVER…YOU WILL SUBMIT._"

"A father cares for his child. You…are **not**…my **FATHER!!!**" Madara snarled, pulling his arm out as his eyes suddenly span even faster. "_**URAAAAA!**_"

A buildup of chakra suddenly occurred. Kyuubi blinked, and Sojobo suddenly felt the need to retreat.

Too late.

_**CHYOOM!!!**_

"_YIIIIIARGH!!!_" shrieked the Tengu King as a burst of black fire suddenly erupted on his torso. The winged beast snarled as the black flames spread along the ground…but it would not go out. "_SUCH FIRE…SUCH PAIN…NOW…_" Red chakra surged through his body, and he began to grow. "_I WANT THOSE EYES…EVEN MORE…!_"

Madara grimaced as Sojobo began to reach his true height. "Tch."

"**CLIMB ON, FOOL. UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE STEPPED ON.**"

Madara hastily leapt onto the Kyuubi's head, the fox growing as his own red aura flared.

The forest began to shrink, it seemed; to the giants that now stood over the woods now regarded the mighty trees as little more than overgrown weeds. Their red eyes were narrow with hatred, bloodlust, and a horrific enjoyment for the carnage about to strike. The Nine Tails flexed his claws, while the Tengu King merged his twin fans into a single instrument; a pole of chakra emerged from its tip, allowing him to hold it with both hands.

Kyuubi no Yoko smirked; he was going to enjoy this.

"_SHIPPUKESU!!!_"

A torrent of wind roared. Trees were uprooted immediately as the Kyuubi pressed tightly against the ground…only to howl as he was uplifted. The demon fox only barely latched into the ground with his nine tails before he could be sent flying. Madara was holding onto the Kyuubi's fur with all the force he could muster; the sense of vertigo, the feeling of flight barely gripping at the edge of his senses. If he let go, he would be swept away…and that would be the end.

Madara snarled as he held on even more tightly, mentally sighing with relief as the Kyuubi pulled himself down. Behind them, stretching on for miles, was a tract of barren land. Sojobo has used one of his most powerful techniques: the Hurricane Eraser.

Kyuubi chuckled. "**MY MY, YOU MUST BE UPSET.**" He slammed the ground, pouring chakra into the earth. At the same time, Madara performed a number of hand seals.

Spires of rock rose around Sojobo. The tengu squawked as his wings were trapped by roots that sprung from the spires, holding him tightly in place. "_RRR…!_"

The Nine Tailed Demon Fox inhaled. "**FOGOUKA!**"

Madara suddenly swung his fan. "_**Fuuton; Kazekesu no jutsu!**_"

The blue hellfire grew through the wound, pluming and soaring towards the Tengu King. Squawking with fury, the mighty fiend thrashed about with his arms and legs, breaking his constraints. "_SHIPPUKESU!_" The hurricane winds crashed into the incoming stream of fire, diverting it into the air. Fiery streaks sailed through the sky, crashing many miles away.

Ruin…and fire.

The Kyuubi grinned with glee. Collateral damage was not a problem when none of his kin were around. "**HU HU HU HU…THIS IS QUITE INVIGORATING.**"

xxxx

Uchiha Sasuke only watched in stunned silence as the illusionary memory progressed.

Fire and brimstone dotted the landscape as the struggle between fox, man, and tengu continued to the southeast. Human settlements were quashed. Castles and towns became awash in flame, or were flattened by the wind, or were swallowed by the earth. Shinobi, often engaged in their own battles to start with, were either forced to retreat in the face of the apocalyptic showdown…or to risk vanishing entirely. The fire of the Kyuubi practically incinerated anyone who got too close. It was a maddening spectacle, one of untold brutality and destruction…and yet, on some perverse level, it appealed to him. Watching Madara stand there, leaping back-and-forth between Yoko and Sojobo whenever they got too close…getting in his hits, like an ant biting a behemoth…but he was causing damage. He was holding his own in a duel between titans…and his moves! _**Katon**_ ninjutsu that Sasuke had never used or heard of, being used whenever an opening presented itself (handheld fireballs? A single arrow of fire that split apart into smaller arrows that all exploded upon contact? Using his chakra to make targeted portions of Sojobo's skin spontaneously combust once the oils and fats ignited?)…and a good use of _**Fuuton**_ ninjutsu as well. And his eyes…even when Sojobo used his powers to cast illusions over entire landscapes, Madara managed to break through. All while partaking in a battle that spanned over a hundred miles. Then came the final blow: _**Tsukuyomi**_. The very first use of the deadly genjutsu. Kyuubi had not been able to witness the depths of what Madara had inflicted upon Sojobo's psyche…but apparently, he was not keen on letting Sasuke see Madara's memories concerning what had transpired (which only hinted at how vicious an illusion it must have been). As the seconds had passed, Sojobo had collapsed, unconscious.

The first Uchiha had truly been a magnificent shinobi.

And the thought made Sasuke…_scowl_.

The Uchiha had a powerful bloodline, and their members had been some of Konoha's greatest shinobi! They had comprised over ninety percent of the Konoha Military Police, until the day Itachi had unleashed his wrath upon them. Why…? They were so strong…why did they think they had needed to use Sojobo? For some petty revenge against the Hokage, for not being able to stop Orochimaru from experimenting on several Uchiha (and be honest, this was Orochimaru. Stopping him would have been a tough job, even if the Hokage had decided to go all out so long ago.)?

_Why?_

Kyuubi no Yoko chuckled as he watched both Madara and himself carve a tablet out of a large boulder, which they then adorned with seals. The Tengu King had then been covered with ink and blood. Then a glowing light…and finally, there was nothing. Nothing but a tablet with the soul of a daitengu sealed inside. Then Madara used a _**Doton**_ jutsu to seal the tablet in another layer of rock. Another seal – encompassing Madara's memories – was also inscribed atop the tablet, shaped like the three-pointed shuriken of the _**Mangekyou**_. It would be many years until he would carve his brief history on the back of the tablet, along with his warning on the front. "**THE BASTARD'S SPIRIT HAD HAD A KNACK OF FLEEING TO ANOTHER TENGU'S BODY IN ORDER TO ESCAPE AN INCONVENIENT DEATH…SEALING HIM AWAY WAS THE BEST OPTION AVAILABLE.**" He suddenly sneered. "**WHICH SUITED MADARA JUST FINE, CONSIDERING HOW WHINY HE BECAME UPON SEEING THE DAMAGE WE HAD WROUGHT.**" Humans were so annoying and contradictory. So who cared if the battle had resulted in widespread destruction and thousands of deaths? All collateral. Besides, it had ended the First Great Ninja War. Stupid humans. "**MOPING ABOUT ALL THE PAIN AND SUFFERING HIS RAGE HAD CAUSED AND OH-WOE-IS-ME AND BLAH BLAH BLAH. MADE ME HATE EMO PEOPLE EVEN MORE.**"

Sasuke nearly snorted at the idea of the _**Kyuubi**_ calling anyone 'emo' (picking up more of Naruto's colloquialisms unconsciously, perhaps?). Then again, given how many times the blond dobe had used that insult on him, he wouldn't dare give the fox any ammo. He'd probably never hear the end of it.

But there were some unanswered questions to answer first.

"**YOU HAVE QUESTIONS**," stated the Nine Tails.

Sasuke was silent as the illusions vanished, leaving nothing but the barren wastes, the red sky, and Kyuubi no Yoko. "…you seemed…upset. Concerning the Hyuga."

"**AND SHOULD I NOT?**"

Sasuke arched an eyebrow. Did the Kyuubi CARE about the Hyuga? Not likely; nearly a hundred Hyuga had lost their lives when Kyuubi had attacked over fifteen years ago. Then again, a lot of people had lost their lives; forty-nine had been Uchiha. "You killed a lot of Hyuga when you attacked Konoha."

Kyuubi snorted. "**CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE. HAD THEY GOTTEN OUT OF MY WAY, THEY WOULD'VE BEEN FINE. BUT NO, YOU HUMANS SEE A GIANT FOX AND START BRINGING OUT THE KNIVES.**" A smirk crossed the fox's face; if only they had known the truth of why he had come that day. The brat knew; shortly after entering Makai, he had learned the truth behind the Kyuubi's attack. His reaction had been oh-so **delicious**. "**THAT THEY WOULD ATTACK ME THOUGH IS NOT SO SURPRISING. I'VE LONG KNOWN THAT HUMAN MEMORY, EVEN WHEN PASSED FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT, LACKS THE CAPACITY TO REMEMBER THE DETAILS ABOUT ANYTHING BEYOND A CENTURY OR TWO. AFTER ALL, IT WAS MY KIN THAT GAVE THEM THEIR EYES. YOU'D AT LEAST EXPECT SOME GRATITUDE.**"

Uchiha Sasuke would've tripped, had he been moving.

The Kyuubi…had…?!

No way.

Kyuubi no Yoko and his fellow demon foxes…they had given the Hyuga the _**Byakugan?!**_

"How? When?" Curiosity exploded in his mind; he had been intrigued at the thought of the Kyuubi having a hand in the founding of the Uchiha. But…the Kyuubi also having a hand in the formation of the Hyuga's vaunted kekkei genkai? What ELSE bore the fox's mark? "Tell me."

"**AH AH AH, NOT SO FAST.**" Kyuubi smirked. So predictable. And without the boy's constant Itachi-driven rage to make things interesting, it was a boring kind of predictable. "**I'M HERE TO TELL YOU MATTERS CONCERNING SOJOBO. BUT IF YOU WANT ME TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE HYUGA, I CAN…BUT THEN I WON'T TALK ABOUT SOJOBO, AND THEN YOU'LL BE UNPREPARED FOR WHAT'S TO COME. THEN THE TENGU KING WILL MOST LIKELY BE RESURRECTED, MAKING MY LIFE MORE MISERABLE. AND YOU DON'T WANT THAT, DO YOU?**"

Sasuke scowled. He genuinely felt curious about the Kyuubi's hand with the Hyuga, partially driven by how the Kyuubi had aided Madara (which made his subsequent attack on Konoha even more confusing; what had driven the fox to attack the Hidden Leaf?). But somehow, Sojobo was on the verge of breaking free…or _being_ freed. Was it the latter? Was someone after Sojobo? "…hn." He would ask about Sojobo…he really had no choice in the matter. The Uchiha Clan had sought to use his demonic power, and Itachi had killed them all for daring to try. Letting it all be in vain just wouldn't do. "…tell me about Sojobo."

"**SMART BOY.**" The Kyuubi recalled the illusion of Sojobo, in full demon form. "**SOJOBO, CONSIDERED THE STRONGEST OF THE DAITENGU. THE TENGU KING OF MT. KURAMA. A MASTER AT WIND MANIPULATION. ONE OF THE MOST SKILLED TENGU WITH REGARDS TO FIRE MANIPULATION, SAID ONLY TO BE BESTED BY TAROBO, THE DAITENGU OF MT. ATAGO. A MASTER OF CASTING ILLUSIONS ABOUT HIMSELF AND HIS SURROUNDINGS, AND FAVORED A KATANA IN ONE-ON-ONE DUELS. AGAINST A BIJU OR MASSIVE GATHERINGS OF DEMONS AND HUMANS, HE PREFERRED HIS FANS, THE TWIN UCHIWA NAMED **_**TSUCHI**_** AND **_**TEN**_**. ALL IN ALL, A VERY DEADLY DEMON WHO WAS A TREMENDOUS NUISANCE.**"

Uchiwa.

Sasuke wondered how much of a burden Madara had felt, to not only stand watch over the soul of Sojobo…but to also call his clan the Uchi**h**a, branded with the symbol of a fan. As though to always remind himself that the power of the _**Sharingan**_ would lead to horrific destruction, if used improperly…or if wielded with a rage similar to his own, and Sojobo's.

They had come a long way. And now, it seemed there was a real possibility of going back to Square One…or perhaps, beyond even that. Back to before there was a square to begin with, where the Uchiha had not even existed. If Sojobo got freed…he'd still probably want the _**Sharingan**_. It'd be like Orochimaru all over again…and now with the whole business with Itachi over and done with, Sasuke had no intention of letting anyone ever take control of him.

"**SOJOBO DESIRED A SPECIAL HOST BODY, TO USE AGAINST ME AND MY FELLOW FOXES IN BATTLE. HE SIRED MADARA, WHOSE WHITE EYES HAD BEEN TWISTED BY HIS OWN TENGU BLOOD.**" Kyuubi chuckled at the irony of it all. "**HOW INTERESTING THAT IT WAS MY CHAKRA THAT ALLOWED THE **_**MANGEKYOU SHARINGAN**_** TO MANIFEST. A SHAME THAT UNLOCKING IT REQUIRES AN EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SURGE OF OBSCENE PROPORTIONS…THOUGH IT DID MAKE GOOD ENTERTAINMENT, SEEING SOJOBO AND MADARA SQUAWKING AND SCREAMING AT EACH OTHER TILL THEIR THROATS WENT NUMB.**"

Sasuke shot Kyuubi a dry look, briefly wondering if Kyuubi's control over the _**Tsukuyomi**_ realm stemmed from the fact that the _**Mangekyou Sharingan**_'s creation was owed to the Kyuubi's chakra. "You wanted me to know why I should worry about Sojobo. Who or what is after him?"

"**SHORTLY AFTER I RETURNED TO MY HOME, I RECEIVED WORD THAT THE TENGU WERE WORKING IN SECRET WITH THE SERPENTS OF THE KUROBUCHI CANYONS. ALTHOUGH I DO NOT KNOW ALL OF THE DETAILS AS OF YET, I KNOW THAT THE TENGU ARE WORKING TO HELP RESURRECT THE SERPENTS' ANCIENT LEADER. IN RETURN, THE SERPENTS WILL FIND AND PROCURE SOJOBO…AND WHEN THEY COME, THEY'LL BE GOING AFTER A FEW OTHER THINGS TOO. MOSTLY CORPSES, BASED ON WHAT I'VE LEARNED.**"

_Corpses._ Momochi Zabuza and Haku were corpses. Had their bodies been stolen by demons?

"**I WILL SAY THAT THE LEADER OF THE SERPENTS…WAS EVEN MORE ANNOYING THAN SOJOBO. HE WAS A FORMER BIJU, AND I'VE ACTUALLY KILLED HIM BEFORE. TWICE, AT THE CURRENT COUNT.**"

"Who is he?" asked Sasuke.

"**ONE QUICK QUESTION.**" Kyuubi leaned down, practically face-to-face with the last Uchiha. "**WHO GAVE YOU THAT CURSE SEAL ON YOUR NECK?**"

"Orochimaru of the Sannin. Why?"

"**THERE'S YOUR ANSWER.**"

It took a few seconds for the Kyuubi's words to click.

Disbelief came, and it was quickly overwhelmed by a chilling feeling of terror. Sasuke was never accustomed to feeling terror, fear, or apprehension…

But he had thought that the snake was dead.

And he had the sudden overwhelming urge to _flee_. WHY?! He had been killed…the Kyuubi had devoured his soul! **How?!** It was impossible…_impossible_…Sasuke scowled as he practically palmed himself in the side of the temple. Panicking would do no good! Not now! Not when…he was…_still alive_…

"Orochimaru…" muttered Sasuke, his face not showing the flood of emotion that now screamed through his mind.

"**WELL…NOT QUITE.**" The Kyuubi was grinning with absolute glee. The moment he had eaten the snake's soul, he had known who it was. And he had known the truth; that somehow, the old serpent had found a way around the seal keeping the pieces of his soul imprisoned within Yomi, the deepest pit of Gekai. The alliance between the tengu and the serpents was only further proof. In any case, he was getting a kick out of this kid's sudden panic attack. **AND TO THINK YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD BE THE END. HAVEN'T GOTTEN COMFORTABLE WITH THE WORLD FALLING OUT BENEATH YOUR FEET YET, HMM? BETTER GET USED TO IT.** "**TO BE MORE TRUTHFUL…THE ONE YOU CALLED OROCHIMARU WAS MERELY AN INCARNATION OF A VERY POWERFUL DEMON. ONE WHO ASPIRED TO CONQUER MAKAI AND TOPPLE THE GODS THEMSELVES. THE FORMER HACHIBI.**"

The Kyuubi disappeared, as did the image of Sojobo…and in their place was Orochimaru.

Sasuke glared at the Snake Sannin. He had once resigned himself to the fate of being Orochimaru's vessel, but no more. And he did not fear him. He had understood and respected the power that he had possessed…but he had never feared him.

Orochimaru suddenly twitched and bulged. His clothes ripped apart as his humanoid form twisted and elongated, becoming something…demonic. A pair of yellow eyes spawned seven more identical pairs. Gray scales, shimmering in the red sky…a black underbelly, dim as coal. Long slithering tongues, a stench of blood…white fangs of venom, eyes of haughty malevolence…and a sheer feeling of dread that overwhelmed everything Sasuke had ever encountered before, on par with the feeling of the Kyuubi's chakra during his brief freedom whilst fighting Mantarou. This…was primal fear. A human's fear, rooted at the very core of his being. It was a moment where Sasuke's long-held rage against his older brother would have come in handy…oh, if only to distract him from those yellow eyes, so full of _**malice**_…

The eight-headed snake hissed, and the surroundings disappeared. Only Sasuke and the eight-tailed serpent remained…along with the Kyuubi's voice.

"**BEHOLD: THE FORMER EIGHT TAILS. YAMATA NO OROCHI.**"

The serpent hissed, and horrific chill trickled down the boy's spine.

Uchiha Sasuke impulsively deactivated his _**Mangekyou Sharingan**_.

xxxx

Sasuke blinked.

He was back in the Nakano Shrine, sitting in front of Sojobo's Tablet. In the real world, only a few seconds had passed.

And his forehead was beginning to sweat.

The Uchiha quietly wiped his forehead with his sleeve, staring quietly down at the scroll in his hands.

"**HU HU HU…**" The seal evaporated into red chakra, coiling upward into the air. "**SUCH FEAR…THE FEAR OF ONE WHO THOUGHT HE KNEW THE WORLD, ONLY TO FIND THAT THE WORLD WAS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN HE THOUGHT.**" The red chakra cackled as it began to dissipate. "**HOW HUMOROUS…FOOLISH HUMANS. THINKING THEY KNOW SO MUCH…ALWAYS UNAWARE OF HOW **_**LITTLE**_** THEY UNDERSTAND!**"

Then the chakra was gone. Sasuke's scroll was now blank.

And honestly, he didn't really know what to think.

He calmly stood up, pocketed the scroll, and left the shrine.

Hopefully, his thoughts would be more ordered by the time he got to see the Hokage.

He was only barely aware of the fact that he had never asked about the Gatekeeper Golems…but honestly, he didn't care. The things he had just **learned**…

"Tch."

xxxx

/Hokage's Office, Hokage's Palace, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"So, the Kashoku Corporation has come a long way since the split between your father and his brother."

Giyoku nodded as he sipped a cup of tea. "Yes, Tsunade-sama. My father and Uncle Kakuzu differed in their approaches to accruing funds." He looked clinically at Tsunade, taking in her stern gaze at a glance. "A shame he had joined Akatsuki. Though it did give my father full control over the company, so I can't say I'm unhappy."

"Hmm." Iga Tsunade thought briefly over what Kashoku Giyoku had just told her. It had been a diplomatic 'gift' of sorts; information about a former member of Akatsuki. In this case, Kakuzu. Who, according to Mantarou, had been Akatsuki's financial manager…until he had gotten a bit too greedy. _Jiraiya will be able to make use of this._ It wasn't as though all information regarding Akatsuki was no longer useful; though investigations regarding the accuracy of Mantarou's tale would have to be put on hold, other aspects of the organization would be useful. After all, aside from the search for Biju and Jinchuriki, much of the group's resources had been dedicated to halting and stunting the technological growth of the River Country (and, to a much lesser extent, the Snow Country). The Leader was gone, the S-Class heads of the organization were dead, and its army of Nukenin had been reduced to ruin. But the agents…the moles…the spies…it was possible that they were still in place. And there was little chance that Kakuzu's agents would have been let go simply because of his death. They would have still been used by Akatsuki. Giyoku would point the way, and Jiraiya would be able to handle the rest. Finding one agent of Akatsuki – now that the organization was defunct – would lead the way to others. More known agents led to more information…and more access to the innards of the River Country.

Tsunade mentally smirked. Giyoku was good. He had known EXACTLY what kind of concession to make. _Then again, he is the head of a large corporation and one of the richest men in the world._ Kashoku Corporation, in the wake of the fall of Gato Shipping & Transport, had jumped at the opportunity. Although the company worked in many different areas of the business world (they had stock involved in a few restaurant chains, some ranches, and at least ten stores that catered to shinobi local to the Waterfall Country), they had marketed cheap overseas transportation for cargo. Utilizing a more fuel-efficient engine, the company had been able to corner a large share of the market once dominated by Gato. The extra revenue had been used to bolster the shinobi forces in the Hidden Waterfall. But money could only go so far. "My comrade Jiraiya will be able to make good use of any information about Kakuzu that you can give him."

Giyoku nodded. "I'm glad."

"**Hmm.**" As Toya Zetsu poured another pitcher of water into the branches of Ogi-Daimyou, the plant demon muttered, "**There's someone above. In the ceiling.**"

Zetsu and Giyoku paused, trying to feel for any chakra signatures. They found one…well hidden. VERY well hidden.

Tsunade's brow only twitched with annoyance. Grabbing a small eraser on her desk, she flicked it towards one of the ceiling panels.

_**Thwack**_.

_Creak…_

"WAH!"

**CRASH!**

Zetsu, Giyoku, and Ogi-Daimyou stared at the white-haired man that fell onto the floor. Tsunade merely grumbled, "Baka. Can't you use the door like everyone else?"

"Can't I live up to my title as the Toad Hermit?" wearily replied Jiraiya as he stood up, dusting himself off. "Greetings gentlemen. Apologies for the rough entry."

"Apology accepted," muttered Giyoku. _What poor diplomatic behavior._

"No offense taken," replied Zetsu. _This is one of the Sannin?_

"**You smell of sake,**" growled Ogi-Daimyou.

Jiraiya blinked. Then he reached into the folds of his clothes and pulled out a sake bottle. "Anyone fancy a drink?"

Everyone sweatdropped. Tsunade's lips twisted into a scowl. "You're screwing things up Jiraiya. How you act around me is not suitable for diplomacy."

"Oh come now, it's good to be at least a LITTLE lighthearted. Especially when considering such sober matters as the impending struggle against the IKS." Jiraiya calmly took one sip before pocketing the bottle. "Ah, but you can't blame me for trying."

Zetsu sighed. "That's assuming we even become allies to begin with." Silence. He needed to make this point. "Although Konoha's performance against the River Army has been commendable thus far, a number of countries need further convincing after the fall of the Rain Country. The presence of Hijikata Hanzou and Fuuma Pein notwithstanding…I will need assurance. If I am to convince my fellows in the Hidden Grass to pursue an alliance with Konoha and Suna instead of the IKS…"

The threat was made. Tsunade's frown became stony. Without the aid of Yuki, the combined strength of both Taki and Kusa was a necessity. Konoha and Suna combined would be able to counter both Kumo and Iwa; the trio of Taki, Kusa, and the shinobi of Ame would be an effective counterbalance to Sawa and the River Army. "I can tell you know, I have a plan regarding the upcoming Chuunin Exams. The Hidden Marsh Village, according to the tournament timetable, was scheduled to host the Exams this time around…in one month, to be precise. Apparently, they're going to host it in a brand new facility built in the Rain Province."

"I'm sure Hanzou and Pein won't appreciate that."

Jiraiya chuckled at Zetsu's words. "Are you kidding? They'll be downright livid! That it was built to the north of Amegakure was just icing on the cake. Imagine how the denizens of those left behind in Ame feel." But oh, there would be a grand entrance at the Chuunin Exams. It would perfectly highlight the IKS as the big bully of the shinobi world. Public sentiment was a powerful thing, if used properly. "We've already warded off an invasion of the Wave Country. Konoha is allied with the likes of Pein the Undying and Hanzou the Salamander, both of whom are extremely powerful shinobi. And, let's not forget…it was Konoha and Suna that brought down Akatsuki and Orochimaru."

That was true. Konoha and its shinobi had done quite a bit of, to be honest, miracle work. Two invasions, three years apart: once by Oto and Suna, then by Oto and Akatsuki's Nukenin. Then there was, of course, the battle at Sunagakure, where Orochimaru and eight of Akatsuki's strongest were fought and killed by Uzumaki Naruto, Tobokeru Jiraiya, Bachiatari Gaara, and Uchiha Sasuke. Four shinobi combined took down nine S-Class criminals (though, to be fair, it was Orochimaru who had taken down Koumorimaru, according to the battle reports). And of course, fifteen years ago, the Kyuubi attack, which had probably been even MORE devastating (Zetsu could personally testify to this; he had been a young child when the Kyuubi had emerged in the Grass Country, tearing through Kusagakure on his way to Konoha). Even after all of the losses inflicted upon Konoha – the Sandaime Hokage, the Yondaime Hokage, and dozens upon dozens of shinobi – they were still an immense power.

"Hmm. You make good points. I suppose Kusagakure will be open to an alliance…provided you agree to some form of mutual defense against the ambitions of the IKS."

Tsunade lightly smirked at Zetsu's words. "Of course. That was why I asked for you to come, was it not?" She unrolled a map, detailing the nations of the world. She pointed at the line of nations separating both the Wind and Earth nations from the Fire Country. "From south to north: the River Country, Rain Country, Grass Country, Waterfall Country, the Snow Country to the north, and the Sound Country to the east." The Godaime looked straight into the eyes of her guests. "The River Country has already conquered the Rain. The Snow can be disregarded for the time being…though their qualm seems to mostly be with the River. I want to focus on the defense of both the Grass and the Waterfall." There were a lot of tactical and strategic factors to consider. Given the lack of shinobi standing in the way of the Lightning Country, most of Konoha's shinobi would have to be stationed to the northeast. Although support would be given by both Konoha and Suna, much of the slack would have to be held by Takigakure and Kusagakure. Fortunately, the Ame-nin would be there, just aching to get back at the River Army…

"**You should relax. You're too tense.**"

Tsunade's brow, which had slowly clenched more and more, relaxed. She stared silently at Ogi-Daimyou, smiling lightly. "Arigatou, Ogi-Daimyou-dono…but I've had to think a lot, concerning the upcoming Chuunin Exams, with certain problems in the village, and with the IKS. Trying to stem off a war isn't easy." Ah, the joys of being Hokage. Why had she taken this stupid job again? _Oh yeah. The brat._ Feeling a brief flash of hatred at Mantarou for taking Naruto away, she added, "There are a number of issues to take care of…but concerning our plans to aid in the defense of Takigakure and Kusagakure, Konoha-nin will be assigned there."

"Ah, don't forget the whole business with the IKS declaring war if Konoha does anything," reminded Jiraiya.

"I know that. That's why we'll go for a tried-and-true diplomatic ruse. Taki and Kusa," Tsunade pointed at both Giyoku and Zetsu. "Will hire Konoha-nin to aid in the defense of your villages. Konoha-nin will be hired to 'deliver combat and medical support in case of attack by a foreign entity'."

Ogi-Daimyou grunted. "**Sounds somewhat…obtuse. Fighting under the banner of the Grass and the Waterfall is one thing, but you are still Konoha-nin.**"

"I know. It's a maneuver that's been used before by multiple nations…and honestly, I don't Nobunaga would care." She glanced towards Jiraiya. "You've already looked over the dossier for the upcoming Chuunin Exams, right?"

Jiraiya nodded, suddenly looking irritated. The host of the Chuunin Exams, per the rules set up by the International Exam Commission, got to determine the format of the exams. The Chuunin Exams were biannual, as were the meetings of the IEC to determine and debate the upcoming tests' format. Forty-five days before the Chuunin Exams, the IEC convened. Consisting of delegates from each of the villages participating, the host of the next exams would present their format. A debate would follow, and – provided that there was a majority approval – the format would be agreed upon. Those participating in the exams would not be told of the format. Element of surprise, and all that. And seeing as how the Hidden Marsh was going to be the host…well, they were taking the opportunity to show off. "Some of the stuff they've got does look challenging, but it's pretty much just an opportunity for Nobunaga to show off the River Army."

"And should he not?" remarked Giyoku as he sipped down the last of his tea. "He is arguing for a radical change in how countries approach warfare. He doesn't merely want to impress the visiting lords and daimyou: he wants to send a message to his potential enemies."

"Obviously," remarked the Gama-Sennin. "Fortunately, we know a good deal about their forces already."

"And you know very well how attractive such a force would be for the shortsighted." Giyoku sighed as he ignored Jiraiya's questioning stare. "Look. You all know that I'm a businessman. An economist. I make a living out of seeing how people interact with a market. And I can tell you now, that the kind of military that the River Country has created will become _**very**_ popular with the heads of other nations."

Ogi-Daimyou's leaves shuffled. "**Elaborate. I am curious.**"

Kashoku Giyoku calmly put his teacup on the table. Ever since the River Army had made its debut to the public alongside the IwaKumoSawa alliance…he had been putting a lot of thought towards the future. Not just the short-term, with regards to the possibility of an impending war…but with regards to the long-term. To the very nature of the world itself, to how humanity approached war, to how human society was engineered. "I like to look at events as zero-sum games. Everything adds to zero; you introduce something new, there will be pros and cons coming along with it. The sum is zero all the same. True, there are exceptions…mutually beneficial trade deals that increase production on both sides, innovations in relatively harmless fields…but ultimately, it's all about seeing which combinations of pros and cons you want to go with. For every plus, there is a minus." He folded his hands and rested his elbows on the chair. It was time to engage in his patented Lecture Mode. "Running a shinobi village is a costly endeavor. It takes years for shinobi to reach their full potential. Resources permit that only several groups of Genin can be inducted, and that's a maximum. Higher-ranking shinobi are all otherwise dedicated to procuring funds through missions. Assassinations, escort jobs, negotiations… oftentimes, such missions are targeted against the forces of enemy nations. In a way, the old shinobi wars have never ended; they've all been occurring by proxy, in a minimized fashion. The only difference is that the ninja villages do not receive full support from the daimyo of their respective countries. The structure of a shinobi-based military allows this to happen. Small-time engagements between shinobi of two supposedly allied nations are common under this system, and it leads to a lot of political tension and unease. In some ways, such a system is beneficial, as shinobi villages are mostly autonomous. And there is an immense satisfaction in showing off the otherworldly powers of one's greatest resource. Think of Kazama Arashi, the Yellow Flash of Konoha."

Everyone nodded. He had been a perfect example. One man, armed with the _**Rasengan**_ and the _**Hiraishin no jutsu**_, had changed the tide of an entire war. Shinobi were capable of that sort of thing.

"That's why the prospect of a military force like the River Army can be seen as…appealing." Giyoku sighed as he recalled talks with clients. Some were unsure about how to feel concerning the River Army…while others were absolutely ecstatic. It was no secret that, due to the autonomous nature of the Hidden Villages, politicians and feudal lords harbored a quiet distrust of ninja in general. "Think about it. It is not about which side has the most talented shinobi. One man would not be able to turn the tide anymore. It all comes down to which side has the most numbers, and the best technology. Military scientists can be bribed, blueprints can be stolen, and materials can be mass-produced. Training a soldier could be carried out with large groups: battlefield tactics, marksmanship, endurance training, communication drills…that's it. Hundreds can be trained at once. Thousands of soldiers compared to a dozen shinobi. As technology improves, the range of weaponry increases. And it only takes a single well-aimed bullet to kill a human, shinobi or not. Heavy weapons replace the mighty A-Rank and S-Rank ninjutsu. Mass-produced weapons provide a way for manufacturers to get rich relatively quickly compared to the shinobi weapons market, which can be described as overly specialized. Such concerns are unneeded with a military force like the River Army. And such armies are not easy to hide. Assassinations and secret missions often carried out by shinobi are ill suited for a military based on mechanized infantry. In a way, the tensions caused by the presence of shinobi would be minimized…to some degree." He closed his eyes. A flash of fire rushed through his mind. "It seems, at first glance, that moving to such a military system would be beneficial for anyone who chooses to do so. Particularly if shinobi are proven to be ineffective against the River Army. Then a ninja-based military will be declared obsolete…for all we know, shinobi as a military tool could be considered outmoded, period. But there is another cost: a human cost. Tell me…" He paused for dramatic effect. He opened his eyes, those haunting mix of shadow and green. "…what happens when the countries of the world all have a military like the River Army?"

Tsunade, Zetsu, Ogi-Daimyou, and Jiraiya thought in silence, trying to imagine the scenario Giyoku had laid out.

Ogi-Daimyou was the first one to speak of the horror. "**Chaos. Bloodshed on a massive scale…as though humans had made their own Biju to use against each other.**"

"Correct," remarked Giyoku. The businessman/shinobi had come to this conclusion long ago. The limits on a shinobi's growth…well, save for manipulation of Bloodline Limits, and experimentation…the ceiling of possibilities was not that high. But TECHNOLOGY…technology was always improving. That it would eventually make its way over to military applications was inevitable. But the implications were staggering nonetheless. "We're talking casualties in the thousands, maybe the tens of thousands. For a shinobi military force, a massacre occurs whenever casualties total over one hundred. For a full-scale conflict between armies like those of the River…that would be seen as nothing more than a mere skirmish. Human life loses a measure of dignity, and it all comes down to a contest of numbers. And as technology improves, we reach a point where artillery fires more than explosive shells…a point where cities can be annihilated in one blast. All in the pursuit of a greater military advantage. The ceiling of possibilities is almost unreachable…until finally we hit the end. And entire countries are ravished."

The scene…it seemed almost otherworldly. To picture a manmade device, enveloping an entire village in a cloud of fire, erasing it all, leaving nothing…not even ashes…

It was surreal. But the possibility was there. The power of a Biju…made artificially.

It was a horrifying thing to contemplate.

"Naturally, some of my colleagues have scoffed at my vision of the future. They say I'm too emotional…but one does not reach my position without having a good understanding of human nature. I know what drives people. And given the history of the human race, that is a path that will be walked, if the River Army is not stopped now." Kashoku Giyoku sighed. Lecture Mode: Off. "That is why I will convince my fellows in Takigakure to support Konoha and Suna against the IKS."

"Tell them that they will have our support in terms of defense." Tsunade went back to thinking of the now; the bleak future that Giyoku had spoken of would not come to pass. Not on her watch. "I do not think the IKS will make a move towards war, even if the River Army fights those who battle under the banner of Kusa and Taki. I don't think they'll make such a move until the Chuunin Exams conclude…otherwise, Nobunaga would be deploying more of the River Army than he feels comfortable with. The incidents with the Wave Country invasion and the escape of the Ame-nin to Konoha were more damaging than I think he cares to admit. If anything is going to be said, it's going to be at the Chuunin Exams…where ninja from Iwagakure and Kumogakure will be in close proximity."

Jiraiya grumbled out of irritation. _Oy…the Chuunin Exams are becoming too much of a hassle. Can't they at least pick a different time to commence a war?_

"Nevertheless, I am glad that Kusagakure can count on the support of both Konoha and Suna," remarked Zetsu, a small smile on his face as he grabbed another pitcher of water.

Ogi-Daimyou sighed as the cold water dripped onto his leaves and branches. "**Ah. That hit the spot.**"

"By the way…"

Zetsu turned towards Jiraiya, who was looking at him with a calculating gaze. The Sannin stated, "I fought your brother, Toya Shuu, at Sunagakure. I learned of his motivations for abandoning the Hidden Grass, along with the Ogi-Daimyou…your friend's predecessor, I presume."

"Yes."

"**And if you have something to say, say it **_**to**_** me. I won't bite.**"

Jiraiya's lip twitched. "What I'm trying to say is…why? Why merge yourself with a Toya, after the debacle with Shuu and the previous Ogi-Daimyou? What would motivate you to do such a thing?"

Ogi-Daimyou chuckled, as memory of his predecessor came to mind. "**Hmm hmm hmm…my predecessor, Ogiwana…he was somewhat of an idealistic zealot. Once he committed himself to a task, he would mindlessly pursue it until its completion. And he was…always more interested in the affairs of Ningenkai, of our contract with the Toya Clan. But my reasons for doing this…well, it's for the sake of my kin.**" Ogi-Daimyou's mouth wiggled out of the branches, staring (in a manner of speaking; mouths are not eyes!) straight at Jiraiya. "**We listened to the speeches concerning Uzumaki Naruto. Quite touching…but seeing as how you obviously know of Uzumaki Mantarou, I don't need to do any introductions.**"

Jiraiya and Tsunade's gazes hardened into glares.

"**Uzumaki Mantarou's massacre of the toads and frogs of Mt. Myoboku…it didn't take long for word of it to reach the rest of Makai. Then we heard of how, upon moving northward to the Chikage Mountains, he slaughtered an entire tribe of mountain golems and a contingent of wild oni. Last I heard, he was seen moving on towards the volcanic regions of Mt. Hiire. Probably to slay the dragons that live there. That he possesses the power of FOUR Biju…it has not escaped our notice. And many are taking appropriate measures. I, along with many kin, have merged with members of the Toya Clan. This way, should Mantarou happen upon my ancestral home…at least some of us will survive.**"

_Smart move_, thought Jiraiya with a frown. Mantarou was on the move…and slaying demons with a prejudice. _If only we had a way of getting to Makai!_ "Thank you for telling this to me….Ogi-Daimyou-sama." Affairs were already complicated enough with the IKS; the endless questions he had regarding Makai were not needed now!

"**Much obliged**," remarked the Plant Lord as Zetsu stood. The head of the Toya Clan said, "I should be getting back to Kusagakure now, to inform them of your intent to help defend us should the IKS engage us in battle."

"And I to Takigakure." Kashoku Giyoku stood up, setting his briefcase on Tsunade's desk. With few quick hand seals, and an application of chakra, the seals on the locks were dismissed. Opening the leather briefcase, Giyoku pulled out a large manila envelope. "In here is all information I have regarding Kashoku Kakuzu and what connections he had. Consider it a gift in exchange for your promise to aid us."

Jiraiya grinned as he took the envelope. "Thank you very much." _Nothing like information to cure the blues._

The two foreigners (three if you counted Ogi-Daimyou) walked away, turning back once to the two Sannin. "Good luck with your endeavors," said Zetsu.

"Keep Suna appraised of our plans," advised Giyoku.

"**And try not to let the enemy find out anything,**" bluntly said Ogi-Daimyou.

Tsunade and Jiraiya nodded.

And then they were gone.

"Hm." Jiraiya looked down at the folder. "I should get to work on this. Got any idea as to who to send to the Chuunin Exams?"

"I've already got a team in mind. It'll only be one; we'll keep all the others here, for emergency wartime training. We'll have to be ready in case things go bad."

Jiraiya smirked. "With you, that's a given."

The pervert's nose was immediately hit by an eraser.

_Knock-knock._

The two turned towards the door. "Come in."

At the words of the Godaime Hokage, Uchiha Sasuke walked in.

Jiraiya immediately frowned at the quiet look on the Uchiha's face. There was something about that look…it was different, somehow. The detachment was not as…present. Had it had something to do with the scroll Naruto had given him? "Hey kid."

Sasuke looked straight ahead. "Hello. We have to talk."

That's when Gininu walked in. "Hokage-sama. Jiraiya-sama. Sasuke."

"Hello. At ease."

At the Hokage's command, the ANBU removed his mask. Hatake Kakashi's visible eye was filled with dread…and _weariness_. What had happened?! "Kakashi. What happened?"

Jiraiya frowned as Kakashi sat in an empty chair, sagging. Kakashi? _Sagging?!_ Sure, when he was tired or bored…but that was not the case here. This was something else entirely. "Speak boy."

Kakashi gazed quietly at the three before him. He didn't quite know what to feel. Mostly surprise…and a bit of frustration. He had wanted to visit on a whim…and what had awaited him…

"The grave of Hatake Sakumo was pillaged."

The eyes of the Sannin widened, almost comically. Even Sasuke was somewhat perturbed (though for what reason, Kakashi wondered). Tsunade roared, "Another grave robbing?! HOW?! Who did it?! _Did anyone leave the village?!_"

"I visited shortly after the speeches ended. It was freshly dug up…but it had to have been during the speeches that it was excavated." Kakashi sighed as he rubbed his temples. The mystery of the missing corpses had just taken a twist. A twist he was not comfortable with. "I've heard no reports from those guarding the walls or the gates. Whoever took his remains was a master of infiltration…I hope."

Jiraiya shot Tsunade a dangerous look. First Zabuza and Haku. Then Kisame. And now Sakumo. There HAD to be a connection. And how in the world had his grave been pilfered in broad daylight?! "As if we don't have ENOUGH problems…"

Kakashi glanced over at Sasuke. "Is something wrong?"

Uchiha Sasuke, frowning all the while, calmly reached into the folds of his gi. It was the scroll he had received from Naruto. "How would you all react if I told you that this scroll wasn't from Naruto…but from the Kyuubi?"

He had gotten their attention.

"You'd better start making sense now," growled Tsunade. "I'm in no mood for games."

"It's not a game." Sasuke sighed as he stared down at the scroll. How troublesome. He would have brought the one from Itachi, had it not disintegrated into ashes. The source of so much frustration and earth-shattering revelations…nothing was simple now. His thoughts were more ordered now, somewhat…and yet…

Kakashi quietly stood alongside, raising his hitai-ate to reveal a swirling _**Sharingan**_. "Sasuke. You can tell us. What did the Nine Tails tell you?"

Sasuke gazed right into three pairs of eyes. He could tell them. They knew how to keep a secret. Because…he didn't know if anyone else would be ready for this yet. He **certainly** wasn't. Oh no…he hadn't been prepared at all. Life was suddenly something new, and foreign…and he had no idea what waited around the corner anymore.

But he would have to cope.

"The things I'm about to tell you are S-Class secrets."

"I'll be the judge of that," dangerously murmured Tsunade.

"The Kyuubi…the birth of the Uchiha…and the reason why Itachi killed the clan…" He had their attention now, he realized as he closed his eyes. His pride as an Uchiha would have to be sated some other time. Because now…he had to tell them. It was an uncomfortable realization, knowing that his control had slipped.

But he didn't care. Because really, what could he do about it?

_The shame of the Uchiha…our burden._

He didn't want it. But he had to carry it.

The alternatives…were far too severe.

"I'll make this quick." Then his eyes opened, and the three could only pale at the sight of swirling kaleidoscopes. "_**Tsukuyomi.**_"

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**Onward to the Chuunin Exams! Which Team will Represent Konoha?**_

xxxx

Author's Note: I originally wanted to add more, but there's just so much information and revelations crammed into this chapter! I had to stop here…gotta give ya'll (and myself) a break here.

For the record, I consider the movies non-canon. Only a few filler episodes, like the Bikochu arc, are canon.

And how the heck did I miss out on the fact that it was supposed to be Tsuk**u**yomi the whole time?! Bah.

Enjoy.

See you soon, and please review!


	44. Onward to the Chuunin Exams!

Author's Note: Reader response to last chapter was mostly positive, so yay.

I'm thinking of going back and slightly jrearranging the whole 'part 1, part 2' thing. Seeing as how this part has gotten a lot larger and more intricate than I ever thought, I think I'll have Part I end with Mantarou taking Naruto to Makai, with Part II starting off afterwards. Basically, the four parts of this story represent four sagas split into arcs, named as follows:

**Part I: Akatsuki Saga**

Arc I: The Battle at Suna

Arc II: The Leader

**Part II: River Army Saga**

Arc I: Endure

Arc II: Rise of the IKS

Arc III???

Arc IV???

**Part III: Makai Saga**

Arc I???

Arc II???

Arc III???

**Part IV: Death & Rebirth Saga**

Arc I???

Arc II???

Arc III???

(In case you didn't notice, this is gonna be a long story.)

Look back at chapters 1, 19-20, 29-30, and 37-38 (FFNet numbering; chapter 1 equals Prologue, etc.) to see the new plotline divisions.

So essentially, Part III, whenever it begins…that's when we get full details regarding what's been going on in Makai. I know ya'll don't like waiting…but hey, I've got a definite plotline to stick to. Besides, it's not like the manga's any better at the moment anyway (with regards to Naruto's active presence, that is. Maybe it should have been called _Sasuke_ instead? And Madara in the manga is a jackass. .V. See? I'm growling).

I really really really know you all want to find out what's been going on with him (and honestly, I'm tempted to just put a kebosh on the whole thing and let him make another appearance just to calm you all down)…but honestly, I really really really REALLY don't want him to come back before the proper time.

So I'm going to ask you all: wait until Part III. It's 10-20 chapters away. Closer to 10 than 20, I'll tell you that much. Just because of that, I'll be focusing on Naruto a lot more this year.

At least my Sasuke's not being Mr. Godmod like in the manga, so that at least makes the wait a bit easier. :P

Begin!

xxxx

_**Onward to the Chuunin Exams! Which Team will Represent Konoha?**_

xxxx

/_78 Days after Naruto Entered Makai_/

xxxx

_Journal of Iga Nagi_

_Day 50, Year 1 of Konoha_

_**Konohagakure**__. The Hidden Leaf. This village, based in the forest that I grew myself in one night, will be our new home. This is a radical departure from the days of old, where all the feudal lords and their private armies of samurai, mercenaries, and shinobi warred against each other. We are an autonomous military force that is allied with the Senju family of Edokawa, a young family with immense power and prestige. Less than two months since Konoha's creation, and already the various lords are swearing allegiance to the head of the Senju family, who has given himself the title of __**Kajidaimyō**__, the Lord of Summer's Fire. He seeks to unify the surrounding territories into one single nation: the Land of Fire…the Fire Country. To fully establish the might and significance of a new country's military force, the title of __**Hokage**__ was created. The Fire Shadow of the Hidden Leaf._

_Many clamored for me to become the First Fire Shadow, the __**Shodai Hokage**__. I did not want the position; I personally believe that Koga Mitsuhide is a more capable leader. But public opinion differs; Mitsuhide does not mind though. He prefers the battlefield, standing tall on the frontlines, driving away our enemies. To think that my best friend could be one so powerful…sometimes, during the heat of battle, I get chills looking into those yellow eyes of his. So much different from the calm eyes of his three sons, the color of the soil on which we all walk._

_This village is well on its way to becoming a prosperous entity. Already we are attracting visitors and newcomers; just recently, a shinobi clan specializing in the usage of insects has joined us. Times are becoming better, but there's still a ways to go. Hearing the news that arrives from the merchants, it seems our model is being emulated. As power is consolidated amongst the more powerful lords throughout the lands, these endless battles should cease, fully bringing the Second Great Ninja War to a close. I am only grateful that this one was ended in a more peaceful manner than the first; even now, I am bewildered by the reality of the mythical battle between the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox and the Tengu King._

_Uchiha Madara witnessed that battle. The truth of that conflict is a secret that I have sworn to keep. It will not make it to these pages, nor will it ever emerge from my lips…but to make up for the troubles and pains he has endured in his life, I have eagerly accepted him and his family here in Konoha (despite objections from the Hyuga). He is old, and his time is short; he always exhibits surprise that he has managed to live to see the end of the Second Great Ninja War. However, he knows as well as I do that peace is not eternal. That's why I've been considering his idea to establish a police faction of sorts, to help keep a handle on any Konoha-nin who get out of hand. We have enough threats on the outside without having to worry about potential threats from within._

_I am proud to say that Madara and I are good friends._

_Alongside the civilians and merchants, there is a plethora of shinobi. Most descend from clans of great repute._

_Akimichi. Nara. Yamanaka. Aburame. Inuzuka. Sarutobi. Hyuga. Uchiha._

_And, of course…the two clans who brought forth the idea of the Hidden Leaf to begin with: the Koga and the Iga._

_Koga Mitsuhide will be returning back soon, making sure the borders of the Land of Fire are secure. I am certain that Konoha is much more preferable to him than his old home; he had come far from the west, from the immense deserts that lie beyond the rocky highlands. This forest must seem as a paradise to him._

_I am glad._

_Now if only my little brother would stop suggesting we carve my head into the mountain range…then I would feel more at ease._

_Iga Nagi_

xxxx

/Training Ground #76, Konohagakure/

**CLASH!**

Tenten knew her father wasn't exactly a normal guy.

True, as far as shinobi went, he was very skilled. A former ANBU, who had served as Kakashi's captain until the young Hatake obtained command of his very own unit. A noted master of various weapons, skilled in a number of styles, and a bladesmith without compare…well, it was on the verge of stupefying to see a grown man take comics and manga so seriously.

_Skrick…_

It was beyond Kakashi's addiction to pornography. At least porn was something lonely men were expected to turn to. But books fit for young boys (CIVILIANS at that)? It had often irked her to no end.

_Woosh._

Tenten could only sigh as she rolled along the ground, dodging the slash of the blade. It was just how he was. Everyone had their own form of release. For shinobi, they had to take what they could get; after all, you never knew just when you'd lose everything…without warning. It'd come in a flash, and you'd be dead. It was only natural to seek some means of escape.

PING! 

Haruno Sakura had her duties as a medic-nin.

_Rrrrrn…_

Between missions, Chouji and Shikamaru helped Ino with her amnesia.

_SHEEN!_

Jiraiya had his dirty novels.

_Hwiphwiphwip._

Tenjho Youchi had his manga.

The kodachi rushed downward as she raised her metallic bo staff.

_**CHEEN!**_

As for herself and Neji? There was training, training and more training.

The two ANBU danced about in the grass, their masks set to the edge of the field. Neji calmly swung his kodachi in fluid, graceful arcs. Tenten was twirling her bo staff around, blocking and parrying each of Neji's strikes. Not that she always was able to; the Hyuga was so freakin' fast at times that she had no choice but to roll out of the way. Or sidestep. Or leap, like she just did to avoid a thrust to the kidneys. _Cutting it a little close, aren't you?_

The air swirled around Tenten's revolving staff, as dough in a beater. A windy gust flew through, pressing hard against the two ninja. Neji briefly lost his sure footing, whilst Tenten – her twirling staff warding through the winds, providing balance – charged forward, leaping through the air.

Neji's _**Byakugan**_ narrowed as he raised his kodachi, sliding against Tenten's downward strike. The kunoichi immediately twisted and lashed out with a backwards kick. Neji was barely quick enough to grab the foot with his left hand.

Then he calmly lobbed his kodachi into the air and grabbed her outstretched leg with his right hand.

"_**KAITEN!**_"

"WAH!" yelped Tenten as she was hurled into the nearby river, flailing all the while.

SPLASH! 

Into the Nakano River she went.

Hyuga Neji smirked as his teammate angrily pulled herself out of the water, standing angrily upon its swift surface. He grabbed his kodachi with one hand as it fell back down. "You look upset."

"We agreed that there'd be no _**Jūken**_!"

"Ninja aren't expected to play fair."

"He has a point."

Tenten angrily jabbed a finger at Uzuki Yugao, who stood on the sidelines of Training Ground #76. "Don't you defend him!!!"

Yugao rolled her eyes behind her gecko mask. The Nakano River moved quietly along, onward through the forests to the south; this river served as one of Konoha's eastern boundaries, lying beyond Monument Range and the village walls. It was fed by the Shakou River, which lied to the north of Konoha. Normally, the Shakou was closer to more ideal training grounds for one-on-one combat…but the refugees of the Rain were busy setting up their sanctuary along the banks of the Shakou. Alas, what could be done? "In any case…" The Silent Gecko stood up, having been leaning against a small oak tree that lined the edge of the training ground. "I trust that's enough warming up for now. Ready to take the next step?"

Neji quietly sheathed his kodachi. "Hai, Yugao-sempai."

"Who?"

Neji's eyebrow twitched. They weren't even on a mission at the moment! "Hai, _Jakuyamori_-sempai."

"Better." Yugao mentally giggled; true, they weren't on a mission. But she found it preferable to be called by codename when her mask was on, even if there was no mission.

Neji merely rolled his eyes.

Then he got bonked on the head by Tenten's staff. Not that hard, but it still hurt. "Tenten, we're done sparring."

"That's for using _**Kaiten.**_" Neji rolled his eyes again, causing Tenten to huffily snort. "Men."

_And what is that supposed to mean?_ That's what Neji's thoughts were, judging by the inquisitive arch of his eyebrow. In response to the eyebrow, Tenten crossed her arms. _Okay…what's with her?_

"Hey you two, enough playing around." Yugao calmly reached into one of the pockets of her gray ANBU vest, pulling out a small, rectangular slip of yellow paper. "_Chakra paper_. Formed from wood pulp taken from aspen trees, which have unusually high chakra-channeling properties. During the production process, the pulp is suffused with the chakra of seven shinobi, each one with an affinity for a different element. When the paper is finally pressed and dried, it will then react in a certain way, depending on whose chakra is infused into it."

Neji nodded. Although he was a Jonin, he had leaned more towards the specialties of taijutsu and senjutsu (also known as tactics). He knew some standard ninjutsu, but nothing that was derived from a particular element. It was his performance during missions – particular with B-Rank and A-Rank missions – that had persuaded the Hokage and the Council of Elders to promote him from Chuunin to Jonin. If nothing else, his skill with _**Jūken**_ and tactical maneuvers in battle were quite exceptional. Of course, there were often surprises that even he would find difficulty surmounting.

Such as Kuro Jadoku.

He would have to expand his repertoire. Hence this.

Hyuga generally stuck to only the techniques of the Gentle Fist. For members of the Main House, doing otherwise was FROWNED upon. But for members of the Branch House, particularly those who became shinobi…well, one had to adapt or die.

"This method is not the only way of determining one's chakra affinity, but it's the simplest and most practical for those who can mold their chakra." She pulled out another slip of chakra paper, infusing it with her own chakra. It suddenly disintegrated, its fragments scattering to the wind. "My affinity is Earth. Those who align with _**Doton**_ will cause chakra paper to scatter like dust. Those who align with _**Suiton**_ will cause the paper to become wet. For _**Mokuton**_, a leaf will sprout from the paper. For _**Fuuton**_, the paper will be cut in half. For _**Raiton**_, the paper will crinkle and fold. For _**Katon**_, the paper will burn into ashes. For _**Kinton**_, the paper will become as unbendable as a sheet of steel."

Neji stared silently as he was handed the slip of chakra paper. "Depending on my affinity, will that constrict my learning choices with regards to ninjutsu?" He did not want to be confined into another cage. He already had one with the curse seal on his forehead. If there was a ninjutsu he wanted to learn, he did not want to be stopped before he could even start.

"Honestly, yes. However, do not misunderstand; a shinobi is capable of using _any_ element, so long as one puts the effort into learning it. However, most shinobi will start off focusing on their element of affinity, to get the hang of using elemental ninjutsu." Yugao smiled behind her mask. "If you wish to move on to a second element in the future, by all means, go ahead. If we shinobi were constricted to only our element of affinity…well, the Uchiha would have never been able to become as powerful as they did, and Kakashi-taichou wouldn't have been able to learn over a thousand jutsu."

That was a very nice consolation. _Good._ He wanted to use long-range ninjutsu, to make up for his close-range taijutsu. Besdies, he had already considered various ideas on how to complement Tenten's fighting style. Perhaps _**Katon**_, to give her superheated weapons? Or maybe _**Fuuton**_ to clear away the enemy defenses and leave them open for Tenten's accurate throws? Or perhaps…

His chakra surged into the paper.

It crinkled, contracting in upon itself, folding over as it seemed to shrink.

Hyuga Neji couldn't help but smirk. With regards to his ideas, this element had been deemed the most useful. "_**Raiton**_. Lightning Element."

"Hmm. That is Kakashi-taichou's elemental affinity."

Neji turned to Yugao. "Which is why he developed _**Raikiri**_¸ correct?" A nod was his answer, even though his mind had already turned to the possibilities. Long-range lightning strikes, using Tenten's weapons as conductors…maybe even utilizing it along with his Gentle Fist style, making his strikes even more damaging. Perfect.

"I'm going to go to the main library to find a scroll on nature manipulation for _**Raiton**_ jutsu. It'll be a good primer until you can receive instruction from Kakashi-taichou." Yugao turned away, facing towards Konoha's great walls. "Keep on sparring until then." _And I hope Neji doesn't get her too upset…oh well, it's that time of the month. It's his death wish. _One leap later, she was gone.

Neji turned towards his teammate.

WOOSH! 

Neji dove and rolled, sliding past Tenten as she tried to strike with her bo staff. "Anxious, hm?"

"This time, no _**Jūken**_. I MEAN IT."

"And if I do so anyway?"

Tenten immediately unrolled a scroll.

_Poomph._

Neji would look back on this day and come away with what would amount to a personalized shinobi rule.

**DO NOT PISS TENTEN OFF. **

At the moment, however, he could only pale as a few dozen spears came flying out of the seals on the scroll.

Spears attached to explosive notes.

"**KUSO!**"

_**KABOOOOM!!!**_

Tenten smiled as explosions, rubble, and a flailing Neji (barely managing to get out of ground zero) filled her field of vision. "Ah…bliss." This was more like it. ANBU work was good and all, but sometimes the stress was just a wee bit too much (that, and a shoulder that had been thoroughly battered by one blow with a heavy mace. Thank goodness for Tsunade and the medic-nin!). Training with her teammates – with Neji, in particular – was her form of release.

Though it probably didn't make a good 17th birthday present…oh who cared. She'd get him something soon, once he apologized for being filthy, nasty _cheater_!

Besides, it was fun to make Neji scream.

xxxx

/Hokage's Office, Hokage's Palace, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Sasuke grimaced as he deactivated the _**Mangekyou Sharingan**_. Using the 'Underworld Moon Illusion' technique TWICE in one day…it had exhausted his chakra.

But he didn't really mind. He would need some downtime, in order to not only allows his reserves to replenish his main supply…but to get some focus on the things he had learned.

The same could be said for the three before him.

Hatake Kakashi shot Sasuke a dry look. "Could you perhaps warn us next time, before using _**Tsukuyomi**_? I have uncomfortable memories of the last time I was hit by it."

Sasuke shrugged. "Doesn't really matter. You probably would have stopped me."

That was true; even though Sasuke was a Konoha-nin once more, one would have to be foolish to allow him – a former criminal – to use such a deadly genjutsu on not only the Hokage, but on a Sannin and an ANBU.

Even so…this was an exception.

Judging by the looks of shock and bewilderment on Iga Tsunade and Tobokeru Jiraiya's faces, Kakashi knew they felt the same. Honestly…this was…earth-shattering.

The Uchiha Clan's plot to overthrow the Sandaime Hokage.

Uchiha Itachi's reason for massacring the clan, and sparing Sasuke.

The revelation concerning Sojobo and the truth behind the Uchiha's creation (seriously, they had a damn demon lord sealed away within their village!!!).

The little snippet about the demon foxes giving the Hyuga their distinctive _**Byakugan**_.

And finally…the most horrific of all…

"Orochimaru was really an incarnation of a legendary demon," muttered Jiraiya as he leaned against the nearest wall, his mind trying to digest everything. "Huh. I always said he was a demon, due to all the horrors he had committed…but I never thought it would be LITERALLY true."

"Is all of this true?" growled Tsunade, her eyes piercing Sasuke's with her deadliest glare. She had no time or patience for any crap…and she couldn't fathom any reason for the Uchiha to make up such a thing. Even so, this was almost too unreal to contemplate. "Is there any physical evidence to prove this?"

"The tablet is still within the Nakano Shrine," remarked Sasuke. "You can examine it, if you wish."

"I think I'll take a look at it myself," answered Jiraiya. He wanted to see the seal, and determine how strong it was…or if it had weakened over the years. "Tsunade, I suggest you commit an ANBU patrol to the Uchiha Clan Grounds, with at least one or two permanently keeping an eye on the shrine itself. We can't let word of this get out." A demon locked within an easy-to-break tablet. It was something most corrupt men would die to get their hands on.

Tsunade nodded. "This information is hereby ranked as S-Class." Ignoring Sasuke's self-satisfied smirk at how he had been proven right, she immediately turned towards Kakashi. "First Zabuza and Haku. Then Kisame. And now Sakumo. There's clearly an organized effort at obtaining the corpses of powerful shinobi…we'll have to be more vigilant concerning our own. I want ANBU patrols to focus more not only on the Uchiha Clan Grounds, but the following locations: the hospital morgue, and the Honorstone."

Jiraiya and Kakashi frowned.

The Honorstone. Its surface was littered with the names of Konoha-nin killed in action. Over the century since Konoha's inception, the Honorstone had served as a door to an underground bunker…wherein lied the cremated ashes of those whose names were written upon the stone (that is, for those whose bodies had managed to make it back to Konoha). Here, the fallen were immortalized…placed into a realm where the memory of their time transcended death, becoming a driving force for the future generations of Konohagakure.

The same could not be said for the second location.

The morgue at the main hospital. Although it was where dead bodies were placed until proper disposal procedures were signed off and carried out, it also held a hidden passage that led to a deep underground bunker. In here lied the ashes of all of Konoha's shinobi. Not just those killed in battle…but those who had died of old age. Of sickness. It was a fate all shinobi shared. The only exceptions were for shinobi who had belonged to a clan, such as the Hyuga; then, the clan took responsibility for the remains. It was the fate that awaited all who fought as ninja; their bodies were practically books full of secrets. Simply burying them in a graveyard was not sufficient.

Especially considering the morgue's other inhabitants.

Deep in that morgue…were also the remains of missing-nin. Those who had abandoned Konoha, and had been killed for their treason. Three recent arrivals had been especially heinous.

Right now, the bodies of Uchiha Itachi, Yakushi Kabuto, and Koga Orochimaru – burned to ashes – sat inside that bunker, deep beneath the hospital.

With this news of Orochimaru being alive…as a demon of incomparable power, as _Yamata no Orochi…_

She didn't want to take any chances. This was not the time to bet.

_Gah…this is not what I needed._ Rubbing her temples, the Godaime muttered, "So at the moment, we have Naruto stuck in Makai with a demon fox who's been manipulating events in our world for some time…and not only will he have to deal with Uzumaki Mantarou, but also a revitalized Orochimaru…or, to be more precise, Yamata no Orochi."

Jiraiya was reminded of his hatred for fairytales. The mythical Orochi was supposed to have been naught but a fairytale. _Then again, people once said that about the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox._ Still, it was somewhat disturbing to hear that demons had been so closely involved with human affairs. It led to questions that he didn't feel like answering…if only because it would put too much of their future out of their hands. If demons were capable of screwing (sometimes literally) the course of humanity so lightly and so _flippantly_ (and the Kyuubi had certainly SEEMED flippant, especially considering the Hyuga)…then how could a man ever take hold of his fate and change it with his own hands? "Mmm…for the time being, we can only increase patrols and keep an eye out for any demon-related activity. I also suggest we keep a closer guard on the Level 5 Gatekeeper Golem; at the moment, it's the only definite portal to Makai that we have. Knowing ol' Snakeface…I wouldn't put it past him to sabotage it."

Tsunade nodded. "I agree." She thought about recent forays into the remnants of Otogakure. Over half of Oto's shinobi had been killed in the invasion three years ago; over that time span, their numbers had dwindled (particularly due to the fact that Oto-nin were marked as 'Kill on sight'…and that had an effect when Konoha had detected a number of its resources to finding Orochimaru and Sasuke). Otogakure itself had not moved, but Orochimaru – plus Sasuke, and Kabuto – had always been on the move, moving from base to base throughout the world. Attacking Otogakure would have accomplished little. Chipping away…that was the best they could have hoped for.

Fortunately, it had left only a few hundred shinobi – Genin, Chuunin, and Jonin alike – to spare for the final invasion. Akatsuki's Nukenin had been lesser in number, but far greater in quality. In the end, it had left Oto with less than twenty shinobi…perhaps none at all, considering that Otogakure had been utterly abandoned. All villagers, civilians, and merchants…gone. Simply gone. No signs of a struggle, or anything.

Tsunade had simply assumed that, following news of Orochimaru and Kabuto's death – along with the total annihilation of the invading Oto-nin – the denizens of the Hidden Sound had jumped ship and scattered to the winds. It had made exploration of Otogakure easier.

For the past few months, it had been searched carefully and quietly, with a number of teams alternating between patrols and exploration. Team Kurenai had often been sent; due to their capabilities, spotting genjutsu traps and hidden tags had been an easier (though no less daunting) task.

Tsunade had a feeling that Otogakure now had a newfound importance. "I'll also divert some more resources to plumbing the depths of Otogakure. And I'll have teams be instructed to be more…alert." The missing people of Oto…what had happened to them? Now that there existed the possibility of Orochimaru being a demon in disguise…the potential scenarios were unsettling to contemplate. "Given our current lack of concise information, we can only improvise. If anything else comes up, we'll act accordingly."

Kakashi and Jiraiya nodded, the former turning to gaze at his old student. _Hmm. Well, at least I finally know why Sasuke has been acting this way._

And who could blame him?

It had been surreal…subjected to the ethereal realm of _**Tsukuyomi**_, witnessing its inverted colors as Sasuke's memories played out in front of them. Seeing Sasuke speak with Itachi, and then with the Kyuubi…everything that had transpired had explained so much, yet had left so many questions. If nothing else, the Copy Ninja finally had a motive for Sasuke's mostly introspective nature since the battle with Mantarou concluded; he had learned that his clan had been willing to use the power of a demon – the one whose power had twisted the _**Byakugan**_ into the _**Sharingan**_ to begin with! – to wrest control of Konoha from the Sandaime. To accomplish this, they had sought to seal the Tengu King into Itachi.

Their reward for such a plan was death.

Itachi had deemed death to be his own reward as well, as a justified payment for the clan's foolishness. In one stroke, the public executioner of the clan would be killed…while the Uchiha would be reborn anew.

A shame that such a plan had taken the path it had.

But even so…Kakashi felt relief. He now knew why Sasuke was acting this way. He now understood the true reality of his former existence. Madara's warning on the front of the tablet had instructed the Uchiha to cut down on the fire of their emotion…instructing them to embrace the cold emptiness (and considering the battle that Madara had been a part of, Kakashi was inclined to agree; the sheer power that had been exhibited during the battle between both Sojobo and the alliance of Madara and Kyuubi no Yoko…well, it had been impressive). But Itachi's actions had caused Sasuke to embrace his hatred, all the while putting up a cold shell…to ward off any bonds that would weaken him. A living paradox, an oxymoron personified. _No wonder he was so difficult to get to._

In the end, Naruto had forged his way through that cold shell, paving the way for others to do the same.

Now?

The reason for his hatred of Itachi…it had fallen away under the magnitude of this revelation. His fiery hatred was gone…and all the while, his cold shell was thawing. Things were looking up for the last Uchiha.

And yet…

Kakashi's eye settled into its customary 'stare of laziness', masking his analytical thought processes. Sasuke's head was downcast, and his frame was quietly trembling. "Sasuke?"

The Uchiha raised his head.

He was smirking.

"Hmph. Unbelievable."

"Hmm?" queried Kakashi with an arched eyebrow, drawing the attention of both Jiraiya and Tsunade. "What's 'unbelievable', Sasuke?"

Sasuke chuckled, turning away from the three. "How stupid. Itachi killed the entire clan…fine. I can see his reasons now…he still shouldn't have done it…but who am I to complain, when I nearly did the same thing?" The audible grinding of teeth, causing Jiraiya to grimace. "The Uchiha…they decided to place their fate into the hands of the most powerful tengu demon…and for doing so, Itachi slaughtered them all. For all my promises to kill him, and avenge the clan…am I any better than those Itachi saw fit to kill?" The curse mark on his neck began to flicker and spread, causing the other shinobi's eyes to widen. "I placed my fate in the hands of Orochimaru…_and he ends up being a demon as well!_ Not just any demon, but a Tailed Beast…one of the strongest of all…!" Sasuke's voice was quivering with a slow release of rage. Rage he had once cherished. Because it meant he was still on the right path. The path to killing Itachi, and avenging his clan. Now he knew the reality of it all…and the reason for his rage…what an utter **farce**. "I ended up walking the same path of my clan without even realizing it…" The marks of the _**Ten no Juin**_ arched across his body like black snakes, the barely flickering aura of purple chakra giving the spreading designs an impression of a living _**Amaterasu**_. The power of Orochimaru – Orochi, _Orochi!_ – twisting and binding him. It was synonymous with his rage. It was his rage made into something tangible. "I almost went farther than my clan did…had Akatsuki not chosen to move at the moment they had." So lucky. So **lucky.** Itachi's insane plan would have been for naught. The Uchiha would have been relegated to the dustbin of history. Such a fool…and so _**blind**_. He had only been a child of eight at the massacre…who had he been to believe that he could understand everything?! 'Looking underneath the underneath'…Kakashi had always said that. He wished he had taken those words more to heart. Maybe then his pride wouldn't have been cursing at himself for being so foolish. "The massacre aside…Itachi was the only one actually bothering to live up to his name. To live as an Uchiha. It was the reason for his existence…by doing the unthinkable, he had saved the Uchiha Clan."

And oh, _how his pride __**ROARED**_.

"My reason for existing…my purpose in life…" His fists clenched. "It was a sham…false…a **lie**…" His blood boiled, his _**Sharingan**_ roaring to life within his suddenly furious eyes.

Tsunade frowned as her frame tensed. Jiraiya's fingers calmly flexed and prepared to deliver a chakra suppression seal.

Kakashi held his arm out. "Wait."

"Kakashi, if that kid does anything," growled the Godaime.

"Let him vent."

Jiraiya looked incredulously at the Copy Ninja. "Since when is venting through a curse seal a good thing?"

"Just trust me," muttered Kakashi, his eye staring lucidly at Sasuke's fiery eyes of red. "He needs this." It had been a long time coming, anyway; the Uchiha boy had been moody and brimming with hidden anger for much of his life anyway. Even the revelations of Itachi wouldn't have been enough to do away with the boy's volatile temperament. Not completely. _This little bit of purging should do him some good._

He just hoped he didn't damage anything. He'd heard that Tsunade was getting tired of calling in the carpenters.

"I thought I knew what I was doing when I swore to kill Itachi…I knew _**nothing**_." His purple aura flared more brightly. The rage flowed, pouring through his veins as fire fueled by oil. "By throwing myself to Orochimaru, I was on the verge of making the same mistake that the clan made…and in the end, I couldn't do anything until that damn dobe helped me!" Uzumaki Naruto. His best friend. The one who had experienced the pain of loneliness. A kindred soul in so many ways, yet so utterly _alien_ at the same time; the Uchiha's dark moods, compared to Naruto's explosive brilliance. Radiating power and being none-too-shy about it! Not that Sasuke was as jealous as he used to be…but damn it, the blond didn't have to be so enthusiastic about everything! Charging through everyone and everything that stood in his way, picking up friends left and right along the way, saving so many all at once…all of those things helping to make his path smoother. It was a quality few could claim to have. "That's the **worst** part. It was hard enough to accept that my foundation had shattered, that the reason for my existence had proven to be too weak compared to Naruto's…too weak compared to Itachi's…but that's not it. Turns out, the reason behind my **whole**, _**damn existence DIDN'T EVEN EXIST **__**TO BEGIN WITH!!!**_"

Release.

And just like that, the purple aura receded. The marks of the Heaven's curse seal faded. Sasuke forced his _**Sharingan**_ away.

The anger melted away, leaving the familiar visage of a guarded, emotionless Uchiha.

Sasuke snorted at Kakashi. "Is that 'unbelievable' enough for you?"

The three stared, not quite sure what to say.

Until Kakashi's eye winked. "I'm glad you finally decided to start talking Sasuke. You never show your feelings enough."

That casual response, rife with flippant humor. Just like Kakashi. Just enough to tick him off. "Tch."

"Sasuke?"

Everyone quietly faced the doors. Standing there was Haruno Sakura, looking at them with a perturbed frown. Judging by the clipboard in her hands, she was here for Tsunade. But she had also been drawn by something else: the feel of a very familiar chakra. "Is something wrong?"

"Not at all Sakura," interjected Tsunade. "I merely asked Sasuke to test his curse seal, to see if he is still maintaining control over it. Just a precautionary measure, given how volatile such things can be."

_Didn't even miss a beat_, thought Jiraiya with a hidden smile. For all her rants at how much she hated this job and its troubles, she was good at it. In one stroke, she had placated her pupil. Last thing they needed right now was for a kunoichi like Sakura – one who, despite her training, was prone to the occasional emotional outburst – to get in on the facts regarding Sojobo and Orochi.

"And were there any problems?"

"Iie," muttered the last Uchiha, his onyx eyes turning back towards the Hokage. "Is that all?"

"Eh, you're dismissed," replied Tsunade with a noncommittal wave of the hand, her narrowed brown eyes sending an entirely different message: Watch out for snakes.

Sasuke nodded, turning away as one thought filtered through his mind. It had felt good to let loose, and roar…to let his frustration and fury eke out, bit by bit, until it became a torrent. It was somewhat…different though, than the past. When he had surrendered himself to the power of the Heaven's curse seal before, it had been an intoxicating rush of power, a reminder of what he could truly be capable of…in a way, that was still true. It was an elixir, a source of power that he could call upon in the most dire of situations. An ace.

But what use did it have now, without a man he was devoted to killing?

A release. A way to work off frustration, before he could degenerate into an enraged killing machine. Orochimaru's poison had dripped their way through his system, and had empowered him…increasing his hatred of Itachi, all the while making him ever more dependent upon the Snake Sannin for power. He had not minded, back then. It had meant more power.

The third level of Orochimaru's Curse Seal…the ultimate manifestation of its power, the greatest of the snake's creations. The first level only amplified the chakra from the reserves through Orochimaru's own. The second level actually delved into one's genetics, the seal's power twisting the DNA into physical abnormalities (it was then that Sasuke realized that his rough, horrific wings during the second level were due to the faint traces of tengu in his blood). But the third level…it was truly something else: manifesting physical traits from the curse seal itself.

How ironic that Orochimaru – damn, it was going to be hard thinking of the man as only Orochi – had claimed the most powerful of his curse seals to be the _**Ten no Juin**_. The Heaven's Curse Seal, manifesting traits more synonymous with mythical angels than the forbidden powers and writhing snakes that he most identified with. A great power borne into a fallen angel.

In any case…for the time being…it was Sasuke's power. He had once desired it to be an angel of vengeance, so to speak. But now this power would serve a different purpose. While he reordered himself, and tried to reclaim some sense in his life – it was going to be EXTREMELY hard to think of Itachi in a different (dare he say _respectful?!_) light after so long – this curse seal would allow him to release any rage that built up. If it would keep him sane, then fine.

And if Orochi did come for him one day…to finally claim him…

He would stand by his allies. His comrades. His friends. As Uchiha Madara had done with the Kyuubi against the Tengu King, so would he stand against the former Hachibi alongside Konoha. _Yamata no Orochi. You can come if you want…but I won't be going to you. Not this time._

As Sasuke walked out with a calm look in his eyes, Sakura stared after him. Something had just happened…but what?

"You needed something Sakura?"

"Oh!" The pink-haired Chuunin grimaced as she turned her attention back to the clipboard. Inner Sakura catalogued the oddity concerning the cursed chakra she had sensed; she'd get to it later, when she had the time. "The hospital's gotten a new influx of patients, and we're a bit slow getting back up to speed due to the mandatory meeting that was called."

Tsunade rolled her eyes. Why oh why were some people so bloody inefficient?! The next class of medic-nin were going to experience the most difficult final exam EVER. "Bah…hold on, I'll get right to it." The Godaime stood up, stalking out as her mind stormed over all the things she had just learned. _Stupid Orochi and stupid Kyuubi and stupid tengu and stupid graverobbers and stupid Uchiha and stupid Itachi and stupid stupid stupid! GAH! I need some sake._

The master and apprentice headed off for the hospital, leaving only Jiraiya and Kakashi in the office.

Hatake Kakashi slumped into one of the available chairs. "Ugh…" This was all too much. Sakumo had been enough to render him numb with shock. **This**…it had overwhelmed shock completely, pushing him to a state where he could only act normally while his subconscious roiled at the enormity of it all. _Oh well…at least I finally know why._ "What a mess, huh?"

"Eh, we'll get used to it."

"But it was so _much_…"

"I'm sort of angry he didn't ask anything about the Gatekeeper Golems. All we know now is that the Kyuubi is capable of opening portals without them, just like the Nibi." The thing intriguing most, without a doubt, had been Kyuubi's snide comment about how his tails were up for grabs…'in a manner of speaking', as he had put it. _What in the world did he mean by THAT?_

Kakashi sweatdropped. "Given everything he experienced from the demon fox's scroll, I'd let it slide."

"Eh, I suppose."

"Should we tell the Hyuga about the origin of their kekkei genkai?"

"Nah. They'd probably pitch a fit. Besides, we don't have enough evidence on-hand to convince them anyway," replied Jiraiya as he turned towards the window, seeing a pigeon staring at them. Pigeons often set down upon the Hokage's Palace, learning long ago that those within – including the Hokage as well – often left plenty of bread and birdseed for their consumption. It was a safe haven of sorts. "We've already got enough crap going on as it is. Best to just roll with the punches. As Tsunade said, we'll deal with whatever occurs." Opening the window, he calmly let the pigeon perch itself on his finger. What a simple beast; there were times where he envied birds, able to fly high without worry. But there was a price to pay; most had to live in the wild, snatching at what food could be found. In a way, Konoha was this pigeon's cage; a very luxurious cage that it chose to live in. Safe, and rife with food. The desires of humanity were so conflicting at times; a desire to live free and without constraint, and a desire for comfort and a place to belong. These alternating desires, intermixed with human foolishness and the capacity for evil…well, why was he thinking of such things? The state of humanity was a subject for philosophers to ponder. He wasn't THAT old. There was still so much left to live for. "In a way though, I'm kind of glad."

Kakashi arched an eyebrow. "How so?"

Jiraiya smiled sadly as the pigeon flew away, his horned hitai-ate reflecting the July sun. "My teacher never really got over Orochimaru…if he had known Orochimaru was beyond saving…it would have made things so much easier."

Hatake Kakashi really had nothing to say. Despite the overwhelming amount of information learned within the realm of _**Tsukuyomi**_…it was almost heartening to see such a huge weight lifted off the shoulders of the two Sannin.

Almost.

He was still getting over the idea that his father might end up being a tool of Orochi.

_Even in death, you won't leave us be._

xxxx

Miles away.

The pigeon that had sat on the windowsill calmly landed in the middle of a thicket, shrouded by willows and tall oaks. It had seen – and heard – a lot.

He had seen Sasuke use _**Tsukuyomi**_.

He had seen the aftermath.

He had seen the preceding event, concerning the talk with Zetsu, Ogi-Daimyou, and Giyoku.

He had even witnessed the gigantic round of speeches…and a lot of other things as well.

Very interesting stuff.

The pigeon cooed as it disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving a three-tailed fox.

He calmly brushed at his ears, his muddy red fur standing out against the brown of his paws, ears, and tail tips. The little canine quietly sat down at the arranged spot, waiting for the proper time.

He had been sent here two weeks ago, to observe the events around Konoha…a task he had often undertaken. One that he had not been able to perform until recently. Until the return of the greatest fox of all.

Sundown.

_**CHOOM**_.

The fox's blue eyes glittered as a tiny blue portal opened up out of nowhere. The surrounding wildlife scattered at the sound…but there were no humans around. Even if they felt the spike of chakra, there wouldn't be anything they could do about it.

Red tendrils of chakra emerged from the portal, lapping at his fur. The connection was made. _I am here at the appointed time, Kyuubi-sama._

**GOOD. YOU CAN STILL PERFORM YOUR DUTY.**

_I did enjoy the fifteen-year vacation, but I feel a little nostalgic, being back in Ningenkai._

**AT LEAST YOU HAVE THE BENEFIT OF FREE MOVEMENT. A BENEFIT I WAS SORELY LACKING.**

_My apologies for your predicament._

**YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE GOD OF DEATH. OR OVER HUMANS, NO MATTER HOW HARD DEMONS HAVE TRIED.**

_I understand…but we all missed you._

**HMPH. YOU AND THE REST HAD THE SAPPY REUNION ALREADY. TELL ME, KITSOZO…WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN?**

Kitsozo smiled, his whiskers twitching. _I have seen much, Kyuubi-sama._

**HU HU HU HU…GOOD. YOU HAVEN'T LOST YOUR TOUCH THEN. COME…THERE IS MUCH TO DO, MY CHILD.**

Kitsozo grinned with glee; it was very rare when Kyuubi no Yoko deemed to term any of his children as such. _Hai, chichiue!_

**THAT'S THE ONLY FREEBIE YOU GET. YOUR SIBLINGS WOULD GET JEALOUS OTHERWISE.**

Kitsozo's ears drooped. _Aw…_ The three-tailed kitsune leapt towards the red chakra; the portal closed soon after.

And then all was quiet.

xxxx

/19 Days Later/

/Sunagakure, Wind Country/

Ichiraku Ayame hadn't really expected her first customer to be the Godaime Kazekage. Really.

After all, she had only opened up shop twelve days ago, just over a week-and-a-half since she had left Konoha to set up a chain. A mutual business decision between herself and her father, to spread the name of Ichiraku Ramen all over. True, it was risky; given the possibility of war, there really wasn't much that could be done in terms of safety. But Suna WAS Konoha's closest ally…so really, where else was there to go?

It didn't have anything to do with the fact that Gaara was here. Not really.

Well…

She could only smile as Gaara moved onto his bowl of shrimp-flavored ramen. That, along with a beef-flavored bowl of ramen, was the only thing he ever ordered. Two at once; the same meal every single time. Those were the dishes he had ordered way back when he had first visited the Konoha Ichiraku Ramen Bar with Maito Gai and Rock Lee. He bore the same observant look he had borne back then, complete with that little spark of introspection and humility.

True, Sunagakure was a lot different from Konohagakure. A LOT different. Sand everywhere, it was always windy, sweltering desert heat…her ramen 'bar' was more like an indoor restaurant, given that she had windows and a revolving glass door to keep the wind from blowing sand inside (plus, it had been an aesthetic decision more than anything; there weren't a lot of revolving doors of any sort in Suna. The fact that a few random tykes usually spent several minutes running around and around it was testament to that. Or their boredom). Sure, it had cost a pretty penny (via a loan, naturally, to the landlord and to the construction crew that had refurbished the small building she had leased), but business had been pretty good regardless. The fact that the Godaime Kazekage had been coming here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every single day was a prime factor. Most people came solely to see and talk to the Kazekage about various matters concerning the village.

Ichiraku Ramen was well on its way to being a hit in Suna!

There were a couple of things to consider though. For one, there was the IKS and the River Army. If things got too hectic, she wouldn't be able to travel so easily. But that was okay; she'd be able to manage.

But the matter she was most concerned with…

The Kazekage calmly ate as Ayame glanced at her two assistant chefs (Totomaru and Hitsugaya), the both of whom had fortunately been quick understudies (which was VERY fortunate, given how assistants her father had hired often turned out to be duds). He was the subject of that other matter.

"Kazekage-sama?"

Gaara quietly looked up, midway through his meal. "What is it?"

"I have a question to ask you."

"Are you busy?"

"Well…" She frowned. It was still dinnertime for a number of customers, and she had to get back to cooking; Totomaru and Hitsugaya were studious cooks, but they were better at cleaning for the time being. "Kind of…"

"Then I will wait until you have closed."

Ayame blinked. "Um…don't you have business to attend to…?"

"No." He had taken care of all matters today. The Council was beginning preparations for the Chuunin Exam; Baki and Temari were both examining the Genin that he had deemed worthy of being potential Chuunin. Kankuro…well, he was preparing for an upcoming war. He briefly wondered how Kankuro was doing.

xxxx

Meanwhile, on the far edge of Sunagakure…

Bachiatari Kankuro grimaced as he grabbed at the shattered remnants of his three puppets. _Damn it, they're still so powerful…_

But who was he kidding? He had known what he was getting into the moment he had signed up for these 'training sessions' (more like the sessions of HELL! The brief trip to Konoha for Gaara's speech had been a _GODSEND_.). Gaara had thrown himself into his Taijutsu training. The Godaime was steadily attaining more control over the sands…and at this rate, it wouldn't be long before he was back at his Genin levels, in terms of sand control. Maybe it wouldn't be an automatic defense like before, but he'd be able to manipulate it easily. Temari was also preparing, aiding the villagers and the lesser shinobi for a potential war.

Who was he to not do the same?

But still! Karasu, Kuroari, and Sanshouuo had been demolished! Repeatedly! Ever since he had signed up for this in May, his puppets had been broken at least five times each!

Well, he was getting trained. Greater control over his puppets, and his own abilities…pretty soon, he'd forge a new collection…if he survived this HELL OF HELLS!

"Bah. You youths these days…no talent and even less respect!"

_SHUT UP OLD HAG!!!_ mentally howled Kankuro as he grabbed another one of Kuroari's horns. Getting whipped, bashed, poisoned with paralytic toxins, and doused with itching powder was one thing; getting berated endlessly was quite another!

"Now now Chiyo, I think you've been quite hard on the lad. It's not his fault he wears pajamas all the time."

That old fool was no help either. _Grr…_

But he would endure. He had to.

Kankuro grimaced as he put the pieces back into their respective piles. The winds howled along the hard cliffs surrounding Suna, the waning light of dusk coating him in shadow. Despite his imposing glare, it was brushed off easily by the two midgets facing him.

Well…they weren't really midgets. Just old. But they were _damned_ good at what they did.

The male of the duo stood to the side, his long black robes billowing over gray pants and dirty brown shoes. His wrinkled hands were hidden beneath his long sleeves, though they possessed enough dexterity to fire off a number of _**Fuuton**_ jutsu. His dark, sunken eyes seemed invisible to those who didn't look close enough, and his bald head was completely enmeshed within bandages and gauze (old war wounds can be sensitive, don't ya know). Despite his old age – as old as the Sandaime Hokage would've been, had he lived – he was still one of the most potent Jonin in the village, and a master of Wind Element ninjutsu.

The female of the duo, however, was the one Kankuro had come to train under.

A woman with flat, puce hair glowered at him, a smug smirk on her baggy, wrinkly face. The red beanie on her head was almost as much of a distraction as the large liver spot on her right cheek, and her attire was exactly identical to Ebizo's (save for a white scarf and red woman's sandals). The elderly lady was Ebizo's fraternal twin, but her specialty was in something else altogether: _**Kugutsu no jutsu**_. She was a master. She was Chiyo, student of the legendary kugutsu-nin Chikamatsu Monzaemon – the man who had served as the Nidaime Kazekage – and the grandmother of the infamous Akasuna no Sasori.

Together, they were the **Yamashiro** Twins.

Since retirement from active-duty, they lived upon the village's natural walls…and if called to serve, they would fight. If they felt like it.

Needless to say, given Kankuro's request for advanced puppet training, along with the possibility of impending war against the IKS…well, let's just say they had no qualms about flexing some old muscles.

All to Kankuro's detriment, of course.

Chiyo flashed a light glare at her brother. "Oh, that's a good point…I imagine it doesn't protect much."

"It's for mobility, stealth in lowlight conditions, and heat aeration," grumbled the Bachiatari as he gripped at the loose clothing.

"Really? I thought you just liked dressing up. Explains the makeup."

"It's CEREMONIAL _WAR PAINT!_"

"And you look like a little dolly. You must be popular with kids!"

Kankuro howled with agony and frustration. Insufferable woman!!! _Even Gaara's fruity dork of a teacher would be better than this!_

xxxx

Gaara frowned as his thoughts turned back to his meal. He wondered why he felt that his sensei had been insulted. And why did he suddenly want to throttle Kankuro? _Hmm. Being human is vexing._

He calmly moved to an empty booth near the front, gazing around. Save for the wooden stools and metallic cooking hardware arranged behind the bar, everything was carved out of stone (just like most of the buildings in Suna; only upper middle-class dwellings and above could afford anything like wood-flooring and full-scale carpeting). The booths bore cushions of red leather, and tables of hardy stone, polished to a nice sheen. It looked pleasant, and it was certainly less expensive than going for wood. Even so, despite the smell of noodles, broth, and meat…the essence of the desert still pervaded everything. Not that that was anything to complain about, for those who lived in a desert their entire lives.

A shame though; ramen was an uncommon dish in Suna. At least he knew Ichiraku Ramen was bound to be good (and it was).

So he waited.

And waited.

Night rolled on through, and the last customers left. He kept his stoic gaze outside the window, ignoring the occasional stares of Totomaru and Hitsugaya.

Finally, 10:30 PM rolled around.

"You guys have a good evening!" cheerfully called out Ayame as her two assistants left. Good boys, they were; a little overeager, but it was probably because she was a foreigner. "Well, I'm done for the day."

"What is your question?"

Ayame turned towards Gaara, who still bore that same stoic stare. _Single-minded fellow, aren't you?_ It was to be expected, though…judging by the people's reactions to the Godaime Kazekage, they knew he was not someone to trifle with. His time was not to be wasted. Plus, he was the bloody Kazekage. At the age of fifteen! "Well…" Wiping a hand through her grimy hair (thank goodness there was a bathhouse just down the road; at the moment, her dwelling didn't possess bathing facilities), she reached into the folds of her stained white uniform and pulled out an envelope. It bore the seal of the Kazekage. "I appreciate the money you sent…but I don't need it." It had been sweet, really; finding the envelope in her business inbox, loaded with enough ryō to pay off several months' worth of rent and loan payments. "I don't really need the charity."

Gaara stared quietly at the outstretched envelope, his teal eyes unreadable. "I was under the impression that gifts aren't returned unless they are unsatisfactory."

Ayame knew she had to be careful. This boy…was a Jinchuriki like Naruto. He had undoubtedly shared a rough life, and his understanding of normal social niceties had suffered as a result. True, he was Kazekage, and he undoubtedly possessed enough knowledge at his fingertips – plus plenty of indomitable will, judging by how calm he was acting – to deal with any politicians, clan heads, or diplomats. But in day-to-day scenarios? One look, and already Ayame could tell that he was seen as unapproachable. A shame. That single time she had seen him with Rock Lee and Maito Gai in Konoha, he had acted quite normally. Quieter than most people, but a good customer nonetheless.

She didn't want to hurt him by giving him the wrong impression. He just…needed some help. Like Naruto had when he had been smaller (though Gaara seemed to be far more attentive than the ever-impulsive Naruto). "No no no, it's not that…I do appreciate it, REALLY I do. But you, well…I don't want to become dependent on someone else. I want to be able to pay off what I owe with what I earn. It's nothing against you. Really, this was _very_ sweet of you, Kazekage-sama. But I'd rather you keep the money and use it for a worthier purpose."

Without missing a beat, Gaara replied, "If you will not accept it as a gift, then accept it as a reward."

Ayame blinked, now feeling somewhat confused. "Eh?"

"A reward for you and your father."

"…why?"

Gaara calmly stood before speaking, his gravelly voice commanding her attention. "Nineteen days ago, there was an event in Konoha. Several people, including your father and myself, spoke in defense of Uzumaki Naruto. Those fools in Konoha had clung too long to their pathetic, foolish prejudices, so the Godaime Hokage saw fit to correct that. Whether it succeeded is up to debate, but I feel that it will convince at least a few to see reality. Your father spoke of how the two of you, despite his initial reservations, became close friends with Naruto." He lightly pushed the envelope back. "Accept this as a reward for becoming the first of Naruto's precious people."

So that was it.

Ayame smiled sadly as she tucked the envelope back into the folds of her clothing. For a host of a demon to have friends…well, it was kind of unheard of. Perhaps Gaara would have turned out more like Naruto, if he had had a friend back then? She didn't know all the details…but there were so many similarities. Yet so many differences.

In the end, Gaara – like Naruto – just didn't want to be alone.

A reward for giving Naruto a release from loneliness. _Well…can't argue with that._ "Okay then…I'll accept your gift, Kazekage-sama."

"Has your question been answered then?"

"To my utmost satisfaction!"

Gaara nodded as he stood up, heading towards the door. "Then I will be back tomorrow for breakfast." As he pushed at the door…

"Kazekage-sama."

Gaara tilted his head.

"How come you eat here everyday?"

Gaara stared, his stoic gaze masking a calm thought process. Why _did_ he come here everyday? On one level, he was intrigued by this woman, who had befriended a fellow Jinchuriki. On another, he merely wanted to keep eating what his sensei had suggested eating not that long ago. And…well, there was a much simpler reason. "You make good ramen."

Ayame only stared as Gaara left. _…well, can't complain about that!_ The proprietor of Ichiraku Ramen (at Suna!) cheerfully went back to tidying up the place. Then it was off to the bathhouse!

xxxx

/Five Days Later/

/Hanabi's Room, Elder Hall, Hyuga Clan Grounds, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Hyuga Hanabi's room was much like Hinata's. Based on the second floor, similar proportions, same overbearing use of white colors (with only hints of sky blue and violet)…the only way other colors could be visible was if one looked out her windows.

Right now, Hanabi sat in front in front of her tallest window, her eyes reflecting the stars above…as did her hitai-ate.

A Konoha identification plate, stitched and clasped onto a black headband.

The 10-year old smirked, a rare feeling of glee coursing through her veins. She had passed the Genin Exams earlier that day, and she was going to be placed onto a team tomorrow…and just in time for the Chuunin Exams too! What luck. Not that she wasn't capable, oh no; her own skills with _**Jūken**_ would have enabled her to defeat any Genin this year, easy. Even the other Hyuga that WERE in the Ninja Academy couldn't compare to her. She wasn't being cocky about it; it was just a fact. Learning other basic jutsu from the Academy had been an easily accomplished task as well.

_**Kawarimi**_, _**Bunshin no jutsu**_, a number of tricks with rope knots, shuriken and kunai accuracy, basic speed and stamina drills…she had gotten the hang of quite a few things during her training sessions over the previous months (whatever you might think of the guy, Ebisu was good when it came to training cadets and Genin). It had definitely paid off!

Perhaps she'd hit the jackpot and find a reason to fight for this newfound strength tomorrow, once the Hokage placed her on a team.

"Hmm…" The girl felt so weird. It was odd that she felt so anxious over something that she once regarded as somewhat…simplistic. She was just a shinobi being assigned to a team. It happened all the time. No big deal at all.

Her change in perception was thanks to Hinata.

Hanabi thought back to the duel. Hinata had actually beaten her. A first! All because she had fought to protect the name of Uzumaki Naruto. If a shinobi gained such strength came from fighting for a precious person, then she had to sign up!

Thing is…who to fight for?

_Hmm. My family's strong as is. Fighting for them is one thing…but they can't really be beaten anyway._ After all, they were Hyuga. Strongest in the Leaf! She needed someone else to be her precious person. Not too weak, but not so strong so as to disregard her aid entirely…then again, Naruto had been originally weak, THEN strong…but in a different sort of way, he had always been strong. Or had he? What kind of strength did he exhibit?

_Grrr…I'll figure it out as I go along._

Still, it was something to feel proud of. She was a ninja now!

Hanabi grinned as she held her hitai-ate up. "Tomorrow…"

Then, out of the darkness of her room, hands grabbed at her.

Before she could even scream or perform _Kaiten_, burning fingers prodded at her tenketsu. Those hands pushed her down onto her large bed, her hands and feet effectively locked down by one assailant each. Even her mouth was clamped shut…all she could do was use her _**Byakugan**_.

Six attackers. Five holding her down and keeping her silenced. The sixth stood to the side, sliding a paintbrush across a strip of paper. _What…?_

"You have your sister to thank for this."

Hanabi arched an eyebrow. _Huh?_

"When you were born, arrangements were made so that, by the time you were four, you would be branded with the curse seal. However, due to your sister's weakness…we held off on that. You were more talented, more powerful, a prodigy in every sense of the word." Hanabi scowled; where had she heard that voice before? "You were chosen to be the next heir, and Hinata was handed off to become a shinobi. Then it would have been Hinata to bear the curse seal, upon the day you became the Head Elder. But things changed yet again…Hinata improved drastically. She was made heir. And quite frankly, we of the Hyuga Clan Council were getting upset. Tradition is tradition, and it would be quite foolish to let BOTH of the Head Elder's offspring go out without any precaution. It has to be one or the other. Hinata shows no signs of weakening anymore, so it has to be you. Especially since you're about to go on your first shinobi mission."

Hanabi saw and felt the strip of paper being pressed against her forehead. The wetness on her skin reminded her. And she knew…she _knew_.

She had seen this ceremony multiple times (in a far more formal fashion, however…and far more grandiose).

The branding of a Hyuga, turning one into a caged bird.

She was receiving the curse seal.

_No…why?! WAIT!!!_

"Apologies for the abrupt timing, but it has to be done, Hanabi." The normal Hyuga patrol routes were not looking this way at this time of night. And other arrangements had been made. No one was watching now, save Hanabi and her six assailants. "You will continue to serve the Hyuga, as a member of the Branch House. You will protect the Main House with all the strength you have."

Hanabi wanted to scream. In fact, she was. But no one could hear her. No one would.

"Sleep well."

It was only as the man performed the hand seals that Hanabi finally recognized this man's voice.

And she felt uncharacteristically sad at the realization. She had known it would have happened eventually…she was not blind to this reality of the Hyuga Clan. Sooner or later, one of the sisters would have become a member of the Branch House: either her or Hinata.

She just…hadn't expected it to be like…this.

_Ojii-san…_

Hyuga Akari pressed his palms against Hanabi's forehead.

An explosion of pain.

And then all was silent.

xxxx

/Next Day/

/Hokage's Office, Hokage's Palace, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

"It's too early…"

Iga Tsunade's eyebrow twitched. "You can keep complaining all you want Konohamaru, it won't change a thing."

The 11-year-old Sarutobi moaned as he readjusted his hitai-ate. "But do I have to become part of a new team?"

"Boy, Udon and Moegi aren't gonna be on their feet for a while," grumbled Sarutobi Asuma as he smoked a cigarette by an open window. "And there are still missions to perform. Teammates get injured, and you get new teammates. Happens all the time."

"Well I think it sucks!"

"Tough luck kid." Tsunade stared at the clock. _Nearly 8:00 AM. Those two should be here by now._

The doors opened.

In came one Hyuga Hanabi, her black hitai-ate wrapped tightly around her forehead. "Good morning, Hokage-sama."

"Same to you, Hyuga Hanabi." Tsunade's eyes narrowed as her highly-developed senses felt out Hanabi's chakra flow. It was erratic, but gradually regressing to normal levels…and the concentration of energy around the head meant only one thing. _Poor girl. I thought Hiashi was trying to keep her from getting the curse seal…_

Stupid Hyuga and their stupid seals. "Did Hiashi wish you any good luck before you left?"

"Iie. I did not see Hiashi-sama this morning." It hurt, not referring to her father as 'otou-san', or even 'chichiue'…but she did not have that right. Not anymore. She was just a member of the Branch House…a fact she had tried to hide from EVERYONE. She had left at the crack of dawn, avoiding Hiashi…and Hinata.

Konohamaru looked at Hyuga Hanabi as she silently sat down in one of the available chairs. "You know how to do that…Gentle Fist style?"

"Hai," calmly replied Hanabi. She was in no mood for her usual mannerisms…as much as she inwardly despised it, she had a role to play now. She would fight for the sake of the Hyuga, and their image. She had to live up to it…as a member of the Branch House. Whether she liked it or not.

Any other time, and she would have found it laughable that she – Hyuga Hanabi, one of the most headstrong Hyuga in recent memory! – had acquiesced so easily.

But what was she going to do about it?

The doors opened again.

"You sent for me?" asked Uchiha Sasuke as he calmly strode into the room, his black gi loose and his katana strapped tightly underneath his belt. He was somewhat annoyed; he had been doing some early morning drills with Sakura and Sai when a messenger bird had been sent. Whatever this was for, it had better be good.

"Yes." She looked over once at Asuma. It was definitely a weird combination…but it certainly held a lot of potential for success. Besides, this was for FAR more than just a simple exam…much, much more. "In six days, the Chuunin Exams will be held in the Rain Country. I'm putting you all on a team to represent Konoha. Asuma will be your sensei for the time being."

Asuma waved. "Hey."

Silence.

Konohamaru impulsively leapt to his feet. "KICKASS! TIME TO BECOME A CHUUNIN!!!"

Then, as if on cue, Sasuke snorted. "I know I'm still only a Genin…" His eye twitched on impulse. He was a Genin…_technically!_ **ONLY** technically. "…but did you have to pair me up with two brats?"

"OI! WHO YOU CALLIN' A BRAT?!"

"You."

Konohamaru snarled as he charged. "YOU TAKE THAT BACK, YOU STUPID-**OOF!!!**"

In the blink of an eye, Sasuke had drawn his blade – sheath and all – and had poked Konohamaru in the stomach. A quick twist of the wrist, and the young boy found himself hovering in the air. _What a joke_, thought the Uchiha with a scowl. He had been summoned for THIS?!

"HEY! PUT ME DOWN!"

Even Hyuga Hanabi, despite her current predicament, couldn't help but let her eyes narrow out of exasperation. _Some jackpot._

And all the while, Asuma only sighed. _Why'd I have to be the one picked for this job?_

xxxx

/North of Amegakure, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

We turn our attention to the rocky highlands north of Amegakure. To a cavern that ANBU Unit #17 had occupied not too long ago, in fact. About twenty miles to the north was the site of the Chuunin Exams.

But that doesn't matter.

What matters now…

_**CHOOM.**_

…is the portal that opened within.

Eleven figures emerged. All wearing black cloaks and straw hats.

Nine of the figures featured exactly similar builds. One figure was somewhat slimmer, and around the same height…and one could barely see a white-and-red mask beneath the straw hat. The last figure was much taller, and FAR more muscular. The sight of the sharp zanbato strapped to his back was proof enough.

"Two of you will hang back. Another one will head east and hide in the forests. The others will spread out…and do what you have to do."

Six of the nine figures burst out of the cavern, spreading out into the early morning sunlight. Two of the nine sat back at the cavern's back, sitting silently as the portal closed.

The last one calmly walked out into the open air, followed by the only two figures sporting different builds. "Ah…it's been so _LONG_…"

"Feh. Only a few months gaki. We were dead for a few years," grumbled the larger swordsman as he gripped at his blade. Still, it felt nice seeing a blue sky again…just a little. His growling voice took on a tone of amusement. "So…Haku. Feeling any nostalgia?"

"Not particularly, Zabuza-sama." The young teen calmly glanced back at his superior, his reformed Kirigakure Oinin mask fitting just as well as it had years ago. "The feelings of this body of dirt and chakra are…different from a flesh-and-blood body. Even this world's sun feels different."

Zabuza snorted as he lightly hefted Kubikiri Houcho. "Say what you will. This body is quite exceptional in battle."

The remaining figure in a cloak chuckled as the two bantered. This scenario, this scene…it was so wonderful! Having these two guys as allies rather than enemies was the BEST THING **EVER**.

For the time being. Maybe he'd find something better at the Chuunin Exams. "According to Kitsozo's intelligence…the Exams are six days from now."

"And what are _you_ gonna do about it?" retorted Zabuza with a cocky smirk, the lower half of his face hidden by both his straw hat and bandages.

The figure turned, tilting his straw hat to reveal spiky blond hair and twinkling blue eyes that only hinted at the potential havoc and mischief that was about to occur. More importantly…he was thinking of the reunion. It probably wouldn't last as long as he would like…but so long as he got to see everyone again at least _ONCE_, it would be okay.

Those thoughts had Uzumaki Naruto grinning. "Well, I'm gonna become a Chuunin of course! No way I'm letting Sasuke-teme get ahead of me."

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**The First Round of the Chuunin Exams! A Mysterious Team from Nowhere…?**_

xxxx

Author's Note: …yeah. Start howling with glee.

I'm compromising just a wee bit. But don't worry, this won't alter the big ORIGINAL scene that would've signified Naruto's return. I like this little twist anyway…it'll allow me to answer a lot of questions about the Gatekeeper Golems and the events in Makai.

Anyhow, I've moving back to Digimon. See ya'll in a couple of months (or less).

See you soon, and please review!


	45. A Mysterious Team from Nowhere?

Author's Note: AGH. This story is like a fish hook in my lip. I want to go work on other stuff…but it hurts so much to not work on this one. Such a dilemma!

(hunkers down to begin writing again)

Also, there's a poll on top of my profile page; basically, out of a number of selected chapters (up to Chapter 45), which one is your favorite?

A slight title change, but no biggie.

Begin!

xxxx

_**A Mysterious Team from Nowhere…? **__**The Chuunin Exams are Finally Here!**_

xxxx

/_103 Days after Naruto Entered Makai_/

xxxx

_Journal of Iga Yoshi_

_291 Days __Since__ Konoha's Birth_

_My brother, the __**Shodai Hokage**__, is already getting fed up with paperwork._

_I don't blame him. It is a hard thing, making a transition from one age to the next. The previous era of constant struggles between the lords of th__e lands, fighting for resources, __lives__, pieces and pieces of the earth we all walk upon__…never ceasing, never ending. The __**Sengoku Jidai**__…the Warring States Era. Now look; the direction of Konohagakure and the Fire Country has led to the consolidation of __territories into __nations__. True, most of these countries are under the leadership of a daimyo…but provisional governments have all been set up, with lesser figures serving the primary daimyo as admi__nistrators of towns and cities. __In a sense, __the __Hokage is Konoha's representative administrator__ to the Lord of __Summer's__ Fire__...fortunately, we function as the nation'__s military. As such, w__e have autonomy._

_Not that it makes synchronizing with other nations any easier! Merchants and businesses are now crisscrossing the lands for new markets in this new era, and now we are in the midst of trying to settle on a singular calendar for global use. I don't see why people can't find a way to agree; sure, some have solar calendars, others have __lunar calendars…but it's just a CALENDAR._

_Alas, some people are morons._

_I am somewhat unsettled by Koga Mitsuhide's behavior in recent weeks; my brother does not see it, but that man is acting almost…predatory, with regards to the other nations. He has always worked for uniting the lands under one banner, but he doesn't seem satisfied with the current arrangement. __His sons are a far more agreeable lot, but__ their father is…untrustworthy.__I wanted__ to talk to my brother about this, but he disregards me._

_After all, I'm __'__only__'__ eighteen. _

_But Nagi is only twenty-five! He can't use the 'age' excuse._

_I suppose it doesn't help that I suggest outlandish ideas, such as Monument Range (which he actually relented __on __when __my friend __Sarutobi __Sasuke__ used a __**Doton**__ jutsu to __form__ his face __on__ the mountainside__. I don't see why he's upset. It looks regal and impressive! It shows respect to our leaders, to those who__ fought hard to bring peace to__ a__ world rife with war__). Nor does it help that I like making bets. It's not my fault I always win._

_I suppose it is merely a function of my age__ to worry about outward appearances. But impressions and appearances are everything to some people…and those people tend to be the ones with power. __Konoha is strong, but satisfied with its current lot in life…we need not appear __as __ambitious as Koga__ Mitsuhide__, or as __frail as __the head of the Uchiha Clan__ (no disrespect intended for Madara, but __his eyes freak me out even more than those of the Hyuga__. Nonetheless, m__y brother has nothing but praise for him__ and the Uchiha's newly-created __**Konoha **__**Keimu Butai**__, so I care not. __A Military Police is a fine idea…alas, h__e will be gone soon anyway; I'm sure the funeral will be a large one). __We must appear youthful, vigorous._

_Hmm.__ Perhaps I should craft a jutsu to do such a thing. __Far more complex and undetectable than a mere __**Henge**__. It shall be a family secret!_

_Like most of my other ideas, my brother probably won't care for it. B__ut like it or not, people treat wrinkles __and old age __as a sign of weakness._

_Then again,__ most people would suggest obesity and laziness are weaknesses. Tell that to __an__ Akimichi __or a__ Nara__ and __then __see how long you last._

_Then again, a Nara wouldn't really care__…_

_How in the world did that clan of lazy bums survive so long? __I suppose that's why their__ wom__e__n are so feisty._

_A thought to leave for another day…_

_Iga Yoshi_

xxxx

/Hokage's Office, Hokage's Palace, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Iga Tsunade sighed as she rolled up her granduncle's old scroll, putting it back inside her desk drawer. "I'd rather have issues with a calendar than this mess…"

Alone, in her office, Tsunade would often read through the journals of her grandfather and granduncle. It offered her solace, the pen strokes and words of her ancestors. The First and the Second Hokage had both faced unique challenges, both being young shinobi at the time of the Second Great Ninja War. The two brothers had both fought with their all in that war…and with the aid of the Koga, the Iga had formed the foundation of Konoha.

Iga Nagi, the Shodai, had formed the forests of the Hidden Leaf. He had built the foundation of Konoha, guiding the village through its early years.

Iga Yoshi, the Nidaime, had used his prowess in battle to bulk up the power of the Hidden Leaf, augmenting the shinobi forces of Konoha until its military might was second to none amongst the other Hidden Villages.

Konoha had been the first. The other four members of the Five Great Shinobi Powers – Sunagakure, Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure – had all been formed within the two decades following Konoha's birth. In a way, Konoha had been the standard; its rise had signified the rise of a new era…and now, in the face of a new threat, the possibility of its fall hinted at the end of this era…

Tsunade grumbled as she gazed out the window at the village. Despite her frustration with various individuals (i.e. most of the Council of Elders) and various tasks that came with the job (i.e. PAPERWORK OF DOOM AND DESPAIR), she enjoyed being Godaime Hokage. It felt good, following in the steps of such individuals like Iga Nagi, Iga Yoshi, Sarutobi Saikyou, and Kazama Arashi.

Why not read their own words every now and then, and attempt to decipher their own thoughts?

Tsunade giggled to herself, noting the difference in style between her grandfather and granduncle. Nagi's structured, neat handwriting compared to Yoshi's loose, free-flowing style. She honestly found it hilarious how much she emulated her granduncle; the impulsive gambling (though it seemed her uncle had used up the good luck of the entire Iga Clan, judging by her infamy as the 'Legendary Sucker'), the use of the oh-so-cleverly-named _**Chou Henge**_ (_Super_ Transformation? Really now) to mask the ravages of time…even now, looking at old pictures of Yoshi inducting a young Sarutobi Saikyou as Sandaime, she marveled at how young her granduncle appeared. Especially considering how long both he and Nagi had served.

Iga Nagi had served for twenty-one years. Yoshi had served until Konoha's fiftieth year, from where a twenty-two-year old Sarutobi had handled the job for the next thirty-three years. Following Arashi's ill-fated two-year stint as Yondaime, Sarutobi had taken the reigns for another twelve years…and now, here she was. Three years running.

Konoha would be 101 years old in a month.

A shame that she was the last of its founding family…and the Koga had none left. With the death of Orochimaru, the Koga Clan had officially died out. Orochimaru's parents, both shinobi, had perished during the Third Great Ninja War. Koga Danzo – Orochimaru's uncle – and his children had all died when the invasion by Oto and Suna had resulted in the total destruction of the _**Ne**_ Headquarters, the **Root** subdivision of the ANBU Black Ops. The father of Koga Danzo had been the second-born child of Koga Mitsuhide, and Mitsuhide's children had all passed away by the time of the Yondaime Hokage.

As for Mitsuhide himself…

Tsunade sighed out of remorse, dreading the upcoming logs in her grandfather's journal.

The defection of Koga Mitsuhide…the final battle between Mitsuhide and Nagi.

The climactic battle that the Valley of the End was famous for.

It had been such a shame to, to see the end of the great relationship between the Iga and the Koga. It had been the Sandaime's hope to cultivate a new bridge between the two clans, having the youngest of the Iga and the Koga on his team…

How unfortunate that it didn't turn out so well.

Team 3 had become the Densetsu no Sannin…

Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose, willing the headache away. _No hope for Orochimaru…__he was a demon in disguise. __Nothing more._ Yet, the boy had actually shown humanity as a child…and as a Genin…only as time passed, as he reached adulthood, did the changes become paramount…

She flicked her forehead, muttering to herself. "No more Tsunade. It's over and done with. Focus on the now." The Godaime huffed as she brought her mind back to the present. The Chuunin Exams would begin in six days. The temporary Team Asuma would be leaving tomorrow for the Rain Country (and she would NOT be thinking of it as the Rain 'Province'; Hanzou and Pein would annoy her to no end about it). They'd have enough time to bond (hopefully, maybe…kind of. Sort of) over the trek there. She, along with her personal guard, would follow a few days later.

It was going to be a big event. With the exception of the Mizukage, all of the Kages were going to be there. Hokage, Kazekage, Tsuchikage, Raikage…Oda Nobunaga was going to be there, obviously. So were a great number of lords, ambassadors, diplomats, and representatives of villages, towns, and other countries. Not only to see the shinobi fight, but to see the true depth of the River Army.

Tsunade snorted. _Nobunaga will probably give them a show. As if the Exams aren't going to be enough…_

It would be easy enough for the shinobi to pass through…but something about the whole scenario bugged her. She'd tread lightly nonetheless…and she'd fell a LOT better once she stood by the side of the Kazekage. _I only hope he's recovered enough of his strength__ to make for an intimidating presence._

Hanzou and Pein would likely get a pretty big homecoming. Wouldn't THAT be a slap in Nobunaga's face!

Tsunade smiled, trying her best to let the worry flow away. Whatever happened would happen; she could only prepare and do her best. Even if it wouldn't be enough. _Perhaps I'll read one more entry…_

She reached for her grandfather's journal and began reading.

xxxx

Several minutes later, Shizune reached for the door handle to Tsunade's office, only to blink as the Fifth came walking out. "Tsunade-sama?"

Tsunade stared quietly at her assistant, a stern but unsteady look in her eyes. "Yes?"

"…are you okay? I just wanted to bring you the diagnostic reports you asked for this morni-"

"That's nice Shizune, but not now." Tsunade quickly walked past her confused apprentice. "I'll be in the archives for a little while. I won't be long."

Shizune stared. "Uh…okay."

The Hokage calmly stalked down the stairs, moving with a determined stride.

Her destination: the Village Archives, locked and sealed within the basement of the Hokage's Palace.

As for why…

Well, let's just say it had interesting ramifications on a potential war.

xxxx

/Great Courtyard, Hyuga Clan Grounds, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

Hyuga Hinata was currently puzzled.

An oddity, considering how refreshing and cleansing an afternoon in the clan's Great Courtyard could be. But her eyes were focusing on a sparring match.

One between Hyuga Hanabi and Hyuga Hitomo.

Hitomo was one of the more skilled children of the Main House, being the son of Hyuga Hiaka; Hiaka was one of the members of the Hyuga Clan Council, for he was the head of one of the ten Main House families. In terms of authority, his status as an Elder was beneath only her father's as Head Elder. Hitomo, being Hiaka's pride and joy, was good at the art of the Gentle Fist.

But it paled in comparison to Hanabi's, Neji's, and her own (how odd that she was considering herself good at _**Jūken**_, given her personality; how ironic that it was Naruto-kun's absence that forced her to grow and become stronger).

So why was Hanabi not winning?

Hinata sighed as she leaned back against the bamboo tree, its ridged surface pressing into her back; from here, she could see the footsteps of Hanabi and Hitomo crisscrossing the grass, the ground doused in shadows as the sun set further. She was not the only one watching either; Hyuga Hiaka stood on the opposite side of the sparring ground, watching carefully.

It wasn't that good a match; it was close, true, but Hanabi wasn't showing any of her usual fire. In battle, she gave everything her ALL. No matter who her opponent.

So why was she fighting so…_passively?_

Instead of going for pinpoint strikes around the torso – easily cutting off access of chakra to the limbs – she would block Hitomo's strikes and go for open palms to the arms and side. It was an effective fighting style, but one that lent itself more towards defense than offense…and Hanabi NEVER favored defense over offense. Not if she could help it.

_Hanabi-chan…what's wrong?_ She didn't even need her _**Byakugan**_ to notice these things.

If she had though, she would have been able to guess why immediately.

In any case…it seemed even Hitomo was getting tired of Hanabi's passive strikes. "Come on Hanabi-san! I saw your battle with Hinata-san months ago…you're better than this!"

Hanabi knew she was better than this. She KNEW she was. If she had wanted to, she would've ended this fight within the first thirty seconds.

But…Hiaka was watching.

Hanabi knew just by looking at him – a lucid but tense stare, almost **daring **her to harm his child – that he knew she had the curse seal (had he been one of those who had ambushed her last night?). And Branch House attacking Main House was verboten.

The young Hyuga grimaced as she blocked more strikes from Hitomo. He was four years her senior, but he was WEAK compared to her. Even weak compared to Hinata!

But…if she went all out…would Hiaka activate the curse seal?

Hanabi mentally grimaced. Anyone with a _**Byakugan**_ would see her and notice the odd accumulation of chakra around the forehead. Only those with well-developed eyes would have been able to look at two Hyuga – Main House and Branch House – and tell the difference when looking at the Inner Coils. Hyuga of the Branch House had a minor swelling of chakra about the Caged Bird curse seal...and as if she hadn't had enough problems, HINATA was watching.

How confused she looked! She should've beaten Hitomo by now!

_I can beat him. I know I can._ Hanabi warded off another pair of glowing fingers, her frustration slowly building. Subservience was not her style…it never had been. _I don't know how many Hyuga know about my curse seal…but Hinata-chan will eventually find out. __So will father._

Did Hiashi know? Had he ordered for her to be branded?

A palm to the shoulder sent her skidding backwards. "Come ON! Stop being a **weakling** _**and FIGHT!**_" roared Hitomo, clearly fed up with this poor excuse of a match.

Hanabi inwardly snarled, feeling the blow to her pride. Trying to behave as a Branch House member was more difficult than she had anticipated…and where did Hiaka get off looking at her with such a self-satisfied look in his eyes?! She might have been relegated to the Branch House, but that had _**not**_ diminished her power…was he thinking that Hitomo would win **just because of her ****status?** _You stupid old man…_

Fine then. Screw Hiaka. Screw Akari. SCREW the curse seal! She'd give it her all and fight like she always did: with her all, never holding anything back! And if anyone had a problem with it…they could go jump off a cliff for all she cared.

That scenario actually sounded darkly appealing at the moment.

Hanabi bent her knees, shifted her legs, and twisted her arms. The sun glistened off of her hitai-ate as the wind gently lifted her dark brown hair. "Fine then. I was being polite, but if you want me to fight…" Her _**Byakugan**_ narrowed. "**I will.**"

She dashed forward.

Hitomo could only blink before Hanabi was upon him. "_**Hakke Rokujuyon**__** Sh**__**ō!**__" _Two quick flicks with the fingers. "Hakke two palms!"

Hitomo grimaced as Hanabi spun. _So fast!_

"Four palms!"

Hanabi scowled with disgust. _And you called ME a weakling?_

"Eight palms!"

_Hinata-chan would have been able to block some of my strikes, or use **Kawarimi**._

"Sixteen palms!"

_Neji-san would have used **Kaiten** to negate my attack._

"Thirty-two palms!"

_Otou-san…he would've blocked everything. And I would be rendered helpless by his counterattack._

"SIXTY-FOUR PALMS!!!"

_SO WHY DO YOU DARE THINK OF ME AS A WEAKLING WHEN YOU CAN'T DO THE SAME AS THEM?!?!_

Hanabi scowled as she ended her assault; sixty-four of Hyuga Hitomo's tenketsu were sealed off, rendering his Gentle Fist attacks useless. Granted, he was now frustrated…and in his haste, he charged. _Still haven't had enough? Fine. I don't need to use my **Jūken** either._ Hanabi performed a sweep kick, grabbing Hitomo's ankles as his legs went skyward. Twisting her lithe legs around, the young Hanabi tossed a boy nearly fourteen inches taller than her into the air. A quick application of chakra to the legs enabled her to leap high above the boy. Soaring in the air, like a mighty hawk…she felt normal again. She was Hyuga Hanabi! She was NOT just some Branch House trash that would be used and discarded! She would not be treated so lightly.

"**HYAAAA!**"

A flip, followed by a downward heel to Hitomo's stomach. The boy gagged as he crashed into the ground, the collision actually causing portions of the well-manicured lawn to ripple.

Hinata smiled as Hanabi landed. That was more like her sister. _Though she didn't have to go THAT far…she must be upset about something. Maybe she doesn't like her new teammates…?_

The newly-instated Genin scowled as she grabbed a moaning Hitomo by the scruff of his white gi, ignoring the glare of killing intent being sent her way by Hiaka. If he didn't like it, then tough luck! "Well? Think I'm a weakling now?" Hitomo gurgled, his mouth leaking with blood. _Huh. That last kick must have hurt._ "WELL?"

Hiaka snarled, his right hand snapping up into the special hand seal. "**That is **_**enough!**_"

Hinata briefly wondered why in the world Hiaka used the submission hand sign for the Caged Bird curse seal. _Huh?_

Then Hanabi collapsed.

And Hinata felt horror as the screams began.

Hanabi cared for nothing at that moment. All thoughts of pride, of showing strength, of mocking Hiaka for thinking less of her…NOTHING remained in her mind. Nothing but fire, piercing away at every part of the brain…all-consuming, **ALL-ENCOMPASSING**…

_STOP STOP STOP!!!_ Hanabi shrieked, her throat already starting to feel hoarse from the screams. "**AAAAAH, **_**AAAAAAAH!!!**_"

Hanabi was NOT one to scream. Never. But even now, as she pawed and scratched at the fire inside her head (_MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP!!!_), she grimly wondered how many people were watching.

She REALLY hoped her father didn't see her like this. Not when she was screaming her head off, desperate for a respite from this horrible _**BURN****ING**_-

It ended.

_Oh thank you thank you thank you…_

Hanabi wearily raised her head, looking up at Hiaka.

His hand was being clutched by Hinata's. Her eyes stared quietly at Hanabi's trembling form…at the tears of pain streaming down her little sister's face, unbidden and unwanted, but coming all the same.

That stare hurt Hanabi…because it meant Hinata knew.

That her sister knew she was of the Branch House…it shouldn't have hurt so much. But it did. Almost as much as the curse seal's activation itself.

"That will be quite enough, Hiaka-san." Hinata turned her gaze towards the Elder, her eyes slowly gaining a steely edge to them. Such a delicate scenario had to be handled…properly. Hiaka would have to learn his position.

This would have been a much more difficult task had the victim of Hiaka's actions not been her little sister.

Speaking of Hanabi…

Hinata calmly knelt down beside her sister; Hitomo at least had the decency to look stunned by the events that had just transpired. Hiaka merely looked indignant, which was nearly enough to make the heiress snap then and there. Yes, how dare she act concerned about her sister? How dare she even show the SLIGHTEST hint of being upset? It wasn't as though her sister hadn't been given the curse seal without her knowledge, oh no. Sure, Hanabi had just been screaming, but she didn't care, oh no…had Hinata been more inclined (or had been possessing a more cynical disposition), she would've actually called Hiaka an **idiot** (horror of horrors!).

But such things could wait.

Especially now that her sister, a prodigy of the Hyuga, was trembling in the grass, looking weaker than either of them felt comfortable with. Hinata calmly assisted Hanabi to her feet, whispering, "Are you okay, _imouto?_"

"I…" Hanabi breathed heavily, her joints actually complaining. The pain of the curse seal had spread through her entire body, it seemed…never had she felt such an indescribable rush of agony. As though her mind had been set aflame with a _**Katon**_ jutsu. "…I am fine, Hinata-sama."

Hinata nearly broke into tears. Had the situation been amongst only the two of them, she probably would have. Hanabi had already submitted to her fate, subconsciously or no…?

Had her pride become so damaged already?

"You are my sister, Hanabi-chan." Hinata placed her arms around Hanabi's shoulders, looking at Hiaka with a dour stare. "Main House or Branch House, that will not change. I only wish others treated you the same."

The Elder frowned at the subtle slight against his character. _You bratty upstart…_

Hinata calmly added, "I am sure your strength will not be disrespected Hanabi-chan. After all, Neji-san is still better than both of us…better than most Hyuga." Hanabi suddenly blinked, and Hinata glanced over Hiaka's shoulder. "Yet he is of the Branch House…correct?"

"You are indeed correct, Hinata."

It was at that moment that Hiaka knew he was in for a world of hurt.

He turned around, straight into the impassive face of Hyuga Hiashi. "Ah…Head Elder…" _Oh great._

If Hiashi was upset, he certainly did an excellent job of hiding it. He merely strode past Hiaka and Hitomo, standing stoically in front of Hinata and Hanabi. "…" Had he been a lesser man, he probably would have hit Hiaka by now. Repeatedly. As it was, he settled for feeling slightly disappointed that Hanabi didn't want to look at him. "Hanabi. Eyes on me."

Hanabi did as she was told.

Hiashi's face said nothing of his true feelings. Truth be told, he was somewhat…perturbed by the sight of the submissive face he was being shown. None of the defiance she normally exuded, none of the fiery spirit that characterized her so well…none of that. It certainly irritated him on a level he couldn't quite contemplate. If one thing could be said, he was pleased that Hinata had handled the situation the way she had…even down to her barely restraining a glare, aimed directly at him. As if _he_ had something to do with Hanabi's predicament.

Hinata was about to be sorely disappointed.

Hiashi merely shifted his youngest daughter's hitai-ate, just a slight tad…he calmly took in the sight of the bandages underneath, protecting the sensitive skin around the new curse seal.

The Head Elder had the audacity to sigh. _So it seems someone saw fit to subvert my authority._ He would certainly be having someone's head over this matter. In the meantime, he would settle for 'interrogating' Hiaka. "Hinata."

"Hai?"

"See that Hanabi sees Hyuga Hanami." Hanami was one of the older members of the Branch House, the head of the Great Courtyard's many gardeners. She was responsible for assigning new members of the Branch House to the dwellings located along the walls of the Great Courtyard. Whereas the Elder Hall served as the home of the Main House, it was the walls of the Hyuga Clan Grounds that served as the home of the Branch House. It further symbolized the traditional role of the two houses: Branch protected Main. "She needs rest for her first mission tomorrow."

Hinata wanted to berate her father for daring to suggest Hanabi sleep anywhere else than in her own room. But apparently, he had already adapted to the young girl's new…situation.

It wouldn't have killed him to look sad, even if it would have only manifested in the form of a deeper frown.

Hiashi gazed into Hanabi's eyes one last time before turning away, walking past Hiaka. "Come with me Hiaka-san. I feel the sudden need to refresh my sparring skills."

Hiaka gulped as he quietly followed the Head Elder, followed in turn by his son. He had enough sense to feel some sense of dread at fighting Hyuga Hiashi…and when the Head Elder wanted to spar, you couldn't exactly deny him. Need I mention that he's the **HEAD ELDER?**

Hinata and Hanabi stared silently as the three Hyuga departed.

Hanabi's eyes fell to the ground just as the sun disappeared beneath the walls of the Hyuga Clan Grounds. How fitting; her prospects had completely dimmed over the course of one day. It was really silly…and stupid. She may have been branded with the curse seal, but she had not changed at all. Her personal worth, her skill, her might…none of it was different! So why? Why did Hiaka look at her like…she was **trash**?

At least Hinata didn't treat her any differently.

She would find out in the course of events that the Branch House Hyuga tended to be awfully chatty about affairs in the Main House. It was how she would find out later that evening about the outcome of Hiashi and Hiaka's 'spar'.

It would bring a much-needed smile to her face, learning that Hiashi's handiwork had rendered the Training Hall unusable for the foreseeable future.

At least he was angry about her predicament. That was a plus...

xxxx

/One Day Later/

/Inside the Western Gate, Konohagakure, Fire Country/

The Eastern Gate of Konohagakure was more popularly known as the Main Gate, given that it served as the main thoroughfare into the village. The doors, tall as the village walls themselves…an impressive and magnificent image, if you asked anyone.

Compare that to the 'Western Gate', which was nothing more than a pair of twenty-foot tall doors attached to a tunnel that was essentially 'drilled' through the village walls. It was guarded just as much as the Eastern Gate, but there wasn't exactly a big demand for its use (relative to the Eastern Gate, that is; most trade routes led north and eastward, towards the rest of the Fire Country and the seas to the east). Even so, the northern walls of the village – just beyond the edge of Monument Range – would be getting its own gate soon. The southern wall could be left alone; three main points of entry into the village were quite enough.

Though it would make waiting a bit easier, if Sasuke could gaze at the horizon…towards his destination. Alas, he could only wait here…and await a sendoff by the Hokage with his team.

Speaking of team…

Sasuke glanced quietly at the two waiting with him at the gate.

_Sarutobi Asuma._ One of Konoha's best Jonin. The man remained quiet, his dark facial hair neatly trimmed into a manly (some would say, that is) beard. A lit cigarette hung limply from his mouth as he tinkered with the gauntlets adorning his hands. Sasuke really had no qualms with him; odd smoking habit aside, this man was strong. He wouldn't be a hindrance on this mission.

_Hyuga Hanabi._ The girl sat quietly with her legs crossed, her white eyes shut tight. A Konoha headband sat on her forehead, holding back her dark brown hair; if one looked at her from a certain angle, they would've assumed she was Neji at a younger age (which didn't really speak too well for the Hyuga Jonin, given that his own head of brown hair practically screamed 'I'm a girl!' if you looked at him from behind). Judging from what little he had heard, she was quite skilled with the Gentle Fist.

And of course, this drew his thoughts to the other teammate…

_Sarutobi Konohamaru._ Sasuke struggled to hold in his groan of annoyance. A mini-Naruto, and without all the useful skills that made up for the blond's annoyance factor. This guy was just plain annoying. And he was late.

A sigh from Asuma drew his attention. The Jonin blew a puff of smoke, muttering, "Well, it's not exactly the most favorable of conditions…but at least you'll have the opportunity to become a Chuunin."

True, there was that. Sasuke let his hand hang limply on the hilt of his sheathed katana; the Chuunin Exams were in five days. Barring an exam format that lasted over a month like before…he wouldn't be part of this outfit for too long. At least Team Yamato had Sakura, and a teammate who took his job seriously (a bit TOO seriously at times).

Then came the incessant chattering.

"I only wanted to say goodbye to Udon and Moegi!"

"They were in the middle of an operation you nitwit. You don't barge in unannounced."

"But I wasn't going to do anything!"

"It was a clean room."

"ARE YOU SAYING I'M DIRTY?!"

"Yes, I **am**."

"WHY YOU-!!!"

**POW!!!**

"_**WAH!!!**_"

Asuma casually grabbed Konohamaru's body as he went flying past, courtesy of a flick from Tsunade's finger. "Hey boy. You have a habit of irritating the Hokage, no matter who it is."

"Hmph," grumbled Konohamaru. "I just wanted to see my teammates before I went to the Chuunin Exams…" That he was going without them **at all** sucked royally! He was going to become Chuunin before them! Wait, that meant he would actually outrank them for a little while…he could boss them around! And unlike usually, they wouldn't be able to deny him! The possibilities…they were ENDLESS. _Well, that kind of makes up for it…_

The Jonin groaned out of irritation at the boy's antics. _Well, he certainly is a bundle of energy._ Asuma turned his eye towards the other arrivals: Tsunade and her apprentice Sakura. Walking behind them were Hiashi and Hinata. "Hello Hokage-sama. Haruno-san." He offered a respectful nod to Hiashi and Hinata. "Hiashi-san. Hinata-san."

Sasuke turned a quiet eye towards Sakura, who was looking at him hesitantly. He briefly wondered how much she had heard nearly a month ago, during his impromptu meeting with the Hokage. _If she did hear anything…she certainly hasn't acted like she does._ The fallout from that little meeting had had a few interesting consequences.

Increased ANBU patrol of the Gatekeeper Golem for one…but, for Sasuke, the realization that there were enough barrier seals interlaced through the Nakano Shrine that entry into the hidden tablet room was impossible for anyone whose chakra did not correspond with that of an Uchiha's. Jiraiya had actually had to forcefully suppress his own chakra with a suppressant tag before he could analyze Sojobo's tablet.

The Sannin's analysis had indicated that the Tengu King was in no danger of breaking out anytime soon, so that was good news.

His thoughts suddenly focused on the odd, hesitant stare within the kunoichi's emerald eyes.

_Why is she looking at me like that?_ He had seen that look many times before. That uncertain look, where she wanted to ask him something he would have possibly deemed offensive. It was a look that 'The Fangirl' had worn multiple times prior to his defection. Though…what did she want to talk to him about? Did it concern Itachi? Had she heard his little tirade on Itachi being 'more of an Uchiha' than him?

That WOULD have been cause for her to wonder…

"-and most of the lords are already in the Rain Country." Sasuke's thoughts halted at the sound of Tsunade's voice. She was in the middle of a conversation with Asuma. "Lord Senju will also be there as well. These exams are going to draw an immense crowd, precisely because it'll show the heads of the nations what direction to go in. They will be shown the way of the River Army, and the way of the shinobi. It'll be there that the ultimate fate of the militaries of the world will be decided."

Asuma nodded. "Gonna be a big event…not exactly the most photogenic guy, but I suppose we'll be able to make a decent showing."

"Make sure they're well-prepared for anything." She knew exactly what was coming. But the three participants were forbidden from learning. "Given who Nobunaga is, I wouldn't put anything past him…there's just so many things that can go wrong."

"Well, we'll just have to play it careful then." Asuma puffed one last cloud of smoke into the air before stomping down on his cigarette. "I guess we'll be off then."

Eyes fell upon the two Hyuga following the Hokage. Hinata appeared somewhat skittish and uncertain; a flashback to Hinata of yesteryear, to when she was still the 'shy, quiet, dark-haired weirdo'. Her maturation over the past months had been astonishing, to say the least…and given what had happened yesterday with Hiaka, she seemed more than ready to become Head Elder (if only to take on the Hyuga Clan Council). Yet now…she wasn't acting as assertive. She certainly didn't move like she usually did!

Hanabi mentally grimaced. Her nervous aura wasn't a good sign. That meant she had no idea what their father was going to say. News of Hiaka's thrashing had been welcome, but how would he personally greet her? It wasn't as though he could be personal, treating her like a father would treat a beloved daughter. She was of the Branch House…and he was the Head Elder. Protocol, tradition, rules…all of them required her to be subservient to the Main House, with any Main House member acting only courteous at best.

She had heard stories of how her mother had behaved. Stories mostly told with scorn by other Main House Hyuga…and with great affection by Branch House Hyuga.

Not for the first time, Hanabi wished she had been able to know her mother.

"Hyuga Hanabi."

Hanabi impulsively snapped at attention, gazing up at the impassive face of the Head Elder.

Given her close relationship with him, Hanabi always took the cautious looks the other elders gave Hiashi in stride…but it was at that moment that she couldn't help but remember why he was a man to be feared. His skills with the Gentle Fist seemed borderline impossible, having mastered various ways to strike not just the keirakukei, but the inner organs as well. A brief brush with his fingers, and Hiashi could literally fry the nerves in an opponent's brain. One palm to the heart, and the pressure from the collision would cause the entire organ to rupture. He could strike with such force that his chakra could damage the marrow of the bones. Needless to say, he was a certifiable master of _**Jūken**_, one of the best in the history of the Hyuga (and a very big reason why he had been able to ward off the aims of the Clan Council; as Head Elder, he could invoke old rituals and old customs, most notably 'duels of honor'. Who in their right mind would duel _**him?!**_). Now, staring down at her, measuring her with but a glance, Hanabi felt terribly small.

It was uncomfortable…and alien…to feel so vulnerable.

_Stupid curse seal. No wonder Neji-san was always so angry._

A hand rested upon her head.

Hanabi stared, and stared…and stared some more. Hiashi's face revealed nothing, but this gesture was saying a lot. "Hiashi-sama…?"

Hiashi sighed. How unfortunate that she had already gotten so accustomed to being of the Branch House. He would have to rectify that. "This is your first mission as a Konoha-nin." It was at this moment that Asuma wisely clamped down on Konohamaru's mouth ("**WHAT!!!** _FIRST_ MISSION?! I'M STUCK WITH A ROOKIE?!?!" Fortunately, Asuma's hand was in the way). "This will be a trial in which you have the chance to become a Chuunin. You will be representing not just Konoha, but the Hyuuga as well. The representatives of other nations will be watching…especially our adversaries in Kumogakure." The Hidden Cloud would be there in force, no doubt. The possibility of an attempted kidnapping was high. He'd have to only bring the strongest of the Hyuga with him. In any case…in terms of the actual exams…he had nothing to fear for. "No matter what happens, **you** are **my** daughter, and know that I am proud of you."

That wasn't a halfway statement at all. It was certainly the most that he could manage to say, given his station and Hanabi's.

And it was more than enough for Hanabi. She wanted to smile and hug her father right then and there. But that…well, that wouldn't be right (she had never been much of a person for hugs to begin with). So she settled for bowing. "Hai, Hiashi-sama!" She quietly added, "Hai…_otou-san._"

Hiashi inwardly smirked at Hanabi's whisper. _At least her spirit hasn't broken._ "Come Hinata. We must prepare."

"Hai, otou-san." Hinata calmly walked towards Hanabi…and wrapped her in a fierce hug, not caring who watched. She was her sister, darn it! Curse seal or no. "Good luck, Hanabi-chan."

Hanabi could only nod. She wasn't used to hugs. She wouldn't deny that it felt good.

The two Hyuga calmly walked away, leaving only Tsunade and Sakura. Speaking of Sakura…

"Well, looks like you're finally off to become a Chuunin," said Sakura, looking quietly at Sasuke with lucid emerald eyes.

"Hn," grunted Sasuke. His mind had already drifted on to the Chuunin Exams. It would be in enemy territory, and – considering how edgy the Hokage seemed to be – it would be a very 'unique' series of exams…involving the River Army to some extent. While his thoughts drifted to the Kurohyougunsha and the rifles of the River Army infantry, a hand came to his shoulder. Sakura's. "Hm?"

Sakura was frowning. That uncertain look was still in her eyes. "I'm gonna be heading up with Hokage-sama in a few days to watch the Exams as well…" Not that she'd get to talk to him of course. But she at least had to let him know. "Look, if there's ever anything you need to talk about…there's still one member of the old team here."

_So she knows._

Well, not everything, obviously. Practically all of the information had been delivered via _**Tsukuyomi**_. Though a few tidbits HAD made it out into the open…such as Orochimaru's identity as the incarnation of a demon, and the fact that Itachi had killed the Uchiha Clan for putting their fate 'in the hands of the most powerful tengu demon'. He was sure that she had heard that, at the very least; she was approaching him as though he were a stranger. As though she didn't know him. Given that he had based his entire life on killing Itachi, that his entire being had been built upon the desire for revenge…it was understandable. Not that he had changed THAT much. Kind of. Sort of. It was hard to tell at times. Or maybe it was because he was still technically a teenager?

The last Uchiha, face perfectly stoic, mentally scowled. _Feh. Itachi could have at least left mother alive._ Then he'd have answers for all the mundane questions he didn't dare ask anyone else (because, in all honesty, even Sasuke knew he'd get odd looks if he asked why women thought being bought a drink was ALWAYS considered a romantic gesture. He personally didn't see it. And that was only one mundane question among many). His conscious ignored the multiple trains of thought hurtling through his head, focusing instead on his teammate. "I'll…consider it."

Sakura lightly smiled as she removed her hand. _Better than nothing_. At least he didn't outright turn her down.

Uchiha Sasuke turned away towards Asuma, Konohamaru, and Hanabi. "Let's get going."

"Who put you in charge?" grumbled Konohamaru. Sasuke shot the little tyke a glare and got a tongue in response. "Nyah!" Hanabi could only sweatdrop at their behavior.

Asuma grimaced. _I need a cigarette…_

'Team Asuma 2.0' walked out through the Western Gate, their bodies illuminated by the midday sun. Sakura and Tsunade calmly watched the four shinobi depart, the wind carrying a chill that matched their unease.

If only they knew that the River Army wouldn't be the most shocking facet of the Chuunin Exams…

Five days until Round One.

xxxx

/Two Days Later/

/Tenchi Bridge, Fuchi Canyon, Grass Country/

Uzumaki Naruto had experienced a lot during his time in Makai.

To explain everything would require a lot of time, and Naruto didn't have much of that.

The wind billowed through his black cloak, and his cerulean eyes gazed quietly through the forest around him. The sounds of the wind on Ningenkai were refreshing to listen to; the gusts and winds of Makai always seemed to howl, to shriek at high speeds…and there was always an unmistakable taint to the air, after having been saturated with the chakra of demons for eons. The red sky was also something that he had taken a little getting used to…but seeing the eternal sea of blue, stretching for eternity beyond white puffy clouds…coated by a canopy of green leaves at the edge of his vision…

Naruto inhaled the air. _I missed this place._

A shame he was only here temporarily. That he had managed to get here at ALL had taken a lot of negotiating with the Kyuubi (i.e. begging, pleading, whining, and bugging him until he relented). Without the demon's chakra, there was no way he could've made the journey. And even then, the only reason he had been 'allowed' to come was so that the 'enemies of the great Kyuubi no Yoko' would be hindered. "Stupid demon."

_"I sincerely hope you're not talking about me, boy."_

Uzumaki Naruto groaned, recalling the various 'conditions' behind his coming here. He had only been allowed the luxury of sending nine Shadow Clones – one for each tail of the Kyuubi's chakra – to Ningenkai. Two were back at the cavern, hiding in case something went wrong. The third had hidden in the forests along the Fire Country's western border. Those three were backups, in case something happened to the other six. One was with Zabuza and Haku, heading to the Chuunin Exams. The other four were heading out to the places that the kitsune spy Kitsozo had claimed possessed River Army encampments. As for himself…well, he was the odd _**Kage bunshin**_ out, given that he had gotten the most irritating assignment. "No, I'm not." Naruto pulled his hand out beneath his cloak, revealing a small scepter made of pure obsidian. The ornamental staff was rather small; the rod was only two feet long, while the head of the scepter was a small, hollow sphere of notched obsidian. A turquoise jewel flickered within the hollow sphere, its inside crackling with a violet fire. The demon he was talking to in Makai through this scepter was a very powerful one…one who was more interested in keeping the status quo than anything else. Hence his alliance with the Kyuubi. But darn it all, why was he doing all the dirty work? The Kyuubi hated him. That's why. "I was talking about Kyuubi-teme."

The scepter flickered as the demon within Makai chuckled. _"You've got a lot of guts to call the oldest of the Biju such a derogatory name."_

"You haven't lived with him inside you for your entire life."

_"That is true."_

"Anyhow…" Naruto looked at the Tenchi Bridge; the Bridge of Heaven and Earth, spanning over the incredibly long and deep Fuchi Canyon…or, to be more accurate, the **Abyss Canyon**. "Are you sure this is the right place?"

_"Trust me kid, if there's one thing I know, it's where my followers are…or were."_

Naruto grimaced. "Okay then…" He readjusted the burlap bag of soil and dirt in his other hand; taken from a spot further southward near the border of the Grass Country. "And you're SURE this is all that's left of the guy…? I mean, it's only a bunch of dirt and grass."

_"Kid. He was EATEN. What do you think HAPPENS to people who get eaten?!"_

"…eww."

_"It **has** been a number of years, but there are still some cells left over that have lingered in the soil. So long as I have ONE cell, he can be resurrected."_

"Well…" muttered Naruto as his feet stuck to the walls of the canyon; moments later, he began his trek down into the dark. "…wouldn't the God of Death be upset about that kind of thing?"

_"That old fogey is more concerned about the spirits than the bodies themselves. To him, their resting place – **Gekai** the Netherworld – constitutes the most important thing. So long as a spirit ends up in its rightful place in Gekai, he could care less about the details. Plus, a spirit can only depart for Gekai once the body has completely died."_

"Eh?"

A frustrated sigh emerged from the scepter._ "__You know what chakra is, right?"_

"Duh."

Now a frustrated growl. _"Hmph. Since you know about chakra, I'm sure you also know that it's a combination of both physical and spiritual energy, represented by the stamina and the strength of your soul, yes?"_

"Yeah." He had LOADS of stamina. And the strength of his spirit…well, most would say it was a combination of multiple factors. Experience, willpower, determination, personal ethics….that sort of thing.

_"Well, if someone dies, their chakra dissipates and dies out as well. It's a two-way street; if you have no chakra, then that means you have no physical energy left, no spiritual energy left, or both. If your chakra completely empties itself, you die."_

"I know that already." It was an embarrassing death for a shinobi…but thanks to the Kyuubi (and his own massive chakra reserves), it was something he really didn't have to think about.

_"So you know that if a body does not physically die, then the tether connecting it to the spirit will still exist…that tether being chakra. So his spirit still lingers, but his body's current predicament renders it impossible for him to do anything. All I need is one cell to fix him up…and plenty of other material to replicate the cells, but I digress."_

Naruto grimaced as he continued to descend. It was getting awfully dark…

_"Boy."_

"What?"

_"Wanna become my follower?"_

"No."

_"Come on, you know you want to…"_

"Not interested."

_"Practical immortality! Just offer me dominion over your spirit, and your body will be practically UNKILLABLE."_

"Yeah…if you don't want to get slashed to ribbons."

_"You'll still technically be alive."_

"That's not the POINT." Some of the games that demons played at…what a pain. "I just wanna get this over with. And Kyuubi-teme would bite your head off if you tried to pull my spirit out."

_"True, true…ah, what a lovely predicament. You humans always were amusing."_

Naruto ignored the demon's voice. The minutes ticked by, and the darkness became even more prominent. _Rrr…stupid Kyuubi-teme. Making me do all the dirty work…_

His feet touched the bottom. Gazing up, the sky was naught but a thin blue line. Deep in this shadowy gorge, quiet as a corpse, Naruto felt as though he were back in Makai. Despite the differences, it gave him an odd chill to see how eerily similar the worlds could be. The dark rock was barely illuminated by the light of the scepter…and then he saw a single door. Etched onto its surface was a weathered triangle, circumscribed by a circle.

_"Remember the password?"_

"Yep." Naruto placed his hand in the center of the triangle. "Ten Storms, Four Fires, One Hell…" Chakra surged into the rune. "_**Ju-Arashi, ****Shi****-Hi, Ichi-Naraku!**_"

The rune glowed green, and the ground rumbled as the door parted, revealing a stairway deep into the earth. The scepter seemed to glow with satisfaction. _"Allow me to welcome you to the dwelling of my followers…my house of worship: the Temple of **Jashin**."_

xxxx

/Gouhou Coliseum, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

Miles to the north of Amegakure, situated within a weathered valley of hardy rock and gravel, a small town had sprung up like a weed.

Small, prefabricated structures – consisting of synthetic materials such as plastics – had been set up to serve as barracks for the soldiers on duty, as well as a place for businesses and merchants to set up shop for the upcoming exams. Two lines stretched north and south along the bottom of the valley, serving as the main thoroughfares to the arena. A singular ring of prefab buildings encompassed the arena, separated only by a large, wide road of asphalt. The only exception was the eastern side of the arena, which was completely devoid of any and all structures. The arena itself was a veritable coliseum, filled with a number of luxury suites (for the visiting lords, of course) and a grand total of a hundred _THOUSAND_ seats. Such a grand vista it would be, with a massive field of sod placed over the 30,000-square yard battleground. Right to the east of the arena was the obstacle course to be used in the Chuunin Exams…and oh, what an obstacle course it was.

Along the walkway that circled the entirety of the coliseum – providing access to both seat sections and the area where merchants and stands would provide refreshments – Oda Nobunaga stood silently. Brown eyes gazed westward, along the artillery perched along the valley lip. The Panther Tanks – the _**Kurohyougunsha**_ – calmly drove about the coliseum, alongside multiple units of infantry. There were at least seven thousand soldiers here in this town at this very moment. They, alongside the shinobi of Sawagakure, were responsible for security. Merchants and entrepreneurs were already coming by the load, seeking to set up shop for the Chuunin Exams.

So many people were coming…a majority of the spectators were likely to be a mixture of denizens from the River Country, the Rain Province, and the Grass Country. However, with the exception of the Water Country and the various island nations that dotted the oceans, there was going to be at least one person from each and every country in the world. Here, in the temporary town called **Yosen**, within this grand coliseum called **Gouhou**…the fate of the world would be decided.

Shinobi.

Raigunryo.

Which mode of warfare would be the most dominant?

Most people would walk away with such an idea as to which…and Nobunaga was hoping for a mixed opinion, in all honesty. It served his interests more.

_In the end though, the IwaKumoSawa alliance will triumph over everything_¸ thought Nobunaga as he gazed at an old photo in his hand. His pure white hair stirred gently in the breeze, his ponytail swishing about in the wind. Eyes gazed through glasses upon the force gathered here; no matter how the Exams ended, the end would begin here. A smile coated his face as he pocketed the photo. _My dream…**your** dream…it will be accomplished_. "So…Soui Numa. How are things?"

The _**Suiken**_ master chuckled as he walked upon his leader, not at all surprised at how he had been heard coming. "Things are going swell. The soldiers are rested and the shinobi are primed for action. I'm just waiting for the exams to begin."

"As am I, Numa-kun." Nobunaga inwardly smirked; the Hokage could work at her machinations all she liked. No matter how much assistance she obtained from Kusa, Taki, Suna, or the remnants of Ame…it wouldn't make a difference. Iwa and Kumo had rebounded from the losses inflicted during the Third Great Ninja War, each village possessing over two thousand, five hundred shinobi. Sawagakure had one thousand all on its own. Konohagakure, once possessing a shinobi military five thousand-strong, had been hit heavily with losses over the past fifteen years. The Kyuubi and the two invasions combined had whittled her forces down by over half…and Suna was in somewhat worse shape, with little more than one thousand, five hundred shinobi (the losses incurred during the first invasion of Konoha had been quite devastating; there was a REASON why few people were interested in ticking Konoha off. They were truly the elite of the elite). The combined resources of Taki, Kusa, and Ame totaled around two thousand shinobi (it would have been more than that, had Ame's numbers not been crippled by the River Army invasion). All in all, the IKS had over five thousand, five hundred shinobi against, potentially, over six thousand shinobi. But that was where the River Army came in: a mechanized military with over twenty thousand soldiers, and over one THOUSAND Kurohyougunsha. In the end…it was the River Army that would be the deciding factor. "As am I…"

xxxx

/Temple of Jashin, Fuchi Canyon, Grass Country/

"So you're saying this guy was your first follower in a few centuries?"

_"Yep. First one to stumble upon my temple in a while. He was only a kid, but he took REAL well to my program."_

Naruto said nothing as he applied chakra to another wall-mounted torch, the seals within the torches releasing a perpetual flame of green. The arcane walls were slowly coming to light, revealing ancient murals and cracked engravings; this place was due for some maintenance. The sense of unease was prominent; the scrolls laid out on the floor, the toppled pots, the splashes of ancient blood that had long since crusted over…were it not for Jashin's commentary, the place would have had all the comfort of a tomb. In a way, it was.

_"It was kind of good for me, seeing as how all of my other followers had died out when an old clan of shinobi came and ransacked the place."_

"I thought you said something about being 'unkillable'," snarkily remarked Naruto.

_"That's because my hexes implant a special seal into every cell of the body, totally binding you with my spirit. Those seals connect me to their chakra, and it enables me to preserve them indefinitely. But unfortunately, some talented masters of Fuuinjutsu can remove those seals…_"

"Ahh…"

_"You know what the funny thing is? That clan was called Uzumaki."_

Naruto froze in step. "Say…what?"

_"You think the Kyuubi would have you help me for no reason? He KNOWS I have a grudge against the Uzumaki for killing my followers…not that I don't see the irony in you helping me out, but we both have a mutual enemy in Uzumaki Mantarou."_

"…yeah…" Naruto sighed as he kept on walking towards the main altar. Despite all the things he had learned while being in Makai, it still didn't make up for that one little empty hole: his family history. Granted, being told the truth about his father and mother during the battle against Akatsuki's Leader was one thing…but it was something that he felt sore about. Every single one of the major Konoha clans could trace their lineage back to the days of the village's founding; a few went even further beyond that. But no, not him…the most he had gleaned from Mantarou's tale had been concerning his grandfather. A former ninja of Iwagakure, becoming a Nukenin…but beyond that, not much else. It was a hard thing, not knowing one's roots (it was even harder when your father was an S-Class Nukenin and the leader of a criminal organization; that's the point where you start wondering if the rest of the family had been better, and whether he had just been a fluke twisted by unfortunate circumstances). At least it gave him some insight into the Kyuubi's decision to have him help Jashin. _Hmph. Sticking me with a guy who hates my family's guts. Boy, ain't that lovely._

_"Blond hair and blue eyes aside, the Uzumaki were known as prominent masters of Fuuinjutsu, utilizing techniques far beyond the knowledge of any other human. Could you imagine my surprise when they actually subdued my followers? I had a good thing going to!!!"_

Naruto wasn't really familiar with the practices of 'Jashinism'. All he knew was that, apparently, Jashin had his followers do a lot of ceremonial killing. In mass quantities (was it any wonder why an entire ninja clan had taken it upon themselves to take them down? Hmm…come to think of it, this meant that his ancestors had killed those who were touted to be immortal. That was pretty kickass!). "Why exactly did you want followers…?"

_"When they perform the ceremonial killings, the souls of the dearly departed are transmitted through the special seal to me. Then I feast."_

"…"

_"Human souls are an exquisite delicacy."_

"…"

_"Hey, they end up in Gekai anyway. Just a bit…bruised, to say the least."_

"You're sick."

_"I prefer the term 'spiritual connoisseur'."_

Naruto groaned, briefly remembering why exactly he felt some sympathy for Mantarou's goal; some demons were sick in ways that humans could only DREAM of…but for the bad, there was also the good. In the eyes of his father, a demon was just a demon. A proud warrior like Gama-Bunta was just as bad as a monster like Orochi. He had to be stopped.

_"You at the altar yet?"_

"Yeah." Naruto stopped in front of a large slab of stone, held in the air by a thick pillar of chiseled rock that bore the image of a humanoid demon with two horns. Above the stone slab was an outreaching statue of Jashin himself, looking like a human in every way save for the claws of his massive hands and the straight horns protruding from his hairy skull. On each side of the altar room were glowing chakra torches, illuminating walls laden with stone trays that slid into openings in the wall. A number of the trays were pulled out and shattered, while others were open and showing skeletons. "Now what?"

_"Pour his remains on the slab."_

Naruto did so, emptying the contents of the sack on to the slab. A pile of dirt and grass laid quietly in the dim light of the tomb. "That all?"

_"Open all of the trays in the walls."_

Naruto did so. He winced at the sight; some of them still bore bodies, naked as the day they were born, all covered with a seal of sorts. "I thought you said you ate their souls…"

_"I did. Those bodies in the trays are physically dead, but the seals prevent them from decaying."_

"So what are they for?"

_"Reconstruction! Whenever my followers received fatal wounds, I rebuilt their bodies with the material from these fresh corpses. And since I have to do a full-blown regeneration with my last follower, I want to use the BEST parts."_

Naruto really wished he didn't have to work with Jashin. The spirits may have been gone, but desecrating dead bodies like this…it was just _WRONG_. But he had learned very quickly in Makai that demons operated similarly to humans…yet at the same time, very differently. The denizens of the Demon World had had a hand in the affairs of the Human World for ages. Besides…at the moment, he cared more about securing another advantage for Jashin, someone who did not like Mantarou OR Orochi.

_"You done yet?"_

"Yeah."

_"Good. Step back."_

Naruto did so. He scratched at his sensitive nose, brushing away at the lingering dust he had disturbed with his movement. Sounds began to echo from the scepter in his hand; Jashin was apparently concentrating intently, focusing his own chakra to perform this 'resurrection' of sorts.

_"Hooo…hurrr…HAAAAAAA…"_

The grunts and growls increased in volume and ferocity. The statue of Jashin suddenly came alight, the sculpture's eyes flashing a deadly red. Red chakra poured from those eyes, coalescing on the corpses. A deep rumble seemingly emerged out of nowhere as the corpses levitated, drawn by the demonic chakra of Jashin. In the light of the demon's power, Naruto could see portions of the corpses peeling off and breaking away, coalescing in the air above the remains of the demon's last living follower.

A flash of light as the remains clustered together. A blast of heat as a humanoid shape took form…and finally, a howl of irritation.

"OW! **DAMN IT ALL, THAT**** STINGS!!!**"

Naruto sweatdropped as a body fell to the floor. A lithe yet muscular body, and a head of short silver hair. A naked body. "Uh…"

The man scowled as he rubbed his head. "Crappy resurrection ritual…feels like getting pricked by needles. Pisses me off…"

"Um…"

The man suddenly glanced up, red eyes narrowing upon the blond-haired boy. "What are you staring at, you blond jackass faggot?!"

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "HEY!"

_"FOOL! YOU WILL SILENCE YOURSELF!!!"_

The man's indignant look vanished almost immediately. "That voice…" His red eyes fell upon the scepter in Naruto's hand. "…that's a sacred artifact…one of the Scepters of Jashin-sama! Where'd you get that?!"

_"I gave it to him."_

Naruto blinked as the naked man grabbed the scepter, looking at it longingly. "Jashin-sama…is that you?"

_"Yes. It is I. And I have seen it fit to resurrect you."_

The man practically wept with joy as he fell prostrate on the floor. "I am forever in debt to you, Jashin-sama…praise your name!"

Naruto was now crept out beyond belief. "You're a weirdo."

The man shot Naruto a foul look. "And who do you think you are, heathen?!"

_"He is a servant of my ally. We will fill you in on the details as we make our way to the others. For the time being, get used to your new body."_

"And put some damn clothes on!"

The silver-haired man glared at the blond boy, his irises as red as he was annoyed (which tells you how red they are). "Jashin-sama…who is this boy?"

_"Uzumaki Naruto, servant of Kyuubi no Yoko."_

"I'm NOT the damn fox's servant-!"

"An Uzumaki?! The cursed clan that took down your previous followers!?" The man scowled as he stood tall. "I'll kick your ass you heretic bastar-!"

_"YOU WILL BE SILENT!!!"_ The newly-resurrected man froze; the scepter was blazing and bright now. _"My my, what a mouth you have…and I thought I told you to represent me well upon making you a Jashinist priest. How many times have I told you curb that tongue of yours?!"_

"My apologies Jashin-sama." He was still somewhat bewildered and in a slight state of mind-numbing euphoria (being resurrected from a state as close to physical death as you can get tends to do that). The last thing he recalled was catching the Leader in his special curse, only to have the seal broken by orange chakra burrowing from underground…and then being…sliced to ribbons? "I…I am merely flustered. Seriously."

_"Understandable. But you'll be able to make up for lost time very soon…especially seeing as how I'm now in battle against this boy's father."_

"Who?"

_"Mantarou, Leader of the defunct organization Akatsuki."_

"The LEADER?!" The man paled, looking at the boy with an incredulous gaze. This kid was a frickin' teenager! "How…how long have I been out?!"

"You know, we'd be glad to fill you in on everything that's happened…just put on some clothes first!" growled Naruto, annoyed by this guy's constant shouting (his friends and associates would eventually say that this man had his voice, except deeper and more masculine. Of course, he'd never agree). "Sheesh…"

The silver-haired man stared at the boy, his thoughts tumultuous and numerous. A lot had obviously happened while he'd been 'dead' (true, it wasn't the first time he had had to be 'resurrected' by Jashin, but it hurt like crazy every single time…fortunately, Jashin's hexes preserved muscle memory as well, so his own fighting prowess wouldn't be nullified). Whatever was going on was big if his god had to be working with an Uzumaki…wait a minute, that meant the Leader had been an Uzumaki! He had worked…with a _**heretic**. I feel so unclean…I must repent! I'll sacrifice at least a hundred heathens!_ "Fine then…I am Hidan, Priest of Jashin."

"Uzumaki Naruto, ninja of Konoha."

"Eh, who cares about Konoha," absent-mindedly muttered Hidan as he went searching for the living quarters within the temple. "Now let's see, down the hall and to the right…"

_"It's to the left."_

"Ah, thank you Jashin-sama."

Naruto's right eyebrow twitched. It would twitch a lot more in the coming days (an action that Sasuke would have found VERY amusing. And somewhat ironic). _Stupid Kyuubi-teme, giving me this crappy job!_

xxxx

/One Day Later/

/Gatana Forest, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

Hyuga Hanabi was already fighting the urge to **Jūken** the crap out of Konohamaru. And perhaps Sasuke as well. _Uchiha-san should know better than to respond to Konohamaru's challenges! It'll never end that way!!!_

She had gotten the worst possible team EVER.

Konohamaru was always egging Sasuke on, saying things about how 'the Boss was so much cooler than you are' and making snide references to his betrayal ("Do I REALLY have to listen to a former traitor?") that did NOTHING to help the team dynamic. Of course, Sasuke's responses weren't helping; he wouldn't react personally to the accusations and the reminders of his time as a Nukenin, but he would offer one snarky or offhand remark…and **boom**. Konohamaru would get riled up all over again.

Like earlier that morning!

xxxx

_"Yo, Sasuke-teme. Catch that fish!"_

_"I've already caught mine. Get it yourself."_

_"Oh come on!"_

_"No thanks dobe."_

_"…WHAT'D you call me?!"_

_"You're calling me 'teme'. Only fair that I call you 'dobe', dobe."_

_"**RAAAAAH!!!**"_

xxxx

Hanabi rubbed her temples. Asuma wasn't being much of a help either; the Jonin would often mutter something about 'teamwork' and 'growing pains' before smoking another one of his cigarettes (hadn't he heard of a little something called LUNG CANCER?!). He seemed perfectly content at letting the temporary team work out its own kinks. Although it was an approach that probably worked from time-to-time…she didn't see how in the world it would work with her new team. _Just think about the Chuunin Exams…everything will come together. Hopefully._ If nothing else, it wasn't going to be HER fault if they didn't pass. She couldn't help but echo a thought that had become very prominent over the past few days. _'Some jackpot' indeed!_

To be fair, their current situation wasn't exactly troublesome. The four were gathered around a small campfire, staying the night in the forests on the eastern edge of the Rain Country…or, to be technical, the Rain _Province_. The town where the Chuunin Exams would be held was directly to the west; they would reach it by noon tomorrow. In the meantime, they had settled in for the night. Asuma had caught a large buck and promptly prepared it for dinner (Sasuke had, under orders from Asuma, made the two younger Genin watch; despite their squeamish looks, properly skinning an animal was an important skill). The meat was currently roasting on sticks over the open fire.

Konohamaru and Hanabi couldn't claim that they had eaten venison before. And boy, it smelled GOOD.

"Well, I think it's about done." Asuma grabbed a stick of venison and bit into the blackened meat. Sasuke calmly grabbed his own stick and ate in silence. "Dig in you two," muttered Asuma through a mouthful of deer.

Hanabi's eyebrow twitched at Asuma's manners. Konohamaru was already chowing down (eliciting another twitch from Hanabi). It was already clear to her that normal mannerisms didn't apply in outdoor situations…but infiltration would require good table manners, and-

A stick of venison was pushed into her mouth. "Asuma-jisan said eat!"

Hanabi grumbled as she bit into the venison. It was quite good. "I can eat…" She calmly wiped her mouth with the edge of her free hand. "…on my own, thank you very much. Besides, isn't it a bad idea to refer to Asuma-sensei as your uncle?"

Konohamaru blinked, his cheeks bulging with deer meat.

"Standard observational procedure: when eavesdropping on an enemy, make note of any familial relations for future use," droned Sasuke with a dry tone. His black eyes glared mercilessly at Konohamaru. The kid was really too much like Naruto for his own good, adopting the idiotic parts while having none of the special abilities. "A spy could be watching us right now, taking notes on anything we say. I'd wager that knowing Sarutobi Asuma has a nephew would be considered important information for certain people."

"Why?"

Asuma grinned lackadaisically. "Blackmail, ransom, you name it."

Konohamaru paled, his Adam's apple dipping as he swallowed.

"Didn't Ebisu-sensei teach you anything about this?" incredulously asked Hanabi.

Konohamaru nervously scratched the back of his head in a Naruto-esque fashion. "Eh he he he…" Then he paused, as if suddenly realizing something. "Wait a minute. _Ebisu_-sensei?"

"I had special training sessions with him for a couple of months. Then I took the Genin Exams and passed."

"…how'd you pass without a team?"

"I took a different exam than the one most prospective Genin are subjected to."

Konohamaru stuck out his bottom lip. "Laaaaame. You got a special perk!" The boy grumbled, grabbing another stick of roasted venison. This only caused Hanabi's eyebrow to twitch yet again.

Sasuke stared at the two with a critical eye, measuring them at a glance. The entire trip had been a list of annoyances incarnate, one after another (most due to Konohamaru). It was almost vexing how much he wanted to be back on Team Seven, even if the only other original member was Sakura; at least Sai's blank personality (save for the times where he purposefully ticked Sakura off, which he had no problems with; better for Sai to be the punching bag than him) and Yamato's cordial, no-nonsense approach were preferable to Konohamaru's annoyances and Asuma's lazy, hands-off approach. Hanabi was tolerable, but she wasn't Sakura.

_Hm. This must be what nostalgia feels like._ How silly. How…childish. The world cared little for the wants and desires of those who lived in it; change was inevitable. It was somewhat hilarious how he was subconsciously (or was there actually a bit of effort behind it?) yearning for yesteryear, when Team Seven was still his Team Seven, when Itachi was still a murderous scumbag, where Orochimaru was merely a depraved human with a desire for immortality.

But damn it all, things had been so much **simpler**.

Now, uncertainty was the order of the day. For the life of him, he would have never ever _ever_ suspected that he'd be part of a team with a Hyuga, a Naruto knockoff, and a smoker for a Jonin leader. Next thing he knew, he'd be declaring that sweet candy was the best thing ever. Or something.

_This isn't getting me anywhere._

Focusing on the past and the future would wait for now (and for a little longer, hopefully). He was about to partake in the Chuunin Exams, and he felt woefully underprepared. That had to change.

Clambering to his feet, the Uchiha calmly gazed down at his two teammates. "Asuma. I'm going to spar with Hanabi and Konohamaru."

Asuma looked once at Sasuke's face before shrugging. "Knock yourself out. Just don't do anything that'll break a limb."

"I'll be gentle."

Hanabi and Konohamaru could only gape as Sasuke walked onward towards a clearing beyond the edge of the campsite. "HEY!" sputtered the younger Sarutobi as he glared at his uncle. "What's all that about?!"

"Probably some method of bettering your teamwork. Just go with him; think of it as a Pre-Exam exercise."

"But-!"

"That's an order boy."

Konohamaru pouted. "You suck." The boy stomped off after Sasuke, followed by a rather perturbed Hanabi.

Asuma merely chuckled as he bit down into more venison. He wasn't worried.

That look into Sasuke's eyes had said it all; he had never really looked forward to saddling up with the former traitor on this mission, particularly since it involved both his nephew and the youngest of the Hyuga Head Elder. He couldn't afford to mess anything up; in all honesty, it brought him no comfort that he couldn't tell what was on the Uchiha's mind from time-to-time.

But those eyes…for a brief instant, they were filled with a sense of purpose: a desire to become Chuunin, but more than that; a desire to advance onward, despite his own troubles and pains. That was an admirable quality, and a necessity for most shinobi (especially those who wished to function well). _A shame he had to betray the village to get to this point…but, all's well that end's well._ If nothing else, it would be an interesting spar.

xxxx

"I'm restricting myself to only Taijutsu. You two can use whatever you want." Hanabi arched an eyebrow out of slight surprise, while Konohamaru's frown instantly morphed into a devilish grin. _Typical_. "If you think you might actually have a chance, understand that I fought alongside Naruto, a Sannin, and the Kazekage against Akatsuki. I personally killed Uchiha Itachi with my own hands. You two…are only Genin. Genin who have yet to experience what I have." Of course, some things weren't for anyone to experience. But it's not like their families would be slaughtered in the course of one night.

"You're just a Genin too!" protested Konohamaru.

"Which means nothing in the long run. Experienced shinobi will not care about rank in the field of battle; in the end, an enemy is an enemy." Sasuke shifted into a wide stance, holding his arms at close angles near the torso: the signature starting form of the Uchiha Clan's _**Sekken**_, or _Interceptor Fist_; a menagerie and mixture of multiple Taijutsu styles that had become more and more refined over the years. "If you wish to win, you must come at me with everything you have." He decided to briefly channel Kakashi. "If you don't come at me with the intent to kill, you will lose." Again, the hilarity of it all nearly struck him cold. He was as the teacher to the student; the traitor teaching the soldiers of Konoha. All he would permit himself was a smirk. This spar was also an opportunity for the Uchiha; in his preparation for this exam, he had gone through the older scrolls of his family library, reading up on the signature style of his family.

The two kids would be perfect test subjects. And they'd get some experience against a Jonin-level (in his opinion, and he was sure he was right on that) opponent. It was win-win.

"Come on."

Konohamaru snorted as he grabbed a kunai and charged, roaring. "HYAAAA!!!" _I'll teach you to disrespect me!_ A swift thrust was aimed for the head.

Sasuke shifted, knocking the arm aside with his left arm while simultaneously delivering a vicious palm to the boy's open sternum with the opposite arm. A quick poof of smoke revealed a broken log. Replacement. _Hm. Well, he's already doing better than Naruto did against Kakashi._ Perhaps their training with this 'Ebisu' fellow had served them well.

Hanabi came next, her fingers glowing a deadly blue.

Sasuke was mildly impressed at her speed. _I might need to use the **Sharingan** at this rate._ The little girl was surprisingly swift. But compared to Naruto's wild, reckless movements and Itachi's simple, brutal strikes, this girl's controlled, styled form was easy to read. He calmly aimed one palm away, using her momentum to flip her onto her back. A swift heel to the stomach caused her to gag…but then she was gone, replaced by a log. _Well…they're quick with **Kawarimi**. I'll give them that._

His eyes calmly shifted to red, and he decided to observe the surrounding area. He was in no rush.

xxxx

Hyuga Hanabi calmly leapt down beside Sarutobi Konohamaru. "Well, that didn't go so well." The two Genin were hiding behind the nearest oak, gazing at the edge of the grassy clearing. "He moves…very quickly."

"Well duh, that's cause he's strong!"

Hanabi shot Konohamaru an annoyed glare. "You certainly like talking down to him. Or is my perception of your condescending words towards the Uchiha flawed?"

"Hey, I just talk to him like that because he pisses me off, and he once worked for an icky snake guy." Konohamaru huffed. What did she think he was, an idiot? "But that doesn't mean he isn't strong. He went toe-to-toe with the Boss, after all!"

Hanabi arched an eyebrow. Well, it wasn't to be unexpected; the Uchiha had once been a teammate of Uzumaki Naruto, the subject of her sister's infatuation. Perhaps if she hung out around him long enough, she'd be able to glean an alternative view on why he had such a magnetic effect on people (not that she needed MORE evidence after the glut of speeches at the village-wide meeting…but the change in her sister had truly been that shocking. She wanted to know more about the cause of the change). "True that may be…but we don't have much of a chance as is."

"Yeah. I'll be satisfied just laying a hand on him! A punch would be enough. Hitting him with a jutsu would be just plain sweet."

"You're not as boastful as you usually are." She had had to put up with his annoying claims all the time (so did everyone else, but they weren't here at the moment, so feh), and to hear him say something sensible was actually surprising. "Are you lacking confidence in yourself?"

Konohamaru snorted. "Hardly! I like letting everyone know that I can kick their ass. But in battle, I can't really hope to do much of that…my old teammate Udon sometimes said that being 'all bark and no bite' outside of battle would help people underestimate me. And I'm fine with that!" He missed his two old teammates. The Konohamaru Corps would have already attacked Sasuke with a special formation attack by now!

Hanabi was genuinely bewildered by that statement. This boy delighted in being _underestimated?_ Did he have no pride? None dared to underestimate a Hyuga, no matter who they were; Hitomo had underestimated her, despite her own power (and she was sure that Hiaka, at one point, had underestimated her as well). To be underestimated was bad enough. To actually **like** it? "Are you a masochist?"

"Ha ha," droned Konohamaru. "I don't really care what you think about it. I don't care what others think of me either." A devil-may-care grin came to his face. "Everyone underestimated the Boss…people STILL underestimate him…but that doesn't mean he's strong! If I'm underestimated, that means I get to have a fun time provin' people wrong."

"…is that so." That was an interesting perspective. There was certainly some merit to it…if enemies constantly underestimated you, they'd let their guard down, thinking of you as an easy kill…then **BAM!** Goodness knows she had underestimated Hinata (at least initially) during their training battle months ago. "…I see."

"Now listen, we need to tag team him." Konohamaru crisscrossed the fingers on both hands. "_**Kage bunshin no jutsu!**_" Two clones of Konohamaru 'poofed' into existence beside the two Genin, grinning widely as they knelt on the grass. In response to Hanabi's dubious stare at the patently **solid** doppelgangers, he chuckled. "When Naruto did some work with me a few years ago," Work of the _perverted_ variety, he neglected to add, "He had me do a little bit of training with _**Kage bunshin**_ to get the hang of the jutsu he taught me."

"Was it a useful jutsu?"

"…kind of."

"Would it work on Uchiha-san?"

"…I don't know." _Though…I wonder._ "Maybe." The grin on his face was almost contagious. "Okay…here's my plan."

Fast forward a minute later, and Hanabi was flushing out of anger and embarrassment. "That's…that's…_SCANDALOUS!_"

"SSSH!" shushed Konohamaru. "Just go along with it! It might actually work!"

xxxx

Sasuke tilted his head as two Konohamarus dashed towards him from beyond the edge of the clearing. The shifting of grass at their feet told him they were solid. Hanabi using _**Henge**_. Or perhaps Shadow Clones?

One Konohamaru leapt to the side, throwing kunai. Sasuke ducked, grabbing one of the knives and redirecting it towards the shoulder. A poof of smoke. The other one jumped upward and performed two hand seals: Dragon and Tiger. "_**Katon; Hinotama no jutsu!**_" A thin stream of tiny fireballs erupted from his mouth, soaring towards Sasuke. The Uchiha's _**Sharingan**_ swirled as he leapt forward and bounced up, striking the airborne boy with a flip kick. Another poof of smoke. "Hm." Another chakra source flared up behind him. _Using **Kage**** bunshin** as a decoy, while he attacks from behind._ He turned-

"_**Sexy no jutsu!**_"

And came face-to-face with a naked Sakura, cooing at him affectionately. "Ne, Sasuke-kun…I'm sure you need some _medical_ treatment…"

Sasuke stared. And stared. And stared a little more for good measure.

Even though his cheeks started to flush, he had the good sense to turn around to face a charging Hanabi. Her ploy to sneak up behind him a failure, she still launched into another series of pokes and strikes…well, she tried. He grabbed one wrist and flipped her over, launching her into the naked Sakura. The transformed Shadow Clone vanished from the collision, leaving Hanabi on the ground.

Then the real Konohamaru came, his hands clenched into the Ram seal. Sasuke shifted back, ready for any incoming jutsu. So you could understand why he was somewhat intrigued at the sight of Konohamaru leaping at him. You could also understand why his eyes slightly widened at the sight of the boy's scarf lunging forward, kunai gripped in its folds.

Within the two seconds Sasuke took to duck the kunai thrust, clench the boy's hands (removing his control over the scarf), and swivel around using the Genin's momentum to hurl him towards Hanabi, his _**Sharingan**_ could see chakra soaring through the scarf in fine, distinct lines. _Metal threads…for channeling chakra. So he can use his scarf as a third arm._

It almost made up for the fact that it made his neck that much easier to strangle.

The Uchiha stood calmly, gazing straight the eyes of his teammates.

Hanabi's eyes were laced with vitriol.

Konohamaru settled for a look of annoyance. "GAH! I thought that would've gotten you teme!"

Sasuke resisted the urge to snort. Who did this fool take him for? Jiraiya? Kakashi? He had more self-control than that, thank you very much (though he wouldn't deny that it HAD been an 'intriguing' image…not that he'd ever say that out loud). "You do know my teammate will kill you for doing that."

Konohamaru had an unhealthy flashback to when Naruto had been pummeled by Sakura the day before the invasion by Akatsuki and Otogakure. His mind briefly screamed '_self-preservation NOW!_' before he growled. "I ain't gonna let you scare me!" _Maybe. That girl hits real hard…_

Hanabi briefly recalled that the pink-haired girl had been with the Hokage upon their departure from the Leaf. Was she strong? Apparently so, if Uchiha-san was threatening Konohamaru…perhaps she was stronger than him? _That…seems unlikely._ The Uchiha was unbelievably swift in his movements; the only other people she had ever seen move more quickly in hand-to-hand combat were her father, and **maybe** Neji-san. Then again, appearances were deceiving; after all, her sister's crush had beaten both Sasuke AND Neji.

Then a chuckle emerged from Sasuke's throat; he was actually somewhat…pleased.

"What's so funny?!" snapped Konohamaru.

"Your eyes." Their confused stares elicited another reply. "Before this fight, your eyes always looked at me with suspicion and distrust; you, Konohamaru, gazed at me with hatred and disdain for betraying the village. You, Hanabi, were indifferent and considered me, at most, a nuisance." A self-assured smirk came to his lips. More and more, he was finding himself amused at this whole scenario…was he becoming a madman? There seemed to be no other rational explanation for why he was taking all of this as well as he was. Perhaps…he was merely growing up. Or not. He didn't really care either way. "Here, now…you only see me as an enemy. All thoughts of who I had once been are gone, and all preconceptions have vanished…I am nothing but another shinobi that is in your way. That you two were able to get to this point, subconsciously or not, tells me a lot about your potential." Perhaps he was going slightly insane? This was a new experience, for one who had spent most of his life teetering over the edge of the killer's abyss, wallowing in its dark depths. It was strangely fulfilling, in a way he couldn't adequately describe, to see the brief looks of enthusiasm and content flash into existence on the faces of his teammates. The looks of those who were being acknowledged by a superior; one that he had seen mirrored on Naruto's face years before, at the Valley of the End. "I know you two would prefer to be going to the Chuunin Exams under different circumstances. So would I. But it's rare for ninja to choose what they truly want; everything is in a flux: past, present, and future." That was something he knew **VERY** well. "What may be true in the past may be false in the future; what you thought was right may turn out to be wrong…but that is life." A lesson he had learned painfully. How long had it been? Over…three months now? Over three months since he had learned the truth of the Uchiha Massacre. A month since he had learned the truth regarding the clan's origins, and the identity of Orochimaru. The changes wrought upon him were still happening…and almost wondered if he would ever fully come to terms with the magnitude of his mistakes, in light of the truth.

He was sure he would probably destroy himself in the agony of it all, of how utterly WRONG he had been…

But there was still one upside to it all.

Uzumaki Naruto. Haruno Sakura. Hatake Kakashi.

Those three were still there. Constants, rooting him to some semblance of sanity. As long as they remained true, and real…he'd adapt to whatever changes that came his way. "Adapt or die. Live in the moment. That's the best you can hope for, being a shinobi…take _**nothing**_ for granted. Because it could all disappear in an instant."

Konohamaru was stoic, thinking of his grandfather. The Sandaime Hokage…he never really wanted to be such a brat to him. But he had admired him so much…to have the old man acknowledge him would have been enough for him. Perhaps if he had met Naruto sooner…but now wasn't the time to mourn. _Ojii-san…I'll make you proud._ He thought of the village of Konoha, of his teammates Udon and Moegi, of those who hated Naruto, of those who cherished him…of the mountain that bore the faces of the village's greatest heroes. _Maybe one day, my face will be on that mountain. Maybe not…but I WILL MAKE YOU PROUD!_

Hanabi was quiet, recalling the face of her father. Of the silent, subtle praise, despite her demoted status. Her life had been going pretty well; she had been looking forward to becoming a shinobi, to following her sister's footsteps in the path to strength. Then, in one night, her entire life had been turned upside-down…but in the end, was she a different person? Her circumstances may have changed…but her father still acknowledged her. Her sister still loved her. That was good enough. _I will persevere. I am a Hyuga…I will not falter._

Sasuke's spinning eyes of red narrowed, his smirk giving him a devious appearance. "Now…you transformed into a naked Sakura, and you went along with his plan." He bent his knees as the wind brushed through the grass, caressing his outstretched hand. "If either of you manage to land a hit on me, I'll consider not telling her."

He didn't even blink as his two teammates charged.

xxxx

/South of Yosen, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

The rocky highlands that bordered the site of the Chuunin Exams were home to three figures in black cloaks. They would enter the town of Yosen – nestled quietly in the canyon to the north – during daylight. Then they would register for the exams, scheduled to begin less than two days from now.

"Those pathetic soldiers and all their patrols are getting on my nerves," growled Zabuza.

"Can't you be a little patient?" asked Naruto.

"I could very easily slice you in half."

"Zabuza-sama, please be patient for Naruto-kun."

The swordsman shot Haku a dry glare. "Allying with him over me?"

"I merely do not want you two fighting each other."

"Eh, don't worry Haku-kun. He's just bored."

Zabuza resisted the urge to snarl at the boy. For all the strength the brat wielded, he could annoying in a _damn_ hurry. Deciding to change the subject, the former Kiri-nin muttered, "So…when exactly is our 'Jonin-sensei' going to be arriving?"

"He'll be here. He had to clear some things up with his boss." It was at that moment that a sudden chill enveloped the air about them, making the night seem all the more dark. But considering the nature of their visitor, it was to be expected. "Speaking of which…" All three cloaked shinobi turned around towards the edge of the craggy peak they stood upon; a black cloud of smoke had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, coalescing around a flickering will-o'-the-wisp. The apparition soundlessly converged into a humanoid form…and vanished. Moments later, it reappeared as a human clad in a white kimono and hakama, wrapped around his form by a black obi sash. A wide-brimmed straw hat, plus the high collar of his gray cloak, hid all hints of his face.

Not that Naruto didn't know who he was. "Yo! Was wondering when you'd finally arrive."

The new arrival smiled at Naruto's grin. "I'm afraid Hachibi-sama was somewhat unwilling to have a servant of his depart. I assured him that one of his servants would need to come to this place soon anyway…" A sad look came over his eyes, concealed in the dark. "After all, a lot of people are going to die within the next few days."

"Can't be helped. This is what happens in war," grumbled Zabuza, somewhat perturbed at how the one standing before them was so averse to causing harm. _Not that he can't be driven to kill._ He had seen this man operate before, when he had been on the job in Makai. He knew better than to agitate him. "Any restrictions placed on you?"

"The usual; no killing."

"Causing serious injuries?" helpfully added Haku.

The new arrival grinned. "Nothing said about that."

Naruto grinned cheekily…and for once, he couldn't even begin to fathom his luck. Having this guy to represent them as their supposed Jonin-sensei was the sheer height of AWESOME. The Chuunin Exams were going to be, in a word, _sweet_. "Then I certainly don't see the problem!"

Zabuza growled at the blond's enthusiasm. "I'm sure the patrols haven't heard you yet. Try talking a little louder."

The newcomer could only chuckle good-naturedly.

xxxx

/One Day Later/

Sarutobi Asuma grinned, his teeth biting down on a newly-lit cigarette. _Well well well._

The spar between his temporary team had worked wonders.

Leaning against an oak tree, having fallen asleep sitting up, was Uchiha Sasuke. Right in front of him were his two teammates; Konohamaru was lazily stretched out by the Uchiha's right knee, while Hanabi had curled up near the left knee. It was as though Sasuke was a sentinel, watching over two innocent children. In a way, that training spar had served as his method of watching over them…he had prepared them even for the Chuunin Exams.

Asuma sighed with relief as he watched a cloud of ash lazily drift away from his mouth, its gray colors intermixing with the golden rays of the morning light. _Eh, maybe this job isn't so bad…not as much of a punishment as I thought it would be_. Then again, some form of punishment had been warranted by the Hokage; impregnating a Jonin when there was a potential war on the horizon was just no good. _Probably not the best of things to do…though I'm **pretty** sure I didn't mean to do it_.

Oh well. What had happened happened. Nothing he could do about it, except work harder. Starting near the end of the first trimester, Yuhi Kurenai would be going on extended leave to deal with her pregnancy. That would occur…approximately a month or so from now. _Just hope she takes it easy…wouldn't do much good to jump around all that much_. It was interesting to see how much one little development could change perspectives. A father-in-training was what he was...somehow, he feared raising a kid would be more of a challenge than being a shinobi.

_Eh, it's something to look forward to…_

The Jonin cleared his throat. Time to focus on the present. "Wakey wakey."

Sasuke's eyes opened silently. Hanabi slowly sat up, while Konohamaru loudly yawned. The first one to speak was the eldest Genin of the group. "Is it time to head out?"

"Indeed it is, Sasuke." Asuma shot a grin at Hanabi and his nephew. "Rise and shine you two! We arrive at the site of the Chuunin Exams today!"

xxxx

/Yosen, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

Tobokeru Jiraiya couldn't help but admit that the River Country was remarkably quick at setting things up. And they were good at it.

Stands! Merchants! Restaurants! Hotels! All while under the watch of infantry patrols and the ever-watchful eyes of Sawa-nin on duty. This was a boisterous event, and it was well-secured. The atmosphere was surprisingly festive, given that a large number of visitors were from various parts of the Rain Country. It only hinted at the stabilizing presence the River Army had brought the war-torn nation…and it troubled Jiraiya. _If I were Nobunaga, I'd be quick to spread word of my advantages at quelling local conflicts…I've never seen denizens of Ame look so content_. The Sannin could only shrug as he bit into a stick of dango. Eh, I'm sure Hanzou and Pein will get big welcomes anyway.

It was interesting though, how many lords had already arrived for the event. Entourages and ambassadors walked around the place with a haughty gait, telegraphing their presumed supremacy with every single gesture. The conceit was especially great for those who hailed from the nations of the Earth, the Lightning, and the River. Not that Jiraiya could blame them; they had REASON to be happy about this event. It would be a showcase of the power of the River Army against regular shinobi.

How it would go down was anybody's guess.

_Feh. It won't be so one-sided_. The Gama-Sennin grinned as he swallowed another portion of the sweet treat. _I wish Tsunade-hime and that kid from the Sand would've come earlier; this place isn't so hospitable when Nobunaga is in the same place with the **Ten no Chidaimyō** and the **Raidendaimyō**._

Ten no Chidaimyō. The Heaven's Lord of Earth.

Raidendaimyō. The Lord of Thunder and Lightning.

Both were, respectively, the lords of the Earth Country and the Lightning Country.

The sheer diplomatic tension in the air could have been cut with a knife. It would only get worse once the representatives of Konoha, Suna, the Fire Country, and the Wind Country arrived. Then he'd know where he'd stand. It would become hair-trigger volatile once the former denizens of the Rain arrived.

A potential recipe for disaster.

_At least the town's lively_, conceded Jiraiya. Although he had hoped to do a bit of 'research' (heh heh) following his initial investigation of Kashoku Giyoku's material, he was impeded by the sight of so many shinobi. _Lots of guys from Iwa, Sawa, and Kumo…_

That would hopefully change following the arrival of Tsunade and Gaara.

And that was when a cloud of cigarette smoke caught his attention. _Ah, there's our team_. The Sannin's spiky white hair bobbed behind him as he approached Team Asuma. "Hey! MONKEY!"

Two Sarutobi turned their heads. One with an amused look in his eyes, the other with an annoyed expression (guess who's who?). "Hey there old man," remarked Asuma with a content smile as he puffed on his cigarette, ashes crumpling onto the road. "Anyone else here yet?"

"Nah, they'll be arriving by tomorrow morning." It would certainly be a lot nicer to be around allies. Especially considering what was going to happen. As for what it was…well, let's just say that a few managers of some munitions warehouses could be quite talkative with proper 'persuasion'. The information Giyoku had given him concerning Kakuzu's old contacts had been marvelously helpful. "I just hope the three tykes are ready."

"WHO YOU CALLIN' A TYKE?!" roared Konohamaru. Hanabi showed her disagreement with a look of impertinence. Sasuke didn't care either way. "We're gonna kick ass!"

Sasuke gazed warily at their surroundings, noting the few dry glares being shot their way due to Konohamaru's proclamation. _And once again, he decides to emulate Naruto in the worst way possible_. Punishment needed to be rendered. A smack on the head worked well. "Don't be drawing attention, dobe."

"SHUT IT, **TEME!**"

Hanabi sighed out of irritation.

Asuma could only scratch the back of his head in response to Jiraiya's smirk. "Well…I think they'll do well. They're just ready for everything to begin."

"Maybe. They all look a little wet behind the ears still…" Ignoring Konohamaru's continued shouts of rage and promises of revenge ("I'LL DYE YOUR HAIR _**PURPLE!!!**_"), the Sannin turned his attention to Sasuke. "So. Uchiha. Is there anything you have to comment on?"

The last Uchiha stared all around, gazing at the dozens upon dozens of shinobi. Many were young, others not so young…there were mostly ninja from the Marsh, the Stone, and the Cloud. But a good number of ninja were here from the Grass and the Waterfall as well. He even saw a couple of Mist ninja (well, they were former Mist ninja, technically; Kirigakure was no more), walking about with a somewhat cocky demeanor. It was impossible to miss the tension in the air…everyone was at nerve's edge. The slightest altercation would result in somebody getting hurt. Or worse. But he had no reason to worry. "Hn. The whole trip was…"

His eyes suddenly saw a giant zanbato, strapped to the back of a rather tall figure.

Four people in straw hats and cloaks walked by, heading towards the registration desk by the Gouhou Coliseum.

He'd recognized that zanbato anywhere: the sword of Zabuza.

"…productive." The Uchiha gave Jiraiya a quiet look, followed by a nigh-imperceptible tilt of the head.

Jiraiya followed his gaze, pausing at the sight of the cloaked figures. _Hmm. How interesting_. That was _Kubikiri Houcho_. Perhaps Orochi and the tengu had made their move already? Why else would that corpse being walking here, in the human world? _And I wonder who's with them_. "I see…" muttered Jiraiya, not even really replying to Sasuke as he walked over towards the registration desk. Sasuke quietly followed.

Asuma, feeling somewhat curious by the sudden silence of the Sannin and the Uchiha, followed. They had to register anyway. "Konohamaru. Hanabi. Come on, let's go register."

"YES! Chuunin time!"

"Would it kill you to be quiet for a while?" dryly muttered Hanabi.

"…maybe."

The smack to the back of the boy's head quieted him immediately. _Hmm. No wonder Uchiha-san does that. It's almost therapeutic._

xxxx

Kuro Kajiru sighed as a team of Stone Genin finished signing their forms. "If you'll follow the Sawa-nin escort, he'll lead you to your quarters. Enjoy your stay in Yosen." What a boring job. True, he was getting a first-hand look at the competitors, but it was really nothing special. He'd rather be on patrol duty; at least then he had the possibility of putting a bar fight to rest.

Oh well. Duty called. And he was going to _stick_ to his assignment. Going above and beyond the call of duty at the wrong place at the wrong time had gotten Jadoku killed. After all, the report had stated that he was incapacitated. What in the world had given him the idea of trying to attack the Hyuga? A mystery…then again, the clan chieftain had always said that Jadoku was a bit of a nut. _Well bro, I suppose you got what you deserved. At least the others of the Kuro will learn your lesson._

Moral of the Story: If the only way you can hold a sword is with your teeth, then attacking a bloody **HYUGA** is a bad idea.

His dark eyes fell upon four cloaked newcomers. "Hello there." He straightened his long black hair before continuing, "I'm Kuro Kajiru, and I'll get your applications through." He slid over a form and a pen. "Sign your name and put all relevant information here."

The short one went first. Kajiru couldn't help but mentally frown; the facial features of every single shinobi was hidden by their high-collared cloaks and straw hats. _Secretive fellows, aren't you?_ Taking the first completed form, Kajiru's brows knotted._ 'Uzumaki Naruto'_. That name struck a bell for some reason…ah. Something to do with the criminal organization Akatsuki. The boy's name had garnered a lot more importance following the downfall of that organization, when information had leaked out from Konoha regarding its Leader and his relation to the boy. _Hmm…we've got a tough cookie here. Konoha's bringing out the big guns it seems._

The second person calmly signed the document with a flowing style, never pausing. It was an almost aristocratic motion. Hard to believe someone who wrote so nicely could be a shinobi; after all, most ninja were notorious when it came to record-keeping. _Hmm…'Momochi Haku'?_ The only Momochi he had ever heard of was tagged to the Mist Nukenin named Momochi Zabuza, one of the Seven Legendary Swordsmen. _Did he have a relative? Why Konoha then?_ "Thank you."

The third one – the one with the brutish-looking blade on his back – wrote with a simple, rough style. He was obviously impatient. _Hmm…what the?_ Kajiru gazed up at the tall shinobi. "Momochi Zabuza?"

"What of it?"

"Oh, nothing…I was just under the impression that he had died, or had gone missing."

"He did. What does that have to do with me?"

"…hm, nothing." _How interesting_. The fate of Momochi Zabuza had never been determined; it seemed that he had finally decided to resurface after years in hiding. _I never imagined he'd be with Konoha though…I thought he'd have jumped at the chance to stake a piece of territory during the downfall of Kirigakure. Oda-sama would love to know this._ "Okay, so you are the three competing Genin." _Though their opponents won'__t last long with Zabuza as a teammate. This team is LOADED._ He gazed at the other figure, the one in gray and white. "I assume you are their Jonin-sensei?"

"That I am."

"I'll also need you to sign a document as well. To legitimize your team's participation, making you liable to your village and the International Exam Commission, fully realizing that your students may experience death, dismemberment, injury, or otherwise…and so on and so forth."

"I understand." He quickly wrote down the needed information.

Kuro Kajiru read it…and his blood turned to ice. _This can't be right._ Zabuza had been one thing…but…THIS?! _No way. He **died**._

"Is there a problem?"

Kajiru could say nothing, his mind exclusively focused on the consequences of this man's presence here. He had died…he had been killed during the attack by the mythical Kyuubi…so…**how**...?

"HEY! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, KIRI-TRASH!"

Everyone turned towards a nearby team of Iwa-nin, a Genin team being heckled by two rowdy Mist ninja. The two Kiri-nin obviously had no appreciation over how delicate the situation was. Attention was being drawn to the shouts; security would have to deal with it quickly, before it escalated.

It only made Zabuza (was he Zabuza?) snort. "What a lack of discipline."

"Should I dispose of them, Zabuza-sama?"

"Nah…" Naruto's playful grin was hidden by his apparel. "Let _sensei _handle this."

The man in white and gray couldn't help but sigh. But it was apparent that the prankster had realized the severity of what his presence would do here. After all, they were all here for the sake of Konoha and those who lived there; right not give the enemy a scare? "I suppose it wouldn't hurt." He tilted his gaze towards the site of the altercation, reaching into the folds of his kimono.

The moment the man pulled out a tri-pronged kunai, Kuro Kajiru knew that the entire dynamic of the Chuunin Exams had changed.

xxxx

Jiraiya grimaced at the lack of civility of the Kiri-nin. They were undoubtedly here just to watch the Exams…and given the lack of the Mist's participation in the events regarding the IKS (heck, the lack of the Mist **period**), they obviously had no reason to behave appropriately. _Morons._

The sensei of the Iwa Genin being heckled stood in front of the two Mist ninja. Judging by the white and brown robes, plus the tricorne hat bearing the kanji for 'Earth', the sensei of this particular team also happened to be the Rokudaime Tsuchikage. His deep baritone voice droned, "You have something to say?"

The bald Mist ninja shrugged, hand loosely held on a kodachi's hilt. "Eh, the brat's hair is annoying me."

The young Genin grabbed at his spiky red hair with a growl. "My hair is AWESOME!"

"Nobody cares," interjected the other Mist ninja with a chortle.

The Tsuchikage mentally frowned. These two shinobi (_former_ shinobi, that is) had no appreciation for how…precarious…this place was. Their haphazard appearance, cheap armor pieces, and raggedy clothing did not make for a good first impression. They practically screamed 'TROUBLEMAKERS'. His left eye – the right one bearing a long scar, the eyelids sealed shut – narrowed at the two. With just a dose of killing intent, he muttered, "I suggest you two calm down."

"Or what?" replied the kodachi-wielding Mist ninja, obviously not too impressed.

His answer came in the form of a tri-pronged kunai lightly sailing through the air.

It was a lighthouse, drawing in the attention of all shinobi in the area. Ninja of Iwa and Kumo paled at the sight of its shape, instinctively knowing what it entailed…and then they immediately dismissed such ideas. The man was DEAD.

Jiraiya, being no stranger with the idea of dead people turning out to be not dead, nearly felt his eyes pop out of their sockets.

As for the Rokudaime Tsuchikage…his spine had been dipped into ice, his mind nearly giving into a primal fear. _It can't be. _The kunai fell a little bit more. _That is the kunai of the **Konoha no Kiiroi Senkou**._ A little bit more. _Konoha's Yellow Flash…the man who took my eye_. A little more. _The man who single-handedly turned the tide of the entire damn war!_

It was just behind the Mist ninja, parallel to their heads.

_But that man__…__is DEAD!_

A yellow flash.

Everyone's widened, staring at the man that had suddenly appeared behind the two Kiri-nin. Sasuke, impulsively thinking 'Naruto', watched with narrow eyes. The man was too tall though…so who…?

The first Mist shinobi, surprised by the man's sudden appearance, retorted, "Who the hell are you?!"

The man removed his straw hat.

Jiraiya and the Tsuchikage nearly shared a simultaneous heart attack.

Golden blond hair and eyes as blue as the purest sea gazed at the two Mist ninja. "Someone who doesn't appreciate troublemakers heckling Genin. But you can call me Kazama Arashi."

The former ninja of the Hidden Mist didn't even get the chance to blink before they were throttled.

It was at that very moment.

For those 'in the know'…for those who knew _**exactly**_ what was to come at the conclusion of the Exams…

It was at that very moment that they knew.

In a flash of yellow, everything had changed.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**Let the First Round Commence! Your Opponent is the River Army!**_

xxxx

Author's Note: Well well well, lookie here. Another guy with blond hair and blue eyes! And aww…Naruto's made a new friend. A friend with the tendency to curse and sacrifice heathens, but a friend nonetheless. ;-3

Sasuke matures, Asuma's gotten Kurenai pregnant, Jashin makes an appearance, more stuff on the past from Yoshi's point of view...also, Ojii-san and Oji-san mean grandfather and uncle. One i makes a huge difference, apparently.

Kudos to **FictionReader98** for the inspiration for the 'Sakura Sexy no Jutsu' ploy. Go read his 'Clash in the Land of Snow' story to find out why.

Lots of stuff here. And now the Naruto bug has been bled dry. Now I can FINALLY focus on Digimon. In the meantime, enjoy this 18,000 word chapter.

See you soon, and please review!


	46. Your Opponent is the River Army!

Author's Note: Hmm. Well, here I am again. _Naruto_ has captured my attention span. AGAIN.

Bah. I want to keep to a schedule, but I'm finding that somewhat impossible these days. I'm just going to attempt to write whatever comes to me, un! That's what I'll do; if I can't make decent progress on any one particular project, I'll move on to another one. That's the ticket, un!

And in case you're wondering about the 'un', I've made a relatively big decision.

_**EVERYONE! PAY ATTENTION TO THE WORDS I AM SAYING. HAVE I CAUGHT YOUR ATTENTION?! DON'T SCROLL DOWN TO THE STORY YET!**_

Okay.

After some thought, I've come to a conclusion.

It's time to rewrite the first part of Legacy.

For one thing, it doesn't look as pretty as recent chapters, and character motivations (and ABILITIES) could be a bit more cohesive. Note that that stuff was written way back yonder when Naruto Part II had just begun in the manga…so I was still kind of mentally conceiving of the characters in their Part I personas (Sakura and Hinata in particular. They could use a bit of fine-tuning).

Secondly…THE **FLASHBACKS**. Horrible idea in hindsight (not Mantarou's flashbacks, but the flashbacks during the BATTLES). The plot jumps around too much and makes things hard to follow. This must change! There will be no flashbacks. It'll start with a brief look at Naruto's return to the village, then the attack by Akatsuki's Nukenin/Otogakure, then the Battle at Suna. This'll also let me flesh out the OC Akatsuki characters more. Plus, it makes reading the story that much easier for newcomers.

Thirdly, it'll let me sharpen the Battle at Suna, which is – at the moment – a total Ninjutsu fest. There must be more balance! And now that I know more about what Itachi/Kisame/Deidara/Sasori could do canonwise, it'll allow for a more pleasing battle experience. Note; the incarnations of Deidara and Sasori as presented in Legacy will not change. Deidara will still be a white-haired woman. Sasori will still be a partial puppet. But many of their abilities will be more in-line with their canon selves (can you say Naruto and Jiraiya vs. SANDAIME KAZEKAGE PUPPET? I can).

The first 15-19 chapters will be rewritten. This might result in more chapters. Or less. Hopefully not more, cause then I'd have to do a big mess with switching chapters around, and nobody wants that. Namely me.

When this change DOES occur, it'll all be at once. It'll be on the eve of a new chapter update, which will allow me to tell you all about it. Then you all will be able to see the Akatsuki battle in a new way. :D

Due to college and whatnot, I want to avoid giving a deadline for when this will happen. I'll stick with a tentative date of 'before 2009'.

Now…

Begin!

xxxx

_**Let the First Round Commence! Your Opponent is the River Army!**_

xxxx

/_108 Days after Naruto Entered Makai_/

xxxx

_Konoha's 28__th__ Year_

_9__th__ Entry_

_It's been a couple of months since I've written last, but my youngest daughter Umi has finally given birth. She has named her young child Saikyou. Already I can imagine him as a prominent shinobi; we Sarutobi have stood strong against potential threats facing Konoha and the Fire Country. Saikyou's parents are both Jonin. He will be strong…I can tell._

_I have gotten somewhat old now…my bones ache a little bit more with each passing day. Then again, I am over seventy. I have not aged as gracefully as the Shodai, bless his soul…I am not quite sure how he and his younger brother have managed to age so gracefully. Nagi-kun is fifty-three, yet he looks as spry as he was in his thirties. Perhaps…this is jealousy, I feel?_

_Nah, perish the thought. I am merely rambling. _

_Seven years since Yoshi-sama became the __**Nidaime Hokage**__… _

_I cannot wait until he retires, and I can call him Yoshi-kun again. Though, I might be gone by then…it is amazing how much has changed in nearly three decades. Nations, Hidden Villages…what's important is that life is prosperous for us. The strife of the Sengoku Jidai is but a distant memory now. And good riddance._

_But some troubles still persist…_

_I know not of what happened at the Fire Country's northern border, in the rocky canyon…the __**Valley of the End**__._

_The valley where the alliance between the Koga and the Iga shattered, in the very year of Konoha's birth._

_Iga Nagi never has spoken about the events of that battle…only that Mitsuhide is long gone. Even now, he refuses to talk. I cannot imagine the pain in his soul; Mitsuhide had been his friend since childhood. I can only surmise that Mitsuhide died by Nagi's own hand. Why else would our beloved First Hokage be so sullen about the matter after so long?_

_There is still a silver lining. Although relations have strained, the Koga that remained behind still remain loyal to Konoha. Perhaps one day, the friendship between the two founding clans of Konoha will be renewed…maybe it will be in the next generation._

_After all, I've also heard that Koga Kondo – Mitsuhide's second-born child – had a son recently. They named him __**Danzo**__; a nice, strong name._

_Perhaps he could set things in motion…it's nice to dream. At my age, it's pretty much all there's left to do. Aside from passing on tales to the young, about the hardships their ancestors endured to bring about this age of relative peace._

_The burden of protecting this era falls upon them…just as it will fall upon their descendants to protect it. Too much blood was shed to bring the old wars to a close._

_A truly dark day it would be, would those days of constant bloodletting return!_

_Sarutobi Sasuke_

_Head of the Sarutobi Clan_

xxxx

/En Route to River Province, Fire Country/

Iga Tsunade, during her somewhat-extended venture into the Village Archives, had read through more than old historical documents concerning the village's founding. She had also read through journals of several deceased shinobi. When she got back home, she would go through her old teacher's journal too. For one thing, it offered a unique perspective on the past…and secondly, Shizune had been complaining too much about her excessive drinking in recent weeks. _Not my fault that Nobunaga and the IKS have been giving me fits._

"You seem…troubled, Tsunade-san."

Tsunade glanced good-naturedly at the man sitting next to her, an uneasy smile on her face. "I am merely preoccupied with my thoughts, Kajidaimyō-sama."

The red-haired man sighed as he waved off Tsunade's dialogue. "Public appearances call for such niceties, but I'd prefer to be on a first-name basis with my most _trusted_ subordinate in private."

Tsunade sighed. "If you insist, Hashirama-sama."

The man of Senju smiled lightly. "Much better."

Senju Hashirama. The _**Hachidaime Kajidaimyō**_: The Eighth Lord of Summer's Fire as of two years ago.

Ever since the establishment of Konohagakure and the Fire Country, the relationship between the Senju Clan and the Hidden Leaf had been without parallel. Compared to dealings with the other various lords through the Fire Country's provinces, it was far more pleasurable to discuss matters with the Hokage of Konoha. It had been that way for years…and for good reason. For one thing, Konoha served as the military force for the entire country in times of war. In times of 'peace', they worked on missions, many times at the employ of the Kajidaimyō. Secondly, Konoha's vaunted status as 'elite of the elite' – despite the attacks of the Kyuubi, and the two invasions little more than three years apart – guaranteed some measure of favor. That the Godaime Hokage was an Iga – a member of the same family that had worked with his great-great-great-great-grandfather, the _**Shodai Kajidaimyō**_ – was another plus, in his book. If there was one thing that Senju Hashirama was not, it was a fool. Keeping a good relationship with his military force – high costs and all (though the Fire Country was prosperous enough that it didn't quite matter as much) – was essential. The ruler of the Wind Country – the _**Kamikazedaimyō**_, the Lord of the Divine Wind – had learned that lesson the hard way when, after years of sending mission requests to other villages (Konoha in particular), Suna had resorted to extremes. Things had calmed down since then, but cheaper prices were ultimately a false lure; if a country defunded and minimized its own military, it was not long for this world.

Such common sense was why the Senju had remained in power since the founding of the Fire Country.

Senju Hashirama gazed outside the window of his elaborate carriage, its oak furnishings covered with red velvet cushions, forest-green curtains, and golden trims along the outer surface of the four-wheeled carriage. The doors of the carriage each bore an image: the symbol of the Kajidaimyō (a blazing orange sun with red circle in the middle) and the symbol of the Senju Clan (a green, doubled-headed pike with two pairs of curved prongs on each end, lying horizontally; a single vertical line bisected it down the middle) overlapping, such that the symbol of the Senju sat inside the circle of the Kajidaimyō's symbol. The opulence didn't end there, either. Given the grand plains near the Fire Country capitol to the southeast, it was no surprise that the Senju could afford one of the more exotic land mammals: the bison.

Four bison pulling the carriage, in place of horses. It only spoke of the prestige of the Senju Clan.

If nothing else the carriage made for quite a spectacle compared to the others. A number of lords – the few who had yet to move on to Yosen for the Exams – were accompanying the large caravan on the main road to the Rain Province; horses neighed and whinnied as wheels of multiple carriages rattled along the dirt road. Fire Country merchants and businessmen pushed carts and hauled sacks full of their wares. Affluent travelers moved about on foot, eager for the upcoming spectacle.

Granted, such a caravan needed adequate protection.

Hashirama grinned as his eyes caught a glimpse of a Konoha ANBU flittering through the forest bordering the edge of the road. "It's been some time since I've seen an ANBU team. In many ways, I wonder if they would have been preferable to the _**Hi no Goeinin.**_"

"The ANBU are trained for a variety of work, mostly dealing with assassination. The Hi no Goeinin are bound to one duty and one duty only: the protection of the Fire Country's ruling family. It was why they were founded, after all."

Hashirama nodded. "True…" The Hi no Goenin: the **Guard Ninja of Fire**. Twelve shinobi, all Jonin-rank, sworn to protect the Senju Clan. Founded after the assassination of the _**Yondaime Kajidaimyō**_ by Kiri-nin (showing that ordinary guards and hired soldiers could not hope to match up against other shinobi), the Third Hokage had commissioned the creation of the Hi no Goeinin. Incidentally, it had only deepened the mutual friendship between both positions. "Even so, I've only brought one with me. The other eleven remain in the capital **Hououshi**, with the rest of my clan."

"Only one?"

"He is one of the most skilled, trust me. He has already gone ahead to Yosen to do some scouting, and to make sure our planned arrangements are suitable." Translation: scoping out the hotel suite for traps. Given Oda Nobunaga's sense for the boldly theatrical – one could tell this just by looking at the grandiose propaganda spreading about the River Army…or by remembering his explosive assassination attempt upon Tsunade – an underhanded tactic such as a hidden spring-loaded needle launcher seemed…unfitting. But with the Cloud and the Stone involved, one couldn't be too careful. "The regional governors and lords under my jurisdiction have been somewhat uneasy about this whole affair with Nobunaga, and they would _appreciate_ a measure of certainty about future events once the Exams end." Second translation: The lords that had long served under the Kajidaimyō were seriously considering what it would take to obtain a military like that of the River should Konoha fail to impress. And if such a course of action were to be undertaken, they would have to convince him, the Lord of Summer's Fire.

Iga Tsunade mentally sighed. She was on the veritable cliff's edge right now. Not even the longstanding friendship between the offices of Hokage and Kajidaimyō would be safe if all the regional lords complained. "Don't worry, I'm fairly certain events will turn out in our favor." The 'hopefully' went unsaid. "Let's discuss some lighter subjects now…how are things back at home?"

"Quite lovely, I assure you. My little niece has become quite the spitfire…"

And so Tsunade and Hashirama – a military leader and her superior – continued their discussion in privacy, seen only by the eyes of Moujinauru. The Blind Owl sat quietly atop the carriage of the Kajidaimyō, his _**Byakugan**_ gazing in all directions. He briefly tapped at a button in the collar of his ANBU armor, opening a channel to his teammates. "Moujinauru here. The caravan is still moving smoothly. Hokage-sama and Kajidaimyō-sama are still talking. No hostiles spotted within my field of vision. Anything on your end?"

"**The Ame-nin headed by Hanzou and Pein are moving smoothly along the front of the caravan. I haven't really observed any tension between the loyalists and the rebels. I think they're over their grudge,**" replied Kenryu.

Jakuyamori's voice fizzled over the radio. "**They've had ample opportunity to move past their grudge. Either that, or they have exemplary self-control…in any case, I've encountered no hostiles around the forests. Everything seems to be clear. Gininu-taichou?**"

"**Nothing's happening near the rear. Though there IS a merchant of some interesting literature…**"

"**Gininu-taichou. No reading, please.**"

"…**you're no fun.**"

Moujinauru sighed as Kenryu giggled at the dialogue between Jakuyamori and their captain. Despite their casual bickering, the two were as alert as both himself and Kenryu. Alas, when the entire caravan was littered with shinobi from both Ame and Konoha, the odds of being attacked were somewhat slim. But one couldn't be too careful; amongst the various lords was the Kajidaimyō. Anything that happened to him would be a blow to morale for not just Konoha, but for the Fire Country as well.

But things seemed somewhat simple for now, so Moujinauru turned his attention to the Hyuga walking beside the carriage's bison, running a hand through the thick fur on their heads. _Hinata-sama is…tense._ Despite the gentleness in her eyes, the scant stress in the skin around the eyes – combined with the rigidity of her shoulders – pointed towards anxiety. Given Hanabi's demotion to the Branch House, it was understandable.

The Blind Owl glanced once at the cluster of Hyuga, their paces setting them about twenty yards away from the carriage he sat upon. There was a palpable chill existing between Hiashi and Akari; after Hiaka had been 'broken' (and there really was no other way to put it; all blows had been nonfatal, but the sheer number of them would be enough to keep Hyuga Hiaka bedridden for at least a month), he had squealed. Information had spread like wildfire amongst the Hyuga. It was well-known now amongst the Branch House members that Hyuga Akari and a multitude of the Elders had subverted the Head Elder by branding Hanabi.

How things would progress from there…well, it was anyone's guess. Either way, Main House affairs were going to be decidedly uncomfortable for the foreseeable future.

Hinata had to be torn up by the whole ordeal.

The owl-masked Hyuga sighed as he let his thoughts drift elsewhere, his eyes taking in a menagerie of sights.

Haruno Sakura conversing with a number of travelling medics, comparing medicines and techniques.

Inuzuka Kiba showing off his steadily growing Akamaru (goodness that pup was growing HUGE) to the children of various lords.

Sai casually sitting atop a wagon, drawing…something.

Yuhi Kurenai walking calmly, subconsciously bringing a hand to her stomach. Neji briefly paused at the accumulation of chakra around the stomach, and the brief jumble of developing coils. _Hmm. Since was Kurenai-san pregnant?_ Hinata had to know, undoubtedly…and who was the father? And for that matter, why did he care? It wasn't his business, professionally or personally, to inquire about such matters…well, it did mean she wouldn't be a shinobi once her pregnancy became too prominent to ignore, and she _**was**_ a Jonin. If war started, everyone would be needed. _Oh well. We all live with the choices we make._ Even people like him, who had been forced to the life of servitude, as a Branch House member.

He renewed his vigilant post, letting nothing escape his watchful eyes.

Less than a day until they arrived at Yosen.

xxxx

/Yosen, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

Kazama Arashi sighed as he dropped the moaning ninja of Kiri onto the dirt, placing a few chakra suppressant tags on their necks. "That should hold them for the time being."

To say that everyone in the surrounding area was shocked…well, it was the understatement of the century.

The Yondaime Hokage, in the flesh, looking not a day older than he had been during his time in office.

Jiraiya was understandably perplexed. Shocked, bewildered, what have you…and given what he knew of the plans of Orochi and the tengu, a troubling chill had settled in his gut. _No way…could it be they somehow revived him as well…? But…HOW?!_ If Orochi had somehow managed to gain control of his old student…then they were well-and-truly-screwed. There was just no other way to say it. It could be seen in the eyes of everyone around what his mere _presence_ _**meant**_.

Arashi took it all in stride, reacting with the same youthful irreverence that had made him so popular with the people of Konoha. "Well, I hope they didn't do anything to harm your students, Tsuchikage-dono." Speaking as though he were still the rank equivalent of Hokage…and in a way, he was. Even after retirement, authority could be deferred to a former Kage in times of crisis, or in incidents where village councils and the Kage became locked in a stalemate. He smiled at the three twelve-year-olds standing beside the stoic Tsuchikage, his golden blond hair drawing the attention of all. "You kids okay?"

The three students nervously edged away, eliciting a surprised look from Arashi. "Hmm?"

"You have to understand, they know their history." The Rokudaime Tsuchikage, hiding any and all fear he may have felt at the moment, stepped forward with a stony stare in his eye. "Out of the various chapters of Iwa's history, they know _plenty_ about the Yellow Flash of Konoha." That nickname…that _**title**_. Murmurs and whispers washed over the shinobi within Yosen, a wave of realization washing over the grains of disbelief…and even then, many still doubted. After all, it was the frickin' **YELLOW **_**FLASH**_. "They also know very well that you were killed during the attack by the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox…which is why your presence here is most…_unsettling_."

Arashi looked quizzically at the man, as though he was surprised at the idea people thought he had died. "Well, true, my battle with the mythical Kyuubi DID nearly kill me…the best that the medics could do was place me into a stasis until a more intensive healing procedure could be found. Luckily, our new Hokage is the best medic-nin in the world!" He smiled happily at Jiriaya, who had masked his dumbfounded shock with a mask of stern silence. "Right, sensei?"

"That's the truth," replied Jiraiya. Reanimated corpse, forbidden summoning, the genuine article…details would come later. At the moment, he would assist this very _convincing_ look-alike in assuring that the Yondaime Hokage had, in fact, survived. It would certainly make the IKS a lot more cautious about trying anything funny.

The Tsuchikage scowled in his mind, unable to find a fault in the man's story. He wasn't afraid to admit that he had celebrated fifteen years ago, upon hearing the news of his greatest enemy's death…and yet, now he was cursing his haste to let the Yellow Flash become nothing more than a bad memory. Given the hush-hush nature of the Hidden Villages, it was no surprise that such a secret would have remained under wraps at all costs. Konoha had somehow kept the damned freak alive…this did not bode well. Contingencies would have to be made. Plans would have to be changed. "I…see."

"In any case, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Arashi stared for a moment, taking in the man's face…and then he recalled a particular battle from memories rife with war. "Ah! You must be Katame Nagato, yes? I remember you from the Battle of Kikyo Pass, two years before the end of the Third Great Shinobi War." Then he remembered _more_ details. "Ah…I hope you've been able to work well with only one eye."

Nagato resisted the urge to snort. One eye or no, he was still the greatest ninja of Iwa. He'd be damned if this man gave any faux pity to him! "As you can see, I've fared quite well."

"Splendid." Arashi smiled an easygoing smile, but his eyes carried a visible warning. "I hope we can avoid any unpleasantries then." Turning about, he waved one last time to the three children before him. "Best of luck."

The Tsuchikage merely grunted as he nearly hauled his Genin Team along. He had to get with the Raikage and Nobunaga…they had to talk **NOW**.

The general mood of the area was still tense, even as the Tsuchikage departed. Eyes watched as the Yondaime Hokage walked casually by a stone-faced Jiraiya. The blond merely muttered, "We can talk later, once my team and I have settled in."

"Sounds fine by me." This man wanted to talk to him. He _**seemed**_ to behave much like his old student…but behavior was one thing. Reality was something else altogether. And boy, did he EVER have questions.

All he could do, in the end, was watch his student – alive and radiant with power – put on his straw hat and walk back over to his cloaked 'team'. A team which included Momochi ZABUZA. _Man, what a weird sight._

Jiraiya's sentiments were shared by Asuma. It wasn't everyday that you saw your father's supposedly dead successor walking amongst the living. He puffed on a cigarette out of frustration. _Well then._

"Oji-san…" Asuma looked down at the suddenly jittery Konohamaru, who was pointing at the departing figure of Kazama Arashi. "Is that a ghost we just saw?"

"He has chakra. He has organs." Hanabi spoke resolutely, masking her unease with the glare of the _**Byakugan**_. "That man…is flesh and blood. He's alive."

Sasuke said nothing, merely recalling the many revelations he had received over the past few months. Dark eyes narrowed at the four cloaked shinobi…the shortest one in particular. _…hmm._

"Well, that's enough excitement for one day!" cheerfully boomed Asuma, trying to draw his team's attention away from the surreal experience they had just endured. "Let's register, then head over to the hotel and settle in."

"How about some company?"

Everyone turned around to see a bald man with tanned skin walking towards them. Clad in robes of saffron and red, the man bore no undershirt or footwear; the only other fabric on his body was a black sash bearing a red circle and the kanji for 'Fire' in orange. Black eyes filled with mirth accompanied an easy smile. "Hello there Asuma."

Asuma's cigarette nearly dropped to the ground. "Chiriku!" A hearty hug was shared between the two men, prompting curious stares from his temporary team (well, Sasuke was indifferent, as usual). "The Kajidaimyō must be coming…haven't seen you in years."

The monk's smile widened. "Hashirama-sama chose me to come here and scout out the rest of the area before he arrives tomorrow. Despite the political situation, everything seems to be on the up-and-up." He glanced at the trio behind Asuma. "Is this your team?"

"In a manner of speaking…temporarily, they are." Asuma grinned as he gestured a hand towards the monk, already answering the unspoken question visible in the eyes of the younger shinobi. "This is Joudo Chiriku, one of the twelve Hi no Goeinin that are tasked with the protection of the Kajidaimyō. You can tell by that sash he wears."

Konohamaru stared at the sash…and then his eyes were drawn to the one tied around Asuma's waist. Stormy gray surrounded a navy blue circle, which bore the kanji for 'Fire' in red. "How come yours is different?"

"The black sash is for those currently in the service of the Lord of Summer's Fire. Gray sashes are given to those who formally retire." Chiriku lightly patted his former comrade on the shoulder. "Asuma was a member of the Guard Ninja of Fire for almost a whole decade, and I served with him for the last five; he left about, say…five years ago, yes?"

"Something like that," replied Asuma with a smirk. The overtly hostile atmosphere had receded somewhat; the foreign shinobi were treading more cautiously about the Konoha-nin now that the Yondaime had miraculously appeared. Plus, he **personally** felt more at ease; Chiriku, one of the head monks of the shinobi monastery _**Hi no Tera**_, was a master at the spiritual technique dubbed _**Ninpou; En'youkaika**_. _Ninja Art…Theurgical Enlightenment...the power of summoning spirits to bolster one's own body._ That powerful art, descended from the **onmyōji** of days long before the founding of the Elemental Countries, had a home in the religious monastery to the northeastern regions of the Fire Country. The Temple of Fire prided itself on producing spiritually-endowed warriors, capable of uncanny mental fortitude. Although a majority of those who lived within the monastery kept within the grounds of the temple, a good number of the monks were either former Konoha-nin…or those who would one day venture to Konoha to join its ranks. Chiriku was in the former category, having served during the Third Great Shinobi War. "Anyhow, we can catch up once we register. Come on you kids."

"I'M NO KID! I'M A BADASS NINJA WHO'S ABOUT TO BECOME A BADASS CHUUNIN!"

This time, both Sasuke and Hanabi walloped Konohamaru's head in tandem.

Asuma could only sweatdrop as his old friend chuckled. _Seriously Konohamaru…some restraint would be nice._

Chiriku smiled as he followed his old friend…but not before gazing at the backs of the departing shinobi in cloaks, and not before giving an uneasy smile to Jiraiya. "…"

The Gama-Sennin merely waved once before walking off. _Not only Arashi, but Chiriku's here too…I need to find a bar._

xxxx

/Earth Country-Rain Province Border/

"So you're telling me that you're a demon vessel, you were hated for most of your entire life by an entire village, and didn't know your old man was the founder of Akatsuki…and that you didn't even know he _was_ your father until you were battling to the death?"

"Pretty much."

"Sheesh! Talk about overkill, seriously."

"You'd think, wouldn't you?"

It had only taken just a little bit of travelling for Uzumaki Naruto to realize that Hidan wasn't THAT bad of a guy…just overzealous to an extreme degree. True, he did relish in killing people for his 'god'…and he certainly had no moral qualms with what Jashin did to the people he sacrificed ("They should feel fortunate that Jashin-sama would let them be his sustenance! To be that which sustains a god's essence…that's pretty lucky, idiot!"). But in the end, he was…_okay_. Okay in an Ibiki or Anko kind of way.

Hidan grumbled as he pulled himself onto the top of the bluff, his pendant fluttering in the wind. Clad in pants, a vest, and shinobi footwear bearing the color of obsidian, the Jashinist had a number of weapons on his person. Two collapsible pikes were strapped to his right thigh, while a triple-bladed scythe – bloody red curves, like dismembered talons – was placed into a small leather holster on his back. The scythe's red staff was attached to a thick rope, which intertwined about his bare left arm. The silver pendant, bearing the indentation of Jashin's symbol, hung around his neck by a silver thread. Red eyes gleamed quietly at the plains beyond the bluff. "Damn. THAT looks like a pain in the ass."

"_Hidan. LANGUAGE._"

"But it's the truth! Forgive me for my slip, Jashin-sama." Hidan stared fearfully at the scepter in his right hand; his cursing was naught but a habit! A bad habit…it would be expunged! But he was only a damnable human, susceptible to weakness. _Persevere._ "But I could not help it…not after seeing this."

'This' equated to a large River Army encampment.

Beyond a series of rock-laden bluffs that stretched across the border between the Earth Country and the Rain Province, a long barren plain stretched on for miles beyond, as though it had been stamped flat by a herd of giants. Near the edge of the horizon was a congregation of tents, infantry, Kurohyougunsha, motorcycles, and several artillery cannons designed for mobile transport…the armament of the River Army in plain sight. All the while, buzzing about the periphery of the encampment were a multitude of humans clad in distinctive earthen tones. Iwa-nin.

"There's gotta be at least four thousand people down there," grumbled Hidan.

"Yup," replied Naruto, his blue eyes looking over the blue horizon. "The kitsune said they saw a number of other encampments; a few of my other _**Kage bunshin**_ are on their way to the others." He would have to advance carefully; one wrong move, and he was out. He had to at least make a sizeable dent in their numbers…after all, judging from what Kitsozo ALONE had learned, the IwaKumoSawa alliance would be making a move after the Chuunin Exams ended.

War was coming, regardless of what Konoha was going to do.

And he wasn't going to let ANYTHING happen to his precious people without a fight. If nothing else, he would even the odds. "So…any ideas on how to approach them?"

Hidan was silent, slick silver hair shining in the sun as it began to lower. Noon had passed; twilight would be upon them in several hours. Any assault would have to wait until night…when they weren't in plain sight. "…ah." A positively _wicked_ grin crossed the Jashinist's face. "I have just the thing." He held up the scepter. "Jashin-sama."

"_What is it?_"

"Permission to show this…'heretic'…"

Naruto twitched.

"…a demonstration of your godly might?"

"_How so?_"

"Well…remember the old religious texts, documenting the fall of that castle in the Snow Country a few centuries back?"

"_...ah ha…very well Hidan. But I'm not going to heal you. Find a medic-nin to sew your pathetic hide back together._"

"I wouldn't dare think of inconveniencing you, Jashin-sama."

Naruto felt like vomiting at the blind devotion this man was exhibiting. _Jeez…why couldn't we have left that stupid scepter behind?!_

"Oy. Blondie." Hidan smirked devilishly at Naruto, his pearly white teeth emphasizing a smirk that seemed FAR too malicious for such a beatific face. "You know any _**Katon**_ ninjutsu?"

"Yeah. So?"

"Come nightfall…we'll give these heathens something to think about."

xxxx

/Room 502 Balcony, Hotel, Yosen, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

"You still smoke?"

Asuma chuckled as he watched the gray cloud drift away, its ashes briefly dimming the moonlight. "Well…it's kind of a habit."

"Ever thought of going for a pipe?"

"Too inconvenient."

Chiriku chuckled good-naturedly at the former Hi no Goeinin. Night had descended upon Yosen; even so, people continued to trickle into the town. Bars remained open, serving foreigners of all stripes…shinobi or otherwise. Granted, the River Army and the Marsh ninja were on hand to quell any disputes…but the entire town seemed somewhat uneager to cause any trouble. Espeically after how the Yondaime Hokage had thrashed those two Kiri-nin from earlier. Speaking of whom…that was a topic of discussion that the monk was somewhat dreading.

For one thing, Arashi was dead. Chiriku had been at the funeral, when the man's body had been cremated. Yet he had, figuratively speaking, brought the house down with his appearance today. That he was here at all…

_And Jiraiya-sensei is here as well…_

"So Asuma, how's this team of yours holding up? The age difference is rather…jarring." Focus on other things. His mind would go one way while his mouth would go elsewhere.

Asuma sighed. "Well, they're not really my normal team…Shikamaru, Ino, and Chouji were their names. They're Chuunin already. These three are still Genin."

"Hmm…so they needed a temporary Jonin-sensei to represent them." Understandable. It was a common mission during the Chuunin Exams, for Genin to be pulled from their normal teams into new units for the sake of promoting more shinobi at once. Due to teamwork problems, however, it wasn't exactly the most desired of missions (after all, shinobi are volatile people; removing them from any sense of normalcy they possess is a no-no). Asuma hardly seemed the type to request such a mission, so…that left one option. "So. For what reason were you forced into this assignment?"

The dumbfounded expression on the Jonin's face caused Chiriku to mentally smirk. _Silly young man. You still can't pull the wool over my eyes._

Figuring that it wouldn't hurt to tell, the Sarutobi merely scratched the back of his head. Oh, how sheepish he must have appeared at the moment._ Eh, can't say I didn't bring it on myself…oh well. Gotta face the music and all that._ "I got a girl pregnant."

Chiriku arched an eyebrow, curious as to the ramifications of this act.

"A Konoha-nin."

"Oh."

"…a Jonin."

"_Oh._"

"Yeah…"

"Tsk tsk tsk…" Chiriku shook his head back and forth dramatically. Truly, the wiles of youth…how vigorous they could be. "A potential war on the horizon, and one of your village's Jonin will be forced to go on maternal leave soon…my my, how careless."

Asuma had the audacity to grimace. "I already got a tongue-lashing from the Hokage about this. Could you at least be a little bit more gentle?"

"Friendly though he was, Chiriku-kun was never one to hold back on harsh words…if the situation called for it."

The two looked straight up.

Standing on the hotel wall was none other than Kazama Arashi, his blue eyes twinkling at the sight of his predecessor's son and his old teammate. "Asuma-kun. Chiriku-kun. It's good to see you two again."

Really, in this situation…what could be said? Prior to this day, Asuma hadn't seen the Fourth Hokage until he had been a teenager, barely a young adult. And Chiriku had been at the Hi no Tera, researching methods to stop the impending attack of the Kyuubi…nothing could quite measure the extent of what they were feeling right now. A mixture of awe…and trepidation. One of the greatest shinobi ever, standing right above them. But there was one problem: he was _dead_.

So how was he there?

Ignoring the impossibility of the whole scenario, Chiriku quietly muttered, "It's good to see you as well…Arashi-kun."

The Yellow Flash smiled good-naturedly as he plopped down beside them on the stone balcony, his light clothing shimmering in the moonlight. He was…like a ghost, in some aspects. Perhaps he was, and was merely very 'meaty'. "Now if only we had Kiyoko-chan and Jiraiya-sensei here, it'd be Team 12 all over again…"

"Problem is, Suki Kiyoko died in the Third Great Shinobi War. Much like how her daughter Suki Rin died during the Kyuubi's attack…along with you, and a lot of other people." Eyes were drawn toward the opposite edge of the balcony, where Jiraiya could be seen sitting on the rail. His steely eyes seemed so out of place on his normally easygoing face…but this was no laughing matter. He couldn't take any chances. "Much like how Momochi Zabuza and his partner Haku died in the Wave Country three years ago. Much like how Orochimaru died at Sunagakure…then again, it seems people have a hard time staying dead these days, _don't_ they?"

His words were practically murderous.

He knew that Orochi had designs on the human world, for some reason or another. He knew that corpses were involved. Two corpses of the Mist that had gone missing were now here…and now his supposedly dead student was here. If that blasted snake had culled Arashi into serving him…well, the Gama-Sennin didn't really know how it would go down. If this man only turned out to be a mask…a falsehood…a mere _copy_, trying to fool them all with some devilish charade that only his old snake-eyed teammate would enjoy conjuring…then Jiraiya would take him down NOW. Otherwise, it would mean that Konoha would have to face off against the Yellow Flash.

It would be crushing. Not only to the shinobi ranks…but to morale.

He had to be sure…he _**had to**_. "I don't know whether or not to believe that you're really Arashi. But given the circumstances, you need offer proof. And _quickly._"

Chiriku blanched at the seriousness in his former sensei's eyes. He had the feeling that he had stumbled upon something…enormous. What had been going on in his old home? What had changed following the sudden disappearance of Akatsuki's Leader and the vessel of the Kyuubi no Yoko? _What is…going on?_

Asuma, subconsciously sensing the tension, shifted his hands. Easy access to his trench knives…with just enough room to adjust his cigarette once the ashes started falling off in clumps. "…"

Through it all, Arashi only smiled. That same smile that had bedazzled and warmed all of Konoha in the same manner that his combat prowess had instilled fear into Konoha's enemies. "Well sensei…I must say, I can't fault you for your concern." He glanced at his old teammate. "Chiriku-kun. I understand that the kami around the Temple of Fire are somewhat…perturbed, as of late. No?"

The monk frowned. How had he known? _Never mind that, HOW is he here?_ That little pestering question would have to be answered one way or another. "Yes…the spirits that have always 

lingered have become somewhat…distant. And when we utilize a summoning jutsu, the summoned spirits immediately apologize before dismissing themselves…they are loath to talk, and it has unnerved all of my brethren."

"The numerous kami are preoccupied with events in Makai. There is a threat to their very existence, and they do not want to burden themselves with affairs in the human world." Arashi gazed back at his old teacher. "I'm sure you would like some details…perhaps you're curious as to everything that's been happening in Makai since Naruto entered that realm."

Jiraiya's eyes immediately lost some of their hardnosed glare, taking on the ravenous glint indicative of a man who always thirsted for more and more knowledge of the known and the unknown. News of Makai, news of Orochi, news of Mantarou…news of Naruto. "Asuma. Chiriku. All information you're about to hear…I'm deeming it S-Class. Got it?"

Nothing more needed to be said.

All they could do was wait…and listen.

Arashi smiled as he sat down on the wall. "Very well then…I'll start at the beginning."

xxxx

/Gouhou Coliseum, Yosen, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

"It was the Yondaime Hokage…the accursed _Yellow Flash!_"

Oda Nobunaga glanced nonchalantly at the sputtering Tsuchikage. "Now now Tsuchikage-dono, it would be unfitting to worry so."

" _Worry?_ _**WORRY?!**_" Katame Nagato was practically sputtering. Away from his subordinates, alone with equals, he could show his true fear. They had to understand _what_ exactly they were up against. "The Fourth Hokage was a shinobi without measure. Very few can equal him in combat, and that's WITHOUT the aid of his blasted _**Hiraishin no jutsu**_ and his _**Rasengan**_. Those two techniques alone enabled him to massacre entire units of Iwa-nin in one fell swoop! He was a living devil, a veritable MONSTER."

"In the end, aren't we all?"

A somewhat dainty figure approached, clad in the white and yellow robes of the Raikage. A fair face stared at them, lucid blue eyes seemingly magnified by the lack of any eyebrows. A piercing through her bottom lip was brandished with a glistening pearl, granting her an oddly regal appearance. Neatly combed blue hair framed her face with gentle curves, ending at her feminine jaw; the excess locks were done into a single bun, bearing a paper blossom. "We shinobi, capable of otherworldly feats…even the weakest of us are regarded with marvel by commoners. For the greatest of all, they are looked upon as gods. That one 'god' seems so mighty is not surprising."

"Glad you could join us, Kirigami Konan," remarked Nobunaga with a smile. "Or perhaps I should say Shichidaime Raikage-dono, yes?"

"It matters not. Formality is nothing but a waste of time in private settings." Konan glanced curiously at Nagato. "Your fear of the man called Kazama Arashi is well-documented…but it is not wise to lose yourself when so much is at stake."

The Tsuchikage scowled. "I am merely being pragmatic. That man was the one who turned the tide of the last war. Iwa was forced to plead for peace, allowing Konoha to focus their attention on Kumo. And we know how well THAT incident turned out."

Konan sighed. The battles between Konoha and Kumo had downgraded to a series of short conflicts, then to small skirmishes. The ploy to obtain the _**Byakugan**_ via the faux ambassador had failed, due to Konoha's trick with that twin of Hiashi's. After that…well, the Cloud certainly hadn't been interested in any battles with Konoha. Until now. "My predecessor's last wish before stepping down was to finally obtain the White Eye of the Hyuga for Kumogakure…but his obsession with that Bloodline Limit minimized many of our chances for success."

"Your point?"

"Hinging your present onto past affairs and tribulations is a recipe for failure. Learning from history is one thing; letting history rule you is something else entirely."

Nobunaga smiled. "That is quite true…to a point. The actions of the past bring definition to the present, just as we will define the future. That much is obvious. But for the time being, we can only adapt." He glanced over at the Raikage. "So tell me, Konan-san…how is the Raidendaimyō as of late?"

The woman sighed out of irritation. "Still the hedonist he's always been. Throwing about his money and status with drunken abandon. I can only count myself as fortunate that he leaves the Lightning Country's military affairs to myself and Kumo."

"And you, Nagato-san? How has the Ten no Chidaimyō been as of late?"

"He is about to make the same mistake that the Kamikazedaimyō did years ago," retorted the one-eyed man with a scowl. "He has started to shift a number of missions to other hidden villages, saying that they're more 'geographically convenient'." What utter hogwash. The current Heaven's Lord of Earth had never quite warmed up to Iwagakure, given that he had come into power after the end of the Third Great Shinobi War. "Aside from the chance to get back at Konoha…the formation of the IKS was primarily done for financial backing and increased recognition as a force to be reckoned with."

"As it is with all of us, I'm sure." Nobunaga was no fool, to think that his allies had any ideological ties with him. This was an alliance of convenience, nothing more. The potential benefits were astounding…but only if they could crush Konoha. And now, the arrival of the 

supposedly deceased Yondaime…that was a problem. But not an impossible one. "Alas, one's bargaining position is somewhat…minimized, when your own rulers are trying to backstab you."

"Is that what's happening with you?" asked Konan.

Nobunaga cheerfully shook his head. "The _**Tokokawadaimyō**_ – the Lord of the Endless River – isn't much of a factor. I actually control most of the facilities in the River Country."

The eyes of both Raikage and Tsuchikage narrowed, ever so slightly. A subtle hint; he had far more control over current affairs than he had let on. A sleight of hands, letting them know that the situation was still under THEIR dominion. Nagato finally muttered, "Hmph. Leader of Sawagakure…Field Marshal of the River Army…_**and**_ ruler of the River Country. Quite a load."

"Somewhat. I mostly relegate administrative duties to lesser lords and other officials, much like the heads of other nations. I find it more efficient to let the country's economic engines work on their own…we've become quite prosperous as a result." But, as always, there was the desire for more…and more. More land, more resources. The Rain had been the first to fall. More would follow. "In any case, I have a lot more leeway as a result. And at the moment, we have the upper hand."

"What about the Yondaime?"

"I'll take care of him."

"You are a fool," spat Nagato.

"I think not."

"Why do you feel so confident?" queried Konan, a curious look in her eyes.

Nagato smiled as his right hand glowed with a strange gray chakra, flickering like a barely-lit flame…yet, as he touched the nearest stadium chair, it roared for a fraction of a second. Blazing like a funeral pyre, existing for naught but the blink of an eye. It washed over the chair and vanished in an instant. Seconds later, the chair crumbled into dust, discombobulated and broken down in the briefest of moments as all order vanished.

The two Kage stared. Nobunaga merely said, "The Yondaime Hokage was a deadly threat on the battlefield because of his two signature techniques: _**Hiraishin**_ and _**Rasengan**_. Likewise, I am a deadly threat, augmented by my kekkei genkai…_**Bunshitoukai**_."

Molecular Destruction.

The shattering of bonds at the smallest level possible, rending everything asunder, leaving only its bare components.

The power which drove Kuro Jadoku to madness in his fear.

"Kazama Arashi is swift. If given the chance, he would most likely kill me…" The leader of Sawa calmly walked away, his stride filled with the confidence of a war leader. "…but if I touch him just once, it's over. He will cease to exist."

xxxx

/Earth Country-Rain Province Border/

The Iwa-nin scout paled as the silver-haired man grabbed his katana. "_How…?!_"

The man grinned, even as the wound in his chest gushed blood. A tongue stuck out, mocking him. "Nyeh."

Then the Iwa-nin's head was sliced off at the neck by a blond blur.

Uzumaki Naruto flicked the blood off of his kunai as Hidan pulled the katana out through his ribs. "You okay?"

"Bah! You stupid heretic. I thought you'd have learned after the last FOUR scouts encountered us." The Jashinist let the katana drop to the side; not only was his chest bleeding, but he bore a stab wound to the cheek, a bloody bruise on the forehead, a one-inch long gash on the stomach, and a few shuriken scratches on his right arm. "Heh. Missed my heart AND my lungs. What a loser."

Naruto said nothing as the duo continued on, the former Akatsuki member lugging a giant stone behind him with the rope from his scythe.

It had been a pattern that had occurred over the course of the night. The area was rather cloudy, blocking out the light of the moon…a perfect time to move about. Hidan had spent his time lugging a giant stone – sharpened on the bottom by a kunai, to help dig into the dry ground – about a mile beyond the perimeter of the Iwa-nin patrol routes…scrawling the symbol of Jashin into the land, scarring it with the demon's mark.

It was nearly morning. The five scouts that had stumbled upon them each time had chosen to engage instead of reporting in…after all, all they had seen was some man lugging a stone around in the dark. By the time they attacked him up-close, they were already doomed to a beheading.

Later, as the edge of the sky began to bear the slightest tints of blue and orange, Hidan and Naruto arrived back at their starting point. The triangle had been finished first…and now, the circle was also complete. Hidan grinned. "_Perfect._" The Jashinist immediately split to the right once joining the circle, forming a much smaller copy of Jashin's symbol in the ground.

Two symbols connected each other.

Hidan stood in the middle of the much smaller one, bearing a radius of only ten feet. The line connecting it to the symbol that now surrounded the slowly awakening River Army encampment was twenty feet long.

Now was the time.

Hidan calmly set aside his clothes and weapons, standing fully in the nude (Naruto twitched, wondering if this was going to become a regular occurrence). Alone inside the small triangle, Hidan glanced at the blond Shadow Clone. "Okay kid. Set me on fire."

"…"

"…what, did I stutter?!"

"…dude. WHY?"

"_It is function of the seals Hidan has just carved_," grunted Jashin, his voice emerging from the grounded scepter. "_Just do it boy._"

Naruto grumbled as he performed the handseals. _Stupid masochists._ "_**Katon; Hibashira no jutsu!**_" He slammed his palms into the ground. Chakra surged and roiled, coagulating into a fiery mass underground…and then, it was released. "Fire Element; Blazing Fire Tower!"

A column of fire, barely fitting within the confines of the triangle, consumed Hidan where he stood.

Fire immediately erupted from the giant symbol.

Hidan cackled as Naruto gaped.

The circle and the triangle roared with flames, the fiery walls rushing inward. A mighty crash sounded while the sun breached the horizon, blanketing the plains with its rays…and yet, the havoc of the River Army position was easily visible within the blaze. Iwa-nin, startled by the sudden conflagration, immediately set about trying to snuff the fires with _**Doton **_ninjutsu…but the damage was already wrought. Burning bodies, soon to be corpses, flailed about as the encampment settled into a general panic.

Total chaos.

Hidan loved every moment of it, gorging himself on the sight of the carnage. To let loose, and unleash hell…what _freedom!_ "HAHAHAHA! Take that, **heathens!**"

It was surprisingly easy for Naruto to overlook this. True, he was essentially glossing over the fact that hundreds and hundreds of men were roasting alive, with any survivors bound to bear 2nd or 3rd-degree burns. But he couldn't bring himself to pity them. They were part of the military arm of Sawagakure, which had its sights set on Konoha. Sawa's allies were Iwa and Kumo, both of whom despised the Hidden Leaf. More than anything else, though… they were soldiers, willingly fighting for their country. They had chosen this life. To die or to let die, that was the existence they had chosen. To pity them would have been…dishonorable, in a way.

It was contrary to his Ninja Way, to acknowledge that those soldiers and those shinobi had been tools. But they had chosen to be tools, just as he had chosen to be a tool for Konoha. That was reality.

Some changes would be made when he became Hokage, true…but until then, he would stomach it for all his worth. "Let's finish the rest of them off. If I end up getting too damaged and going 'poof', try to survive – without getting _TOO_ mauled – and head for Konohagakure."

"Pfft. You worry too much." Hidan quietly stepped out of the symbol of Jashin, his skin bleeding and crackling. He was practically a zombie…but he didn't care. "Lemme get my clothes on, then we can go mop up."

"How can you grin?" Naruto just _boggled_ at portions of the man's blackened skin. "Don't you even feel that?"

"Of **course** I do! It hurts like hell!"

"…then…why the laughing?"

"Because this is fun."

"…you scare me."

"_The vessel of the Kyuubi is frightened by my power! You have pleased me, Hidan. The Kyuubi will LOVE to hear this._"

"Thy will be done, Jashin-sama."

Naruto only hung his head as they advanced towards the charred remnants of the River Army encampment. _Stupid fox is never gonna hear the end of this…_

Then the feeling of his heart being stabbed erupted through his body, ceasing in moments.

Naruto gazed to the southeast. One of his fellow Shadow Clones had just been killed. _Geez…what the…?_

xxxx

Hundreds of miles away…in the northern regions of the River Country…

A Sawa-nin scowled, his uniform of gray and dark green torn. However, the only wound he bore was a scratch along the cheek. "Damned troublesome boy…and only a Shadow Clone at that…"

The River Army encampment waiting to enter the Rain Province had been ambushed. Earthen jaws had erupted from the moist soil of the wetlands, coupled with a hail of shuriken and kunai. Multiple soldiers had died in moments, along with a few Sawa-nin.

It had taken ten minutes to finally find the damned doppelganger. It had taken another five to take him down, losing around twelve shinobi before he finally fell.

A sigh escaped the Sawa-nin's lips, his fingers casually twisting at the bushy gray mustache under his nose. A black eye-patch ran over his right eye, while a monocle calmly rested over the left eye. He flexed his black gloves, the finger tips laced with silver. All in all, he was an odd sight; hence his nickname _**Kikeigan**_, or 'Freak Eye'.

He didn't care though. He was Kanaami Toushin, the fourth strongest shinobi of Sawa…behind only Soui Numa, Harada Ieyasu, and Oda Nobunaga.

Still…he couldn't help but wonder about the Shadow Clone's appearance. It had looked a LOT like the former Yondaime Hokage…

_I must send a message to Oda-sama._

xxxx

/Outside Gouhou Coliseum, Yosen, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

Uchiha Sasuke quirked one eyebrow as Sarutobi Asuma yawned. Catching sight of this, the Jonin muttered, "Just a little tired. Didn't get to bed until late."

The Uchiha said nothing, merely grunting in response. He knew that the man's supposed 'lack of sleep' was due to the fact that he had been talking for a few hours last night. Four voices from the balcony of the room…not that he knew who they had all been, aside from Asuma and the monk that had accompanied him. It was none of his business one way or another; if it was vital information, Asuma would tell him. Unless it was classified.

Either way, it wouldn't bother him. As someone who once despised people prying into his own affairs, trying to tell him how to live…it wasn't quite right to eavesdrop unwarranted. Very impolite in the world of ninja. Especially if they knew about it.

Or maybe he was still sore from the years of stalking fangirls.

"OI! TEME!"

Sasuke glared at the diminutive grandson of the Third Hokage, who immediately roared, "Ready to kick ass?"

"Just don't do anything stupid," droned Sasuke.

"Dobe," casually added Hanabi, wondering if the Sarutobi's reaction would be just as potent as it was when Sasuke called him that.

Sure enough, the young Genin's eyes widened. He sputtered, "W-w-WHAT?! NOT YOU TOO!?"

_Affirmative_, mentally droned Hanabi. Really, this boy was just a tad BIT predictable…

"You…_you_…_**baka CHIBI!!**_"

Hanabi froze. And then she seethed. '_Baka'? 'CHIBI'?!_ "Why YOU-!"

Sasuke calmly grabbed their arms and flipped them onto their backs. "Morons. Stop being stupid." Oh joy, he could feel the headache mounting. What was it about children that cued such…headaches? _Oh yeah. Similarity to Naruto._ Stupid dobe. "Just try not to get yourselves killed."

Konohamaru huffed. _Bah! He doesn't need to worry about me. I'm gonna beat everyone!_

Hanabi merely grimaced as she flexed her fingers. _I will prove my strength. Branch House or no…I will show everyone the might of the Hyuga._

Sasuke stared along the main road, watching the approaching mass of people approach Yosen. Colors of both Fire Country and Wind Country…of Konoha and Suna. _They've arrived._ He gazed back up at the impressive coliseum, noting the Sawa-nin sentries and wondering what the exams would be.

In any case…there was a palpable tenseness to the air.

Something big, on the level of the Oto/Suna invasion, was about to happen.

Either way, the Chuunin Exams were about to begin.

xxxx

Near the entrance of the town, Iga Tsunade had decided to walk the rest of the way. By her side was Bachiatari Gaara, both clad in their respective Kage robes. The merchants from Fire and Wind were already moving about to begin their rounds. Suna-nin and Konoha-nin arranged themselves in prepared patrol patterns about the main caravan. ANBU Unit #17 hung close to Tsunade, while Kankuro and Temari remained by the Kazekage's side. Rock Lee carried Maito Gai in the special harness; the dynamic duo had arrived at the Exams with the caravan from the Sand, having just gotten back from one last training mission with Gaara.

The results…were satisfying, to say the least. _Gaara-kun shall EXPLODE with youth in his next battle!_ Then his expression suddenly turned sour. _And yet…_

Gaara shifted his gaze towards the younger Green Beast. "You need to ask something, Lee-san?" The young man may have been respectful, but he was knowledgeable of diplomatic and social etiquette (to an adequate degree; some would consider it unfitting for a Kage to throw out their own Council in a wave of sand. It's not like they hadn't merited it). In his robes – as Kazekage – he would refer to Rock Lee as 'Lee-san', at best. 'Lee-sensei' was out of the question; it wouldn't do for the Kazekage to appear subservient before a mere Chuunin.

The Chuunin in question dramatically roared, "OOOOH!! Your Nice Guy Pose! It's been…CHANGED!" Lee pointed at the Kazekage, causing all nearby Suna-nin to either impulsively tense up or sigh out of irritation (really, it was frightening how accommodated one could get to their eccentric behavior). "**IT IS NO LONGER AS YOUTHFUL WITHOUT THE GRIN!!**"

"I must agree, my protégé's protégé," chimed in Maito Gai, his frame snuggled into the harness. "The sudden disappearance of the-" Insert double grin from both Lee and Gai. Cue _PING!_ Instant blindness for several bystanders. "-and it's just not the same!"

"A close acquaintance felt that a simple thumbs-up without it would be more appropriate." That close acquaintance being none other than Ichiraku Ayame. Gaara could swear he had never seen a more visible expression of absolute horror and revulsion. Then the ramen chef had gone on a semi-rant about how the grin would only make him seem like a freak while the simple thumbs-up with a casual expression would make him look nonchalant and cool.

Or something to that effect.

He appreciated her honesty, if nothing else.

Lee only moped. "Oooh…but it's the _**NICE GUY POSE**_."

Gaara shrugged. It wasn't his problem. It was, like the uniform, a place where parted from his sensei. "Consider it to be an adaptation for my people. Much like the uniform."

"Hmm…I see." Gai grinned, as if suddenly uncovering a grand secret. "Ah-ha! That explains everything. This is okay Lee. Gaara is still just as youthful!"

"Ah, you mean it?!"

"**HA **HA HA! Of course I am!" boasted the legless Jonin.

Lee pumped his fist out of sheer joy. "Then all is _**WELL!!**_"

Kankuro and Temari sweatdropped. _Ignore…ignore…ignore…_

Tsunade really couldn't help but throw a paper fan at the duo. "Both of you: quiet. You're EMBARRASSING me."

"Feh, you lost all rights to public embarrassment as the Legendary Sucker."

_POW!_

Tsunade snarled as her fist impulsively left a decent imprint on Jiraiya's face. "Now, if you're done saying silly things…" The Hokage's gaze suddenly sharpened. "Did anything of particular importance occur?"

"…saying 'yes' would be understating it a great deal." Oh boy did it ever. The things Arashi had told him…were colossal. Earth-shattering. The secret of the Gatekeeper Golems, how they functioned…why Zabuza and Haku were 'alive' again…so many answers to questions he had in his head, including answers to things he had never even considered…

The origin of the worlds.

The creation of the Biju.

The creation of man.

The beginnings of the Uzumaki Clan.

The very birth of the shinobi itself.

And why Uzumaki Mantarou's rampage through Makai had to be stopped, no matter the cost.

Jiraiya mentally chuckled, a content grin on his face. Sarutobi Asuma had been noticeably taken aback by the whole deal, whilst Joudo Chiriku had possessed a look bordering on rapture. _Not surprising…bet that boy's just ITCHING to take time off to head back to the Temple of Fire. The stuff he's just learned would give the monks there enough to 'enlighten' them for years upon years._ "In any case, Tsunade-hime…I suggest you be on your toes. Today's Exams might be…interesting."

Tsunade frowned, wondering why Jiraiya was smiling. "…if you insist."

As the caravan began dissolving into its various components, the plethora of Ame-nin there slowly moved about in a loose formation. At its head were Hijikata Hanzou and Fuuma Pein. Both of them were…perturbed, to say the least.

"Have you noticed it?" muttered Hanzou.

"Hmm," concurred Pein, his eyes of circular gray rings gazing at one particular Sawa-nin. "A number of the Sawa-nin here are former Ame-nin." To be more precise, Rain ninja that hadn't escaped with the others over a month ago, during the clandestine mission of Konoha's ANBU. "Coercion, perhaps?"

Hanzou shook his head, dreading the consequences of where his current train of thought was taking him. "No…we passed through Amegakure yesterday on our way here. You saw the village."

Pein said nothing. Because what could he say?

A sense of calm, despite the presence of the River Army and the Marsh shinobi.

A populace that was rebuilding the damage from the invasion, with aid from River Country settlers.

A number of markets operating at full capacity.

A day without civil war.

It had been…an image that both Hanzou and Pein had been fighting for.

Hanzou mentally grimaced. What a blow to his pride! Peace was being achieved, and without his aid…both loyalists and rebels had been ousted. And yet, there were former Ame-nin…_joining_ them. Why? "I…am not a hundred percent sure…but…"

Pein said nothing, letting Hanzou slowly move on ahead. Deep within those gray eyes of his, calculating and thinking…nothing could be discerned.

He only glanced at one of his closest followers, who gazed back. Several hand signals were made in the blink of an eye, invisible to everyone…after all, their attention was on potential threats from the IKS. Or from without.

So it was that and an imperceptible nod that the former rebel Ame-nin calmly altered his pace, eventually ending up outside the group. He was one of those posted to go on patrol of Yosen anyway.

It was only ten minutes later that the single Rain ninja calmly and quietly left Yosen for Konoha.

xxxx

/VIP Suite Corridor, Gouhou Coliseum, Yosen, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

A single messenger stood before Oda Nobunaga, Katame Nagato, and Kirigami Konan inside the well-lit corridor, paneled with redwood and carpeted in red. But this news might have merited the floor turning red for…other reasons.

Nobunaga's eyes narrowed. "Kanaami Toushin reported a hostile engagement?"

"Hai, Oda-sama." The messenger bowed, his Marsh hitai-ate gleaming. "Toushin sent me after the regiment in the River Country was ambushed. A good number of men were killed…and I picked up reports from three of the other encampments during my travels. All of them had been attacked by an individual with spiky yellow hair and blue eyes."

Nagato's eyes dilated. "The Yellow Flash…he's onto us!"

"At least two ninja kept an eye on him last night," wearily reminded Konan. "He never moved at all from his spot. He talked with Sarutobi Asuma, Chiriku of the Hi no Goeinin, and Jiraiya of the Sannin for most of the night."

"Did they hear anything?"

"They only got within a mile of the hotel he was at," interjected Nobunaga. "Any closer, and they'd be spotted. Any attempts at using techniques geared toward espionage would've been sensed."

"Then who attacked the encampments?!" The Tsuchikage angrily glared at the messenger. "Did you get any message from the Earth Country encampment?!"

The messenger fiddled with the radio piece in his ear. "I tried contacting them on the frequency for their camp…no response."

No response.

NO RESPONSE?!

"This is…getting out of hand." Nagato glared at Nobunaga. "This is an active engagement against our forces. There must be a response to this."

Nobunaga sighed. "Indeed…there must be." How…unfortunate. _And I was looking forward to the Exams…oh well._ They would have to accelerate their plans. "Just prepare yourselves. Notify your fellow lords. Have the shinobi prepare. This coliseum is about to get quite…messy."

xxxx

/Gouhou Coliseum, Yosen, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

"Hm. Well-organized." Hyuga Hiashi's eyes quietly took note of the entire layout of the coliseum. Seats were organized by nation and village; denizens of the Fire Country sat in a large section of the eastern seats, with the shinobi of Konohagakure sitting closest to them. By their side sat the denizens of the Wind Country in a section all to themselves. To Konoha's other side were smaller sections, each dedicated to the smaller countries of Grass, Waterfall, and Snow. On the western half of the stadium, sections were divvyed up between those of the River, the Earth, the Lightning, and all the various other small countries that bordered the Earth and the Lightning. "Though, I question the dignity in classifying citizens of the former Rain Country as members of the River Country."

"I am sure dignity was not a question, otou-san." Hyuga Hinata gazed about their seats. The Hyuga sat silently between the shinobi and the civilians of Konoha; she could see Akari several seats away, whilst most of her friends were a number of seats below. "I…guess it's cruel, to lose your identity like that."

"The conquered must adapt or die," remarked Hiashi, fairly pleased at how Hinata was behaving. If nothing else, Hanabi's forced demotion to the Branch House had added a layer of mental toughness to his firstborn…at least, as far as public behavior was concerned. And that was fine by him. "I'm sure the presence of their former leaders must be…interesting to deal with."

Hinata really had nothing to say. The dark-haired girl sighed as she leaned back, ignoring the loudest sound (aka, the sound of Kiba trying to get Shino to gamble their next mission payment on who would ultimately win). All she cared for was Hanabi at the moment…was she okay?

Well, THAT was a silly question. That she had been treated in such a manner was **not** okay. She deserved better…all Hyuga did. The forced separation into Main and Branch, splitting families apart…why? For what purpose did it exist?

Sigh. Painful thoughts and memories.

Things were so complicated now…things had been so simpler when Naruto had still been there.

_Naruto-kun…_

Hinata sighed once more. Such weariness and pain…she wasn't used to it at all. This agonizing feeling of uncertainty and anxiety, knowing that one more facet of her world might decide to change on the fly at any given moment. For all she knew, things would change right now.

"The contestants are entering."

Hiashi's voice snapped Hinata out of her little reverie as trumpets played; large doors opened in the arena floor, allowing the Genin contestants to step out. The single team sent by Konoha. The several sent by Suna. Thirty by the IKS, a majority coming from Kumo. A few here and there from the various smaller countries. Her eyes fell upon Hanabi, her stride firm and laced with pride. _Hanabi-chan…you look…better, now._ Had her brief tenure with Asuma, Konohamaru, and Sasuke done some good?

"…who are those three with the Konoha hitai-ate?"

Hinata's _**Byakugan**_ impulsively activated, following her father's line of sight. Three cloaked shinobi, faces hidden by straw hats. All varying in height, with the tallest (goodness, he was TALL) bearing a giant blade. As Hiashi had said, they bore the symbol of Konoha; the headbands were wrapped around their right arms. "…I don't know. Who are they?"

Further down, Haruno Sakura's eyes widened at the sight of that blade. "Sai…that's Zabuza's blade."

Sai casually replied, "Hm."

"…they must be the grave robbers. The ones in the cloaks."

"They also bear the symbol of Konoha."

"That's what bothers me." Sakura gazed down at Sasuke, whose team stood quietly beside the cloaked shinobi. Who were they that so calmly masqueraded as ninja of the Hidden Leaf? In BROAD daylight?! A groan escaped the kunoichi's lips as she muttered, "Oh, I wish Yamato-sensei was here."

"How come?"

Sakura glanced at the expressionless shinobi. "He's shown a great deal of power, and his abilities helped us save the Wave Country from invasion. And this whole place…" Despite the supposedly festive atmosphere, complete with the haggling of merchants and the chattering audience, something just felt **WRONG**. The specter of the River Army, calmly circling about the town as they spoke? It was a feeling that was just so…_pronounced_. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. She would've loved to have a powerful Jonin she was personally familiar with on hand, in case things got too…tense. "…something just doesn't feel right."

"Too much testosterone?"

**POW!**

Sakura's teeth grinded together as Sai sported a new bump on his head. _Why do I even bother?_

"In any case…" Sai mentally tried to recall which honorific to use. _Taichou…? No, not sempai…ah._ "Yamato-sensei had to remain behind in Konoha to help keep the village fortified in the event of an attack. We have enough manpower allocated here as it is."

"Then explain why _they're_ here!" objected Sakura as she pointed at Team 10, sitting five rows down.

Sai could only look inquisitively, recalling the shinobi logs he had studiously read over time and time again. The blonde girl was the kunoichi with amnesia; the other two were her fellow teammates from their days as Genin. _Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Chouji_. How were there reactions to their teammate's 'blank slate'? _I wonder if she is experiencing the difficulties I face when trying to conceive certain things. Emotions, human interaction…are they as foreign to her, as they are to me?_ Analysis and observation would be mandated if she showed improvement. "I cannot say," finished Sai, his thoughts concealed beneath his silent countenance.

Speaking of Team 10…

Yamanaka Ino found the whole spectacle to be…wondrous, in a way. As a child stepping out into the world for the first time, this was her first time being amongst such a huge crowd. Was it? There were flickers of mental insight, trying to catch her attention. "I've…been told I'm a Chuunin…" She gazed towards Shikamaru. "Does that mean I…participated in one of these…'exams'?"

"Yup!" exclaimed Chouji with a grin. "You, Sakura, and I formed a temporary team so that we could become Chuunin. We all kicked butt too!"

"…what exactly did we do?"

"It varies," muttered Shikamaru, his eyes taking in the positions of all IKS shinobi throughout the stands. _Hm. How troublesome._ "Usually a series of trials that involve testing your intelligence, strategic thinking, combat prowess, and your aptitude as a shinobi. You three managed to do fine as it was."

Ino frowned, trying to connect what Chouji had said with what Shikamaru had said. "…so…is kicking butt an example of combat prowess?"

Shikamaru and Chouji just stared at each other. The former just sighed and leaned back. "Oy…Chouji, you tell her."

"Sure thing!" Shikamaru always reacted negatively to anything of effort (he would perform those tasks regardless), and the tedium of coaching Ino through information she had already learned long ago was somewhat of a pain. At least, that's how the Nara perceived. Chouji LOVED helping Ino out. After all, she wasn't going to get better on her own (not quickly, at any rate). That's what friends were for! "Okay Ino, the kind of test we had last time was-"

"**Attention all contestants: welcome to Gouhou Coliseum in the town of Yosen.**" All eyes turned to the single Sawa-nin standing in the center of the massive arena. "**I am Kuro Kajiru, and I'll be your proctor for the Chuunin Exams. Let's all give a warm welcome to our competitors today.**"

A wave of applause erupted from the crowd, filling the air with a dynamic ambience.

Such ambience was ignored by Yuhi Kurenai, whose eyes of shaded red glared intently at one of the Marsh ninja Genin teams…in particular, the tall adult clad in a white helmet. _Harada Ieyasu._ One of Oda Nobunaga's subordinates. He had been present during the attempted assassination on Tsunade. _Why are you down there…?_

Asuma, sitting right next to Kurenai in the front-row seats, blanched at the sudden spike of killing intent that emerged from her. _…I didn't do anything wrong, did I?_

Kurenai was not alone in her suspicion.

xxxx

/VIP Suite #1, Gouhou Coliseum, Yosen, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

"Nobunaga." Iga Tsunade delivered a subtle glare towards the leader of the Sawa-nin. "Why is your subordinate down there?"

Oda Nobunage smiled serenely. "Don't fret. He is still technically a Genin."

"And I wouldn't be surprised if he's at Jonin-level in strength."

"Of course. He's just more useful as a Genin."

Tsunade mentally scowled. _One more thing I don't need._

Munch munch.

The Hokage gazed over at Senju Hashirama, who was calmly eating popcorn. "Mmm. Good stuff."

A very nonchalant statement, considering how tense the atmosphere was. Gathered in the open-air VIP Suite – unique amongst all the suites of the coliseum, being the only one without a protective window covering – were the most prominent shinobi figures in the region.

Oda Nobunaga. Soui Numa, serving as his guard.

Katame Nagato, the Rokudaime Tsuchikage. Two Stone ANBU, clad in smooth white masks with a slim visor; embedded in the foreheads of the masks were a particular kind of rock. One bore an emerald, while the other bore a ruby. For the ANBU of Iwagakure, those gifted with gemstones were recognized as the most elite.

Kirigami Konan, the Shichidaime Raikage. Three Cloud ANBU, wearing masks of muted gray that bore no distinctive marks. However, they each possessed a unique weapon. One had twin scimitars: curved short swords. One with a naginata. The last with a sansetsukon: a three-section staff. The weapons themselves were the identification; the Black Ops shinobi of Kumogakure were geared towards weapons specialization. Aside from standard kunai and shuriken, each ANBU in Kumo was a master of one particular weapon.

Hijikata Hanzou the Salamander. Fuuma Pein the Undying.

Bachiatari Gaara, the Godaime Kazekage. Kankuro and Temari, serving as his guards.

Iga Tsunade, the Godaime Hokage. ANBU Unit #17 – consisting of Gininu, Jakuyamori, Moujinauru, and Kenryu – were on duty as her guardians.

Tobokeru Jiriaya, the Gama-Sennin of the Densetsu no Sannin.

Senju Hashirama, the Hachidaime Kajidaimyō. Joudo Chiriku of the Hi no Goeinin, serving as his guardian.

But it was the last person that had almost everyone on edge.

Kazama Arashi, the Yondaime Hokage. Supposedly deceased, but apparently not.

Tsunade glared quietly at Jiraiya, whose eyes remained fixated upon Harada Ieyasu in the ring. _My predecessor…Arashi…why is he here?!_ She wished that the drunkard had been forthcoming about what he had discovered during his time here. Things were just too surreal otherwise…it felt as though the slightest provocation would cause everything to blow up in a maelstrom of kunai and ninjutsu. _And yet Hashirama-sama is…acting so calmly._

The aforementioned Lord of Summer's Fire quietly turned towards Arashi. "So, I had thought you had died."

"…in some ways, I did. Fortunately, things have turned for the better," replied the Yondaime Hokage with a wide grin.

"Wonderful!" cheered Hashirama as he devoured another handful of popcorn. He was enjoying himself; this was bound to be quite the event. "I'm sure the other lords will be just tickled to hear that…speaking of which, where are my fellows? Ten no Chidaimyō-dono? Raidendaimyō-dono? Kamikazedaimyō-dono?"

"The Ten no Chidaimyō prefers the company of his fellow lords in Earth Country VIP Suite," replied the Tsuchikage. Strategic meetings, financial matters to cover. Boring things.

"Likewise," remarked the Raikage, feeling no need to mention how the lords of the Lightning Country tended to provide the Raidendaimyō with…very pleasurable company, to put it mildly. Concubines, gold, fine foods…the usual. It wasn't fitting behavior for a public audience, to say the least.

Gaara sighed. "The Kamikazedaimyō did not see fit to come to the Chuunin Exams."

The Kajidaimyō moped. "Ah…" He sighed out of remorse, gazing eastward towards the Konoha seats. "They're missing out on the best view."

Such trivial concerns passed over the shinobi that were present. A veritable wire…or perhaps, the edge of a blade. All looked calm and casual, yet were ready to move into combat at a moment's notice. It was a incredibly harrowing situation, one that would have made lesser warriors quiver with fear.

Kenryu was having a hard time as it was; as bad as it sounded, she was practically ITCHING for a scuffle to emerge…if only to release the tension. _Geez…how can they stand it?!_ Outwardly, she made no movements to indicate her stress.

It probably didn't help that, out of the one hundred seats in VIP Suite #1, Arashi had elected to sit right next to Nobunaga.

Such a bold proclamation if ever there was one. It literally _oozed_ with defiance at whatever the IKS was preparing.

"**Now, before we begin, a word from the organizer of these Chuunin Exams: leader of Sawagakure and Field Marshal of the River Army, Oda Nobunaga!**"

Kajiru's announcement elicited scattered concentrations of boos and jeers from the denizens o the Fire and Wind Countries. The cheers were much larger, coming from the peoples of the Earth and Lightning Countries. A surprising amount of applause came from the people of the former Rain Country.

Hanzou's heart briefly twinged at the sight of his former countrymen cheering the conquerors. _Why?_

Pein could only watch in silence. "…"

Nobunaga stood up, a small smile on his face. _A shame…I was so looking forward to these Exams. Oh well._ He calmly fidgeted with the dial pinned inside his ninja vest, setting the frequency to the stadium speakers (a cheaper solution in the short-term than setting up an actual intercom system). "**Greetings all. Welcome to the Gouhou Coliseum, where we are sure to witness splendid performances from our Genin. The Chuunin Exams in Yosen, with hospitality graciously provided by the River Country and any and all merchants who decided to set up shop.**"

Tsunade mentally seethed. _I see your angle. You're trying to let a bit of propaganda loose, aren't you?_

"**I'm sure the conditions are…different from previous years. After all, I speak as the head of another country, having conquered this one. Yet we do not seek a major change in lives on a local scale; merely a change in…management, so to speak. After all, are we not here at the Exams right now?**"

Tsunade called it perfectly. What galled her was the cheering. _Those fools should shut up. They're only going to encourage this pompous little-_

"**Despite everything that has occurred, I only hope that the transition is as smooth as possible. Life will go on…and in the end, that's all the really matters.**" Nobunaga briefly waved his arms outward, a grandiose gesture. "**So it is an honor, and to my great pleasure, that I announce these Chuunin Exams…**"

Another wave of cheering, a perfect way to capitalize on the jubilant air. These Exams were sure to be wondrous!

"…**officially cancelled.**"

A sudden silence, save for muddled murmurs. As though the entire audience had suddenly decided to say 'What the deuce?'

Nobunaga's lips widened into a satisfied sneer. "**Enjoy the Fourth Great Shinobi War.**" A quick click, and the frequency on his personal radio was changed. "Commence bombardment."

Silence.

_Boom…_

Muted peals of thunder.

_**KABOOM!!**_

A fiery storm of rock and rubble as shells – fired from the artillery stationed on the western edge of the valley that Yosen sat in – exploded upon the eastern section of Gouhou Coliseum.

Another frequency change. "All River Army soldiers; engage non-IKS personnel. Try to minimize civilian casualties." Another one. "All IKS shinobi…have fun."

A blade calmly set down upon his neck. "Quite a bold move…Nobunaga."

The Sawa-nin's brown eyes calmly gazed through his glasses at Kazama Arashi, who was smirking confidently at him.

Even now as chaos and hell unleashed themselves upon Yosen, the members of VIP Suite #1 had become awfully still. The Hokage, the Kazekage, the Kajidaimyō, and their guardians had leapt up along with Hanzou to one side of the suite. The Tsuchikage, the Raikage, their guardians, and Soui Numa had leapt up to the other side. Pein had remained in his seat, several feet behind Nobunaga and Arashi.

Hanzou stared at his former enemy. "Pein…?!"

"I'm weighing my options," calmly replied the former rebel leader. _How you will act in this situation…what course will be taken?_

Nobunaga smirked at Arashi. "You're quite the bold player, Yondaime Hokage."

"Likewise," replied the blond with a mirthful grin and a deadly serious gaze, a look only he could pull off successfully. "You've essentially triggered another world-wide war…you know that, right?"

The leader of Sawagakure chuckled. "The first round was to have been a test of agility: dodging bullets from rifles. The second round was to feature a more intense version of the obstacle course that River Army infantry face. The third round was to pit the survivors against each other in one-on-one battles, tournament-style. Then the Fourth Great Shinobi War would have commenced either way."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. _So he intended to go to war…no matter what we did._

"So why the change in plans?" asked Kajidaimyō, who was still calmly eating his popcorn (truth be told, this was one of the most exciting days of his life. And it would only get more exciting…that, and it would fully test the mettle of Konoha. As far as he was concerned, it was a win-win situation!).

"Well Kajidaimyō-sama…someone with blond hair and blue eyes attacked River Army personnel, Sawa-nin, Iwa-nin, and Kumo-nin…at five different locations miles upon miles apart from each other. All within the course of one night." Nobunaga's all-knowing sneer was punctuated by another artillery barrage, and the sounds of shinobi battle. Even now, multiple shinobi were moving outside of the coliseum for more room. "Does any of this sound…familiar?"

"Can't say it does," casually remarked Arashi. "In any case…it doesn't change your current situation, does it?"

The white-haired shinobi stared quietly at the blade that the Yondaime Hokage held against his neck. A chilling metal. But all Nobunaga did was look straight into Arashi's eyes…deep…down…and then he smirked. "No…I suppose it doesn't."

Now was the time.

The moment where everything went to hell.

In the blink of an eye, Nobunaga had spun away, spitting a huge globule of gray chakra at Arashi's torso. The Yellow Flash of Konoha could only blink before Nobunaga followed up with a spin kick, sending him high into the air and over the coliseum walls. The Sawa-nin had to fight to keep a maniacal grin off of his face.

Jiraiya stared. "Arashi…?"

"ARASHI!" howled Tsunade.

Hanzou immediately moved toward Nobunaga. _I'll end this-!_

**POW!**

Hanzou was sent flying…by a kick from Pein.

The shinobi of Konoha and Suna stared. Hanzou sputtered, "Pein…what is the meaning of this?!"

The orange-haired Ame-nin sighed. "It seems you're not quite as observant as I thought you were. Then again, you always seemed to forget my title of _**Fumetsu**_." The former rebel leader gazed down at the arena, where former Rain ninja – now bearing the colors of the Marsh – fought alongside the IKS. "The cheers were just another confirmation for me…but our passage through Amegakure on the way here only sealed my resolve."

"…for what?" growled Hanzou, his hands readjusting his headgear. He was starting to feel suspicious of his former enemy…was it possible that…?

"Tell me…what was it about Amegakure that seemed so different?"

Hanzou was silent.

"I'll tell you…" Pein's eyes narrowed. "No civil war."

_So that's why_, thought Hanzou with a scowl. _Damn it all…this is not what we need!_

"You may be satisfied with affairs as they are, but I have always wondered how my fellow countrymen were faring…as it turns out, they were faring far better than I could have hoped." The young man, his pierced face showing nothing but resolute determination, stood beside Nobunaga. "The River Army overthrew the Rain Country government…accomplishing my goal, so to speak. And it has proven itself a stronger, worthier replacement." He glanced at the Field Marshal of the River Army. "I will extend my services to the IKS."

Nobunaga smiled as he stared at the horrified looks upon his foes' faces. "We'll draft a formal agreement later…" He briefly smiled at the sight of the multiple shades of gray in Pein's eyes. _If only you knew the truth about your eyes…you'll certainly be interested in what I have to show you later._ It would only be another way of insuring the man's service to the IKS. Such formalities would have to wait, however. "…but for the time being, there is a battle to be joined." Jiraiya, the Kazekage, the Kajidaimyō…none mattered to him. Not to the extent of the Godaime Hokage. "I will face Iga Tsunade…_alone_."

The Slug Queen scowled, her eyes glaring at the smirking Sawa-nin. "It would be my pleasure." A few hand signals delivered a silent order to ANBU Unit #17: do not pursue. Destroy all enemies.

"The pleasure is mine." Nobunaga glanced over at Soui Numa. "Numa-san. Do watch over yourself."

"Eh, I'll be fine sir," nonchalantly replied the _**Suiken**_ user.

Nobunaga smiled. "I'm glad." He glanced one more time at Tsunade…and then he leapt onto the walls of the coliseum. Tsunade quickly followed.

Everyone else in the open-air suite just looked at each other.

In the end, Jiraiya could only nervously chuckle. "Boy…not exactly how I thought things would go…"

No movement. No jutsu. No attempted attacks. Nothing but an unbearable tenseness, and glares from one side to the other.

Something would have to give.

Senju Hashirama suddenly frowned. "Hm. Out of popcorn."

Joudo Chiriku quickly grabbed the Kajidaimyō and fled.

Hanzou and Pein leapt at each other.

Then everyone else moved.

The fight was on.

xxxx

/Minutes Ago/

/Arena, Gouhou Coliseum, Yosen, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

"**Enjoy the Fourth Great Shinobi War.**"

_Boom…_

_**KABOOM!!**_

Uchiha Sasuke stared quietly at the shells striking the stands behind him…and he could only grimace. _How wonderful._ Exams interrupted. Again. And this time, they hadn't even started yet! _This is going to become a regular occurrence…I just know it._

Konohamaru was more visibly displease. "WHAT THE CRAP?! I HAVEN'T EVEN DONE ANY COOL STUFF YET!"

Hanabi sweatdropped. "Shouldn't we be more concerned about other matters…?"

"_AGH!_"

A Genin of Suna shrieked as he was pierced by kunai from the nearest Iwa Genin. The Genin teams of the IKS immediately started attacking, eliciting a response from the opposing Genin teams…

Then several audience members stepped in.

"**SHANNARO!**"

A fist split the ground in two, creating a divide between multiple teams. A number of Konoha-nin jumped down to aid in battle, moving into action as quickly as possible: Sakura, Sai, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Rock Lee, Maito Gai, Asuma, and Kurenai had immediately entered the fray. The cigarette-smoking Jonin sighed as he stared apologetically at his temporary team. "Sorry guys…looks like the Exams are a no-go."

"It's okay Asuma-sensei," reassured Hanabi as he shifted into a _**Jūken**_ stance. "We must fight now."

"And about time too."

Everyone's gaze turned towards the other three shinobi in cloaks and straw hats, all of them bearing a Konoha hitai-ate around their right arm. The tallest one chuckled as he removed his straw hat.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, whilst Sakura's did exactly the opposite.

Momochi Zabuza stood there in all of his ill-gotten glory, his devilish grin masked by bandages. "I was getting bored."

A single Kumo Genin leapt at Zabuza, kunai in hand.

_**SLASH!**_

The fool was cleaved in half by Zabuza's deceptively quick zanbato. "Hmph." Eyes glazed quietly at Sasuke and Sakura. "Hm hm hm…well well well, the Uchiha and the pink-haired brat. It's been a while."

"Hn," grunted Sasuke, his guard raised from all angles. Even so, in an arena quickly becoming consumed by the frenzy of combat, he still maintained his face of stern calmness.

Zabuza chuckled. "Such a serious lad…they've all grown like weeds, haven't they Haku?"

"Indeed they have, Zabuza-sama." The smaller shinobi removed his straw hat, revealing the infamous Oinin mask that Sasuke and Sakura knew all too well. "It is a pleasure to see you all again."

Sasuke and Sakura had nothing to say, really.

Kiba, however, did. "Hey now, what gives?!"

"Momochi Zabuza. Haku. Two ninja of Kirigakure that fought Team Kakashi on a C-Rank-turned-A-Rank mission to the Wave Country," answered Sai, as though reciting passages from a book. "They were both supposedly killed in battle."

"And we were," replied Zabuza with a smirk.

"Then I'd like to know why you're standing here," demanded Sasuke with a hard voice. Now that they were actually standing here…he wanted answers.

Haku pointed to the smallest figure. "You will have to ask Naruto-kun for answers."

Cue the shattering of the world, at least for several figures involved. Even the frantic chaos of the battle about them seemed to fade away…a showcase of time stopping, even as war swept the land around them.

Time finally seemed to catch up when Hinata – fearfully, quietly, achingly, _hopefully?_ – squeaked, "N…_N-Naruto-kun?_"

The last of the trio removed his strawhat, revealing whisker marks, spiky yellow hair, and brilliant blue eyes that no one else could fake. A face that had disappeared months ago, screaming and pleading…a face that had been missed for so long. "Well…kind of. It's a long story."

Uzumaki Naruto.

Konohamau paled. "N…Naruto-nii-chan?"

"OOOH! Is that you Naruto-kun?!" exclaimed Rock Lee, his eyes flaming furiously with overwhelming jubilance. "Gai-sensei! NARUTO-KUN HAS RETURNED!!"

"**HA HA HA!** So he has! His brilliant fire could not be kept away forever!" heartily agreed the legless Jonin (a sight that had Naruto boggling; it was one thing to hear about from a kitsune, but to see it was something else entirely).

Naruto grinned, feeling that much better already. "Well, I know you all have a lot of questions…" He briefly glanced at Sasuke. "Some more than others."

Sasuke's _**Sharingan **_swirled. _You're damn right._ If nothing else, Sasuke wanted confirmation that the Kyuubi hadn't just been jerking him around. Sure, he had the tablet to tell him about the Nine Tails' involvement with Madara…but Orochi was something else altogether. And there was the fact that he was even HERE.

"…but we kind of have other things to deal with," finished the blond Jinchuriki.

"That you do."

All of the Konoha-nin turned towards the single Sawa Genin who had yet to launch an attack.

Harada Ieyasu.

Yuhi Kurenai tensed; this had been the first time the ninja had spoken. _He sounds young…younger than me at any rate…early 20s at the most._

The helmeted shinobi gazed at the group of fifteen ninja, his eyes hidden behind the opaque goggles. His gaze drifted from Naruto's group…to Kurenai…to Hanabi…to Hinata…and then settled on Sasuke. "Tell me…Hyuga and Uchiha…" His voice was young, boyish…yet laced with a confidence that made him seem so much more experienced. "Are you proud of your eyes?"

The question honestly took Hinata off-guard. _Huh?_

Not so much for Hanabi. "Of course!"

Or Sasuke. "Tch. What of it?"

Ieyasu gauged the skills of his opponents. An Uchiha that had managed to wound Numa. Two Hyuga. A number of Chuunin and Genin. A supposedly dead member of the Mist's Seven Legendary Swordsmen.

Tough odds…but nothing impossible.

"Then perhaps you'd be interested in facing an opponent with a _**kekkei genkai**_ superior to yours." Ieyasu lifted his goggles, sliding them into his helmet.

Everyone just STARED. They were eyes unlike any they had ever seen.

Six rings about a tiny black pupil…all varying shades of gray, save for the outer two. The outermost ring was pure blue. The second ring was pure green.

Shino frowned. He had never observed such eyes before…except possibly with the Ame-nin named Pein, when they had passed his team on that night over a month ago. _What kind of eye is that…?_

Harada Ieyasu shifted into a Taijutsu position. Chaos was abound, but he was in control. All enemies in sight would perish. "Behold: the _**Rin'negan**_…"

All that could be heard were the sounds of battle in the background. Explosions, bullets, shuriken, jutsu, screams…

Zabuza relished it all. "Heh. Well well…what an interesting development." He hefted _Kubikiri Houcho_ over his shoulders. "This should be fun!"

Uzumaki Naruto only scowled. _Great…what a homecoming._

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**The Fourth Great Ninja War Begins; A Hokage Battle Royale!**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: Blagh. Hate college.

But hey, new chapter! New stuff too. And new things reinvented from manga-land! Chiriku (who got so little time in the manga it's not even funny)! Konan! Evil Pein (sort of)! And hey do I spy a Rin'negan?!

Enjoy. Wish me luck on my finals!

See you soon, and please review!


	47. The Fourth Great Ninja War Begins

Author's Note: Well. Been a while.

I'll have you know my slump in writing output is universal across all stories. Tough when going through college, you know. Priorities and all that. No sense in apologizing for something beyond my control. You also might have noticed that there's been no rewrite of the other older chapters as I said…oh well. It'll come when it comes.

Though graduate school begins soon, so we'll see how the workload for that beast goes. This year will be quite something; do you know that the day I graduate will be the day I can legally buy alcohol? So it's a doubly significant day. It should also tell you that I have plenty of years ahead of me.

So don't fret. Because I won't abandon my work.

Though the changes in the _Naruto_ manga have been very interesting since the last update! Never thought Konoha would ever be destroyed…or that Naruto would utterly kick butt…or that Pain would nearly kill Hinata…or that Naruto would go past four tails…

o.o

Anyhow…

BEGIN!

xxxx

_**The Fourth Great Ninja War Begins; A Hokage Battle Royale!**_

xxxx

/_109 Days after Naruto Entered Makai_/

/_Day 1 of the Fourth Great Shinobi War_/

xxxx

_Journal of Koga Ryoku_

_September 3__rd__, Year 78 of the Age of Nations_

_Today is the day._

_Konoha has grown splendidly over the last seventy-eight years. Today the people of the village celebrate another glorious anniversary…oh how I wish that were the case. The people can only hunker down and prepare, for the drums of war continue to beat._

_The Third Great Ninja War continues on, and there seems to be no sign of the fight ever ending. Iwa and Kumo press on; scattered battles throughout the Rain prevent us from managing a united front against our hated foes. Were it not for Suna's own aims along their own northern borders, the persistence of the Hidden Grass, the take-no-prisoners mentality of the Hidden Rain, and the various disputes occurring within the Earth Country that started three years ago (our intelligence is so damned faulty, it surprises me that we actually know where their country's bloody capital is), the Hidden Stone and the Hidden Cloud would have both managed to overwhelm us. As is, we're at an uneasy stalemate, barely holding the line due to the might of our elite shinobi. Over three years now since the war began, and it shows no signs of ending any time soon._

_Now and then I hear word of the work of the Three Legendary Leafs. The Yellow Flash. The Metal Dragon. The __**Root**__ ANBU under the command of my nephew Danzo. Ino-Shika-Cho. Just a few of the formidable 'faces' of Konoha, able to inspire steel in our spines and fear in our enemies. I am especially pleased with how Danzo and Orochimaru are performing…Danzo has shown himself to be as ruthless in battle as his father, my elder brother Kondo (may he rest in peace)…and time and time again, I can't help but shiver at the sight of Orochimaru's yellow eyes. It's as if my father was back and in the flesh. A shame he does not bear the distinctive bloodline of the Koga…but alas, any hopes of retaining that power faded away when, on the eve of Mitsuhide's battle with Iga Nagi, my eldest brother Hajime fled from the village…_

_Forgive me for rambling about family-related matters…but this war has hit the Koga the hardest, as it has with the Iga. The two founding clans…have been whittled down to almost nothing. Our last attempt at invading the Lightning Country ended in disaster, crippling so many…now, the only Iga capable of fighting is Tsunade of the Sannin. _

_I am on my deathbed…and even now, I only feel hatred. A __**pox**__ on Iwa! A __**pox**__ on Kumo! Such cowards for sneaking into our village on that day three years ago…to think that they, under the guise of a diplomatic mission, would attack the clan grounds of the Iga and the Koga. Not aiming for any weapon. Not going for political figures._

_The children._

_Those accursed, damned cowards! The youngest generations of the Iga and the Koga, wiped out in an explosive instant. Word had soon come regarding the invasion of the Fire Country by Iwa-nin and Kumo-nin. By that time, war was upon us…and there was little time to mourn._

_My lungs quiver. I can feel blood in my throat as I shake with rage…but even I cannot help it. They had sought one thing and one thing only: to utterly ruin the founders of the Hidden Leaf Village._

_And they succeeded._

_Kondo is dead. I am dying. My dear grandson Orochimaru is the only one left of my line, ever since his parents – my precious son and his wife – perished in battle. Only Danzo's children, living for years now in the secure facilities of __**Ne**__, survived that horrific day. Reviving the Koga Clan now falls into the hands of my grandson and my nephew._

_I only wish the same could be said for the Iga…for the youngest of the clan is Nawaki, the brother of Tsunade. The demands of war are so high…for he has been a Genin for one year now. To think we're sending 10-year-olds out to scout…and sabotage…and fight…_

_I have pleaded with the Sandaime Hokage so many times to let the youngest of the Iga remain here in Konoha. But the damned Council's tied his hands; all shinobi must serve. The most we can do to accommodate the current circumstances is to keep him within the Fire Country's borders. And I've seen little Nawaki, his passion, his desire to fight for the sake of the Leaf…were it not for the precarious position of the Iga Clan, he would make me proud. And yet, if he were to perish, the youngest of the Iga would be Tsunade herself; reviving the Iga would fall entirely to her._

…_my cry for justice seems so pathetic. But I cannot help but despair. The founding families…they are in danger of passing away._

_I cannot help but wonder if this was destiny…if what began at the Valley of the End fated our clans, who once shared a bond as deep as blood, to splinter apart, to shatter…and pass away, like ashes in the winds._

…_father…why did you do it?_

_Why did you abandon Konoha?_

_Why did you abandon Nagi, your dearest friend?_

_Why did you abandon __us__?!_

_Why Koga Mitsuhide?! WHY?!_

_**I CURSE YOU!**__ I CURSE YOU WITH MY VERY LAST BREATH!_

(_The bottom of the page…is splattered with blood…_)

xxxx

/North of Yosen, Rain Province/

"Geez brat, you need to loosen up."

Uzumaki Naruto refused the urge to tear off Hidan's head. "You took three hours."

"I have a specific ritual to follow!"

The urge was growing. "You complained while you were doing it."

"Never said I liked it. Does the line 'hurts like hell' mean anything to you?"

Getting hard to ignore the urge. "You laid on the ground for half an hour."

"_His body serves as the channel by which I receive the souls of those whose blood comprises the seal._"

"COULDN'T YOU HAVE JUST TAKEN THE SOULS MORE QUICKLY?!"

"DON'T YELL AT JASHIN-SAMA!"

"_I like savoring my meal_."

Uzumaki Naruto would've jumped off the nearest cliff if he weren't a _**Kage Bunshin**_, thus rendering him useless for the battle to come. But Hidan and Jashin were both nearly insufferable.

After the slaughter of the River Army encampment, Hidan had drawn blood from all of the corpses, crafting a concoction with his own blood (it seemed being a servant of Jashin had the benefit of having prodigious blood production capabilities…given all the blood Hidan had leaked). Shaping it in the symbol of Jashin, he had then sampled the concoction (which, of course, had elicited a reaction of disgust from Naruto) and promptly transformed into…well, Hidan. Covered in black-and-white paint in the image of a skeleton.

Freaky.

Needless to say, the whole 'ritual' had wasted precious time.

Enough time to make Naruto scowl at the sound of artillery. "Looks like it's begun."

Hidan chuckled, his blackened skin making him seem as a corpse. "Heh heh heh…more heathens to sacrifice!"

"Just keep your hands off of Konoha and her allies. That includes Suna, Ame, Taki, and Kusa."

"I'm no moron, dumbass!" snorted Hidan. "IwaKumoSawa Alliance only!"

The hills in front of the duo suddenly leveled off, leading towards a cliff edge…

And what they saw…could only be described as fertile ground for bloodshed.

They could see the western lip of the valley, upon which they saw the backs of numerous artillery units targeting sections of the small town beyond. Men in River Army uniforms scurried about, changing targets and scouting movements of their enemies. Several Sawa-nin stood in silence by the artillery units, serving as their stoic protectors from any shinobi that would attempt silencing the cannons. Within the town itself was a frenzy of activity, the stadium, nearby obstacle course, and surrounding buildings all caught up in the crossfire of shinobi combat. A steady mass of civilians were being escorted out of the stadium and the town itself by multiple units of River Army infantry, backed up by _**Kurohyougunsha**_ and motorcycles. It was orderly as one could expect in a warzone…and given the number of daimyo and other VIPs, it seemed the shinobi forces were quite content on letting them move out without incident.

_Probably some lords still left in that stadium though…_

Uzumaki Naruto cracked his neck before turning to Hidan, the Jashinist priest staring hungrily at the men manning the artillery. "Ready?"

"Oh yeah…" Hidan gripped the Scepter of Jashin, an expression of near-rapture on his face. "You'll soon have a grand feast, Jashin-sama!"

"_I would expect nothing less, my faithful servant._"

Naruto knelt down, performing multiple hand signs. _Showtime_. "_**Katon; Hibashira no jutsu!**_" Palms to the ground.

Moments later, the nearest artillery unit exploded as fire erupted from the ground, tearing through it. Shocked soldiers and alert Sawa-nin turned-

"**YAHOOOO!!!**"

Only to pale at the sight of a man charging towards them, armed with a triple-bladed scythe and bearing skin burned black with fire. A veritable dead man, bleeding with every step…and yet that maddening _grin_ was almost too much to look at.

"LET'S SHARE SOME EXQUISITE PAIN, YOU HEATHENS!"

xxxx

/Arena, Gouhou Coliseum, Yosen, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

"Ah. The _**Rinnegan**_. The Samsara Eye."

Harada Ieyasu frowned.

So did Sasuke, looking at Naruto with a quirked eyebrow. _What the-?_ Sasuke had never even HEARD of this 'Samsara Eye'…and yet Naruto here…

"The first Bloodline Limit to ever exist, a collaborative effort between several of the tribes of **Makai** as an…offering of sorts, to appease the gods after repeated attacks upon **Ningenkai** aroused their anger. The first man to bear this doujutsu was the mythical _Rikudou Sennin_ Hattori Hanzou, long regarded as the very first user of ninjutsu. However, the man's descendants were scattered to the winds during the Bloodline War that afflicted the world and began the _**Sengoku Jidai**_. What remained of that _**kekkei genkai**_ has diluted over the years, to the point where only some facets of its powers are left here and there…though it seems you've got the real deal."

Everyone stared openly at Naruto, who had rattled off something as though it were a history lesson. And Naruto had HATED history (save for that regarding the Hokage) in the Academy.

Kiba's look of 'what the frick?!' said it all. "Uh…"

Konohamaru glanced at Asuma. "What did he just say?"

Naruto couldn't help but smirk. _Man, Kurama was right! It IS fun to show off how much you know._ Then again, it had been the Kyuubi-teme to insist that 'my host won't be a knuckle-dragging moron!'.

Stupid fox.

"Hmm. You know quite a bit. I had thought Oda-sama was the only one to know so much about the history of my bloodline…" Perhaps even more so. The origin of the _**Rinnegan**_ was even beyond Oda Nobunaga's knowledge. He would have to consult him about this young one's words. "But yes. You are correct." Ieyasu cracked his knuckles. "The _**Sage of the Six Paths**_…called such because of the six stages of his doujutsu. The _Chakra Path_ of blue…the _Taijutsu Path_ of green…the _Genjutsu Path_ of red…the _Ninjutsu Path_ of yellow…the _Senjutsu Path_ of white…and lastly, the _True Path_ of violet." The Sawa-nin shifted into a defense stance. "Unlocking each Path is an arduous task, I will admit…but the two Paths that I walk…will be enough for this battle."

Sasuke couldn't help but sneer. _How arrogant_. Not that he was one to complain, but who cared, honestly? All of his questions to Naruto could wait until this joker was put down.

"_**KONOHA SENPUU!!!**_"

Like a green flash, Lee's right foot was roaring towards Ieyasu's head.

What followed…could only be described as poetry in motion.

Ieyasu calmly grabbed the incoming foot with his left hand, yanking it downward across his torso before delivering a vicious right uppercut to Lee's gut. Gai, from his position upon Lee's back, swiftly jabbed at the helmeted Sawa-nin. A tilt of the head allowed him to barely miss the Jonin's fist, allowing him to retract his fist from Lee's stomach and latch onto his spandex-clad chest. A shifting of the feet...followed by a spin as momentum built up…and both hands released the Taijutsu specialist as he went sailing end over end, managing to land on his feet by the rest of the group. "Nice recovery my student!"

"Ah, but Gai-sensei…he was able to react so quickly!" Lee scowled. Were they dealing with yet another vaunted '_genius_'…?

"Perhaps…able to anticipate your actions, like the _**Sharingan**_?" muttered Asuma.

"In a sense." Ieyasu kept his multi-colored gaze upon the fifteen ninja gathered before him, even as the surrounding area raged with the sounds of clashing metal and screams. Chakra fluctuated wildly. "The Taijutsu Path…enables an innate understanding of the martial arts I gaze upon. I have seen many fighting styles throughout my young life…and I can perceive your weak points…your individual quirks…and with an instinctive knowledge of your fighting style, I can then respond as I wish."

Sasuke snorted. "A bastardized _**Sharingan**_, without any of the hard work involved." That was one of the irritating stereotypes of the Uchiha within Konoha; true, it was ridiculously simple to copy jutsu, techniques, and fighting styles. But what was the point if it was all reflex? The information may have been delivered straight into the mind, but it wasn't ingrained. It wasn't fully mastered (why else did he train day in and day out? Copying things had its own thrill, but what was the point if you hadn't mastered their intricacies?). Perhaps this was an inkling of what Lee had felt when he had exhibited the use of _**Gōken**_ against Gaara at the Chuunin Exams? "It won't be enough against us."

"Perhaps. But you have other worries aside from me."

The chaos of the arena suddenly decided to intrude. A group of Iwa-nin and Kumo-nin decided to intervene.

Asuma scowled as he clenched his gauntlets, letting wind-chakra covered needles fly before moving with his trench knives. "Stick to long distance with that guy!"

Kurenai stepped forward, her multi-colored eyes of red glaring at Nobunaga's powerful assistant. Memories of the underhanded assassination attempt of Tsunade-sama drifted to the forefront of her mind. "Hinata! Kiba! Shino! Assist Asuma; take down as many of the enemy as you can…and don't die!"

"Hai, sensei!" instinctively replied the three Chunnin. Kiba chuckled as he and Akamaru flexed their claws. "Let's go Akamaru!" The puppy howled as the duo leapt towards the Iwa-nin, followed quietly by Shino and his kikaichu horde. Hinata quietly looked at the Kumo-nin, their eyes glaring at her. _Hmm…it seems they still want my eyes._ Perhaps some measure of comeuppance would be warranted? Their actions had led to the sacrifice of Neji's father; THAT was truly unforgiveable. Alas…her unit was heading towards the Iwa-nin. She wasn't foolish enough to charge against enemy ninja on her own. Glancing behind her with her _**Byakugan**_, Hinata offered a silent prayer for the blonde Jinchuriki. _Be safe…Naruto-kun…_

For there would be plenty of questions to ask after this was all over.

Konohamaru and Hanabi moved up to Asuma's flanks. "What do we do Asuma-sensei?"

"Stick close to me; other than that, try and do as much damage as you can without getting yourselves killed!" The Jonin adeptly ducked under a kunai lunge as he decapitated a Kumo Chuunin with the blade of wind chakra extending from his trench knife.

Konohamaru gulped.

Hanabi only blinked. _So…this is it_. Do or die time. Time to show her worth…and her family was here. Even if they would be busy fighting for their own lives…she would do good by the name of both Konoha and the Hyuga. "Sarutobi-san." She smirked as chakra circulated through her keirakukei. "Let's do it."

Meanwhile, Gai and Lee had taken a liking to hitting various enemy ninja. In the face. '_Dynamic Entry_' indeed.

Zabuza and Haku gazed over at Naruto, who stood calmly several feet behind Sasuke, Sakura, and Sai. He really wanted to get a piece of the _**Rinnegan**_, but something told him that interfering with the reunion of Team 7 would be…unwarranted. _Oh well, not like I won't get another chance._ He could tell that Ieyasu would be a tough opponent…and would survive, barring an all-out attack that would (by necessity!) draw the attention of a Kage or two. "Oi brat, I'm gonna cut loose a little," snarled the swordsman as he hefted _Kubikiri Houcho_ over his shoulder.

"Enjoy yourselves!" cheerily said Naruto as the two former denizens of the Mist leapt into battle, Zabuza swinging his blade with reckless abandon while Haku served as his faithful sentinel. "I've got catching up to do anyway…" His cerulean eyes gazed happily upon Sasuke and Sakura. How long had it been anyway? _Too damn long…too bad it won't last_.

Stupid Kyuubi-teme.

"Naruto…" muttered Sakura, emerald eyes wide. This was so…surreal. How…how was this happening? He just shows up, out of the blue…right as the Fourth Great Ninja War erupts, plunging them into chaos. The spiking chakra levels about her ran roughshod over her senses. "How are…you back?"

"Technically, I'm not. I'm only a Shadow Clone." Naruto kept his gaze on Harada Ieyasu, knowing that the Sawa-nin was ready to attack at a moment's notice. "Like I said, I'll talk more about it once things settle down…but I'm gonna hang back and stick with ninjutsu."

Sasuke chuckled as his hand brushed the handle of his katana. "Coward. Then again, I don't mind doing all the hard work."

Naruto smirked as his eyes fell upon Sai. "And you…" What had Kitsozo said his name was? "…Sai, right?"

"That is correct, Uzumaki. I would be most appreciative if you do not whine."

Naruto blinked, too confused to get angry. _Now where did THAT come from?_ Naturally, he completely missed Sakura's facepalm. "Uh…okay…?"

"We can chat later," snapped Kurenai, her red eyes focused completely on their opponent, still keeping a few of her senses dedicated to their surroundings. "For now, we have an enemy to fight."

"Indeed you do," remarked Harada Ieyasu as he looked at his now-smaller group of opponents. At the forefront were Sasuke, Sakura, and Sai. Naruto and Kurenai both hung back, serving as the long-distance attackers.

Less opponents…but more room for them to maneuver. More leeway. A different sort of challenge at any rate.

But, like before, hardly an insurmountable one.

"HYAA!!!"

Sakura's fist caused the sod to split, forcing Ieyasu to leap away from the fissure that threatened to engulf him.

But Sasuke was already there, alongside twin beasts forged of ink; Ieyasu unsheathed a kodachi as he parried the Uchiha's katana, _**Rinnegan**_ staring stoically into the swirling _**Sharingan**_.

The battle was joined.

xxxx

Elsewhere within Gouhou Coliseum, Joudo Chiriku palmed an enemy Sawa-nin in the chest before following up with a swift kick to the neck. The man's laryngeal prominence – known more colloquially as the Adam's apple – caved into his throat, prompting Senju Hashirama to cheer. "Nice one!"

Chiriku sighed as he kept his eyes open, the corridors within the Coliseum echoing with clashing steel and bullets. "We're in the clear…for the moment." He needed backup. Multiple kata ensued, before he finally settled on the Tori hand seal. "_**Ninpou; En'youkaika!**_" His black eyes glowed white as his spirit opened a connection to one of the many kami at the Temple of Fire. "Ninja Art; Theurgical Enlightenment!"

As always, there was the briefest sensation…of absolute nirvana, as his soul made contact with that of the kami.

The one he had in mind answered his call.

_...WHY…DO YOU CALL…_

_I need your assistance in battle._

_I…HAVE NO TIME…TO OFFER YOU…_

_I am now aware of the events surrounding your ancestral home…Makai._

_WHO…REVEALED THIS…?_

_Kazama Arashi. Servant of the Hachibi._

That made the spirit recoil out of shock. _WHY…?_

_The events in Makai are more interconnected with Ningenkai than you might be aware of…and at the moment, I am fighting alongside Uzumaki Naruto._

…_THE HOST…OF THE KYUUBI…_

_I need your assistance. Please._

Silence, as the kami prickled at his thoughts…plunging into his memory.

_AH…I SEE…MY BRETHREN WILL BE MOST…ENLIGHTENED BY THIS KNOWLEDGE...OF CURRENT AFFAIRS…VERY WELL….I WILL GRANT YOU MY AID…_

Chiriku nodded grimly as his chakra surged. _I thank you, Gyatso of the Wind._ His eyes glowed brightly, his senses returning to the events of the real world.

The summoning of the spirit and their subsequent merging had taken less than a second.

Just as a small fire team of River Army infantry rounded the corner, rifles at the ready. "Enemy target!"

Chiriku spread his arms out as the rifles fired...but the bullets went nowhere, buffeted by a shield of wind. With a brief flick of his arms, the projectiles ricocheted backward, shattering the skulls of the five soldiers.

"Ah, excellent!" exclaimed the Kajidaimyō. He could only relax as the monk surrounded him with a sphere of wind, allowing him to levitate above the ground. There really was no reason to worry; even though he was in a warzone, he had faith in his military. And if he were to die…well, sure, that wouldn't be peachy. But he had a successor, the chain of command was still intact back at the Fire Country's capital…so why worry? Might as well enjoy the spectacle of ninja performing otherworldly feats.

"Are you okay, Senju-sama?"

"Just fine, Chiriku-kun. Let's leave this cramped stadium; I'm certain to be nothing more than a big target at any rate."

The monk only nodded as he kept his fist clenched, manipulating his new powers over the air to keep Hashirama protected within a sphere of wind. Vaulting into the air, he manipulated an orb of wind beneath him, rocketing him through the corridors of the Coliseum with his charge in tow.

For those who managed to get a glimpse, it looked as if Chiriku were sitting in midair.

But despite the fanciful image…his mind was far from at ease.

_Tsunade-sama…Jiraiya-sama…Asuma…Arashi-kun…be safe!_

xxxx

/North of Gouhou Coliseum, Yosen, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

Tobokeru Jiraiya looked upon the Tsuchikage with a wistful grin. "So…Katame Nagato. Been a while."

The Rokudaime Tsuchikage snorted as he shed his robes and hat. A head bearing closely-shaved brown hair complemented the scar going across his right eye, his lone green eye glaring at the Toad Sage. Brown leather armor covered his shoulders, torso, thighs, and shins, overlapping the bodysuit of chainmail. Metal plates adorned his forearms, and the leather armor on his chest bore the kanji for 'Fortress'. "I have no need to reminisce over past battles and the failure of my nation. I have since become the Rokudaime Tsuchikage, and I am now renowned as the _**Iwa no Toride!**_"

"Ah, the Fortress of Iwa. Iwagakure has never once been invaded during your reign." Jiraiya knew full well that this man was not one to take lightly. Despite his 'Arashiphobia', Nagato was a wily veteran whose catalogue of _**Doton**_ techniques rivaled (some say outmatched) those of the autonomous Yagami Clan, the same clan that the infamous Hiroto of Akatsuki had once belonged to. "But we're not at your home, and conditions are less than favorable for a one-on-one fight."

That was being awfully blunt.

Jiraiya calmly sidestepped the charge of an Iwa-nin, kicking the fool in the side before leaping above a spike of earth that merited a _**Rasengan**_ to the chest of the one responsible.

Nagato himself merely grunted as he caved in the skull of a zealous Suna-nin. "Indeed. Though the sound of the River Army is becoming quite…favorable."

Bullets. Tank cannons. Artillery shells.

Jiraiya and Nagato were now to the north of Gouhou Coliseum, nearly outside of Yosen. Motorcycles growled as they carried soldiers alongside the Panther Tanks; explosive shells caused the emptied prefab buildings to crumble, forcing shinobi into the open…into the path of infantry rifles.

One rifleman couldn't hope to compare with even a well-trained Genin…but it only took one shot.

Even a Jonin would be hard-pressed to avoid bullets if they came as hail.

"But honestly, I would prefer to face you alone." Nagato performed various hand seals. "_**Doton; Iwatoride no jutsu!**_" He slammed his palms into the ground. "Earth Element; Stone Fortress!"

A veritable monolith arose, hollow…yet durable. The kanji for 'Earth' was etched proudly on the outer walls, telegraphing the presence and power of the Tsuchikage. One hundred yards high…and with forty square yards of room inside.

Jiraiya whistled out of appreciation, their forms shadowed in the innards of the pillar. "Impressive."

"This fortress will be your tomb; it will be marked as the resting place of Konoha's Toad Sage…the _Gallant Jiraiya_…" Katame Nagato shifted his feet, his form a mere silhouette in the darkness. "The place where the Hidden Stone unleashed a crippling blow against the Hidden Leaf!"

"Now you're talking my language," casually remarked Jiraiya. "I've always been a sucker for climactic battles…they make for good stories." Save for some of his personal genjutsu (and he was NO genjutsu specialist in the strictest sense), he had no access to his toad jutsu…though, if what Arashi said was true…hmm. _I only hope I'm not pressed enough to have to find out._

"_**Doton; Kousotsu no jutsu!**_"

Jiraiya grimaced as rock seemed to _crawl_ onto Nagato's form, attracted by his surging chakra. _Earth Element…Armored Warrior. Damn it, he's going for the big guns._ "_**Fuuton; Geirufoosu!**_" A massive gust was expelled from Jiraiya's gullet, slamming Nagato against the walls of his own fortress…but no worse for the wear. All but his eyes were covered by layers of hardy rock, reinforced by chakra and nigh impenetrable. "_**Suiton; Kaisuihadou!**_" Jiraiya leapt backward, using chakra to 'glue' his feet to the wall as he expelled a torrent of blue water.

Nagato was not one to be so easily done in. "_**Doton; Yuukoku!**_" Chakra surged into his feet. "Earth Element; Deep Ravine!" Cracks erupted along the ground, delving deep into the earth, eagerly draining away at the water Jiraiya had spawned. "Gale Force and Ocean Surge…how pitiful. Don't tell me this is all you have!" Nagato immediately soared into the air towards Jiraiya's position.

The Gama Sennin bit back a curse as he skipped 'backwards', both combatants now standing perfectly horizontal relative to the ground. Jiraiya weaved and ducked as best as he could, doing his best to avoid the rocky fists of the Tsuchikage. Out of desperation, he leapt back to the ground, knowing full well it would provide his enemy a golden opportunity.

One that would not be wasted. "Foolish Konoha-nin! _**Doton; Iwahyou no jutsu!**_" Fragments of the wall suddenly began to form into perfect spheres. "Earth Element; Rock Hail!"

Jiraiya yelped as he began rolling and sidestepping the bombardment, the total number of stones obscured by the dark. _Gotta time this right!_

Nagato pumped his legs, soaring downward towards Jiraiya as he reared a fist. The Toad Hermit barely managed to turn around – an odd, strangely visible glint in his eyes – as the Tsuchikage roared. "HYOOOOOO!"

_**CRASH!!!**_

A plume of dust erupted from the ground, further obscuring the events within the pillar. Katame Nagato quickly expelled a burst a chakra, forcing the dust to settle to the ground…and then his eyes fell upon an odd sight.

A toad. "Rrrrbt."

Katame Nagato's eyes narrowed. "A summoning?"

"Rrrrrrrrrbt."

The Rokudaime Tsuchikage frowned at that croaking sound. It was…oddly alluring. Too alluring. _Hmm…either a summon…or an illusion…_

The toad stared blankly.

Nagato growled. "Kai!"

The toad vanished.

A massive burst of chakra suddenly came into being behind him.

Nagato blanched as a palm wielding a _**Rasengan**_ slammed into his back, boring into his armor and then his spine…and then his features darkened. As did the rest of him.

Jiraiya grimaced at the sight of mud wobbling and collapsing. _A Tsuchi Bunshin…just my luck._ Scratch _**Ninpou; Gamasaiminjutsu**_. Ninja Art; Toad Hypnotism…a rather rudimentary genjutsu, compared to some of the deadlier ones in existence. _Would've been more effective in conjunction with some of the other toads…_

Nagato calmly pulled himself out of one of the fissures, his gaze hidden in the shadow of the pillar. "Shall we continue?"

Jiraiya did not even need another moment to answer. "Of course."

xxxx

/Second Exam Grounds, Yosen, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

Hijikata Hanzou couldn't help but admire some of the work put into the 'obstacle course' (aka, part two of the cancelled Chuunin Exams).

It was clear from the outset that this obstacle course was far more challenging than anything a mere infantryman was expected to endure. 'More intense' indeed.

The starting point diverged into multiple paths through a whole field of tunnels, wooden poles, and hidden trapdoors. Seals etched into the ground would cause spike traps to spring, flames to erupt, walls to fall, shuriken to fly. The entire obstacle course burrowed into the ground, riddled with false directions and dead ends. Paths converged into choke points, and small arenas dotted the course; it was a veritable gauntlet, designed to test one's instincts and the ability of a leader to adequately allocate resources in the middle of battle. A way of testing Genin under pressure, to see if they could keep a clear head and act appropriately during the heat of the moment.

However, there was something to be said for simply plowing through all of the traps with sheer brute force.

"_**Suiton; Suisanshouuoudan no jutsu!**_"

A watery salamander crashed through a sprung wall of stone, opening the way for Hanzou to continue pursuing Fuuma Pein into the obstacle course.

The two suddenly stopped; they were inside an arena within the obstacle course, relatively isolated from the havoc engulfing Yosen on the surface.

Hanzou's dark eyes glared at his long-time opponent's pierced visage. "Do you really think that this move will end in your favor?"

Pein stared silently at his counterpart; the earthen arena was dimly lit by yellow light bulbs, with various observational equipment that would have relayed the events of the second exam to the people in the Gouhou Coliseum. Would have. Now…there were only the two rivals, in the midst of a new war's first bloody battle. It is with those thoughts that Pein replied, "You may be old enough to have let it slip by...but I have not forgotten about the nature of humanity."

Hanzou arched an eyebrow.

"This nature is one that I have known since I was young; that war will always exist. That which we seek to protect from unwarranted aggression can only be protected by force greater than the enemy's. But the consequence of such power is great indeed; the mere existence of that overwhelming force breeds hatred and resentment amongst those who feel oppressed by it…and the cycle of war continues onward." Pein flexed his fingers, his black cloak shrouding all but his head, hands, and feet. "It is…one of the weaknesses of humanity, I suppose. We can only do what we can to protect that which is within our grasp."

"And that is your reason? Because you feel that the IKS and the River Army will provide greater protection for the people of Amegakure and the rest of the Rain Country?"

"Yes." Pein retracted his hand into his cloak, unsheathing a black katana. "The people of Ame confirmed enough…out of respect for your desire for a safer Rain Country, I will offer you one chance to join me."

"I want no part of the River Army's world. It will only result in greater bloodshed!"

"So long as the IKS and the River Army keep the war away from Rain, I could care less." Pein raised his blade, aiming it at Hanzou's face. "You know well of my feelings on this matter; so long as Ame is protected and kept free for its people…the rest of the world could burn for all I care. As nothing more than a mere human, it's the best I can hope to achieve."

Hanzou frowned, his jaw grinding. The audacity of it all…and worst of all, if word of Pein's rebellion got back to Konoha…he had no clue how the Ame-nin would react. Would the former rebels simply get up and leave? Or would they continue the fight on Konoha's doorstep. "You've made your choice then…now LIVE WITH IT!" A flurry of kunai flew towards Pein. "_**Kunai kage bunshin no jutsu!**_" Now it was over one hundred.

Pein, holding tightly to his blade, performed one-handed seals with his other…for this was amongst his most used techniques. "_**Fuuton; Kazesekiryoku no jutsu!**_" Chakra swirled from his form, merging with the air…and a blast of wind deflected all of the projectiles, just as Hanzou came forward with twin kunai. The rebel leader grunted as he parried the kunai, leaping backward from the former head of Amegakure. "Tell me Hanzou, what was the motivation of your name? Did your parents think highly enough of your future to name you after the legendary Sage of the Six Paths? What would merit such a title?"

"I have lived as a ruler of Amegakure, trying my hardest to keep the people safe, to keep the nation of Rain stable!" Hanzou scowled as he leapt back, performing multiple hand signs. "I have traversed every corner of this country in my efforts to keep it safe, fighting war after war…I am well beneath the power of the ninja I was named after…but my ability was enough to make all assassination missions against me a fool's errand!" He knew where he was, most of all…and knew of the various underground rivers that ran through this region of the Rain Country. "_**Suiton; Hahonryū!**_" The ground rumbled and cracked; the tremors caused the entryways into the arena to collapse, even as water began to rocket into the room. "Water Element; Destructive Rapid Torrents."

Pein sighed as water began to feel the expanse. "Great is your power…but does it merit the title you carry? A true fool's errand is to boast without having what it takes to support it…" He slid his feet, letting his chakra surge. "That is why I will endeavor to remind you of the truth of _my_ title: _**Fumetsu**_…Fuuma Pein the Undying. _**Tsuusan Shintou!**_"

Hanzou scowled as he sealed his headgear, switching over to an internal air supply. _Total Osmosis…he's now absorbing oxygen from the water around him…_

This battle would be tricky.

His headgear had a finite supply of air, but the battle would definitely be over before it emptied. All he had to do was make Pein breathe…all Pein would have to do is break his headgear.

Hanzou would have only a brief amount of time (any Ame-nin worth their salt was able to hold their breath whilst moving for a substantial duration) to break out of the arena to get some air.

Pein would begin to drown…unless his ability with Total Osmosis was so finely-tuned that he could extract oxygen from the water in his lungs…had he trained for that sort of thing?

Alas, such thoughts were secondary.

All they had to do was kill the other.

The two rivals charged.

xxxx

/Within Gouhou Coliseum, Yosen, River Country Territory: Rain Province/

Bachiatari Gaara probably looked quite odd to a random observer.

After all, it's not everyday you see the Godaime Kazekage moving and writhing with swift, concise movements…dodging slips of paper that seemed to zoom at him from various angles.

Judging by the bodies of Suna-nin and Kumo-nin that had been caught in the melee (perhaps in an attempt to aid their respective Kages?), the paper was razor-sharp…and the Kazekage's abilities were somehow just as deadly. Beige cylinders that had been hidden under his blue-and-white robes – tied to the Suna hitai-ate wrapped around his waist – had held copious amounts of sand. A far lesser volume than his old gourd, but enough for his current fighting style and his lesser amount of chakra.

Much of that sand was now hardened over his fists, forming spiked gauntlets. A diminutive cloud flew about him, shifting to block, ward, and cut away at the paper blizzard. It was certainly no absolute defense like his Shield of Sand had been, and the tax on his chakra was _very_ noticeable…but he had learned to become quite efficient over the last few months.

But would it be enough?

"The loss of the demon within has been quite costly, hasn't it?"

Gaara's eyes narrowed, blood running down his cheek.

Out of the flurry of paper, some congealed together to form a face; chakra flourished through it, providing the color to form a human countenance rimmed by blue hair. The eyes of Kirigami Konan gazed quietly into Gaara's teal orbs. "It would have been intriguing to test my abilities against your 'absolute defense', as has been regaled to me by the forces of Iwa…sadly, you are at but a fraction of your strength."

"Strength can be lost, but it can also be gained in unforeseen ways." Gaara remained wary within the storm of paper whirling about him. The number of cuts in his uniform were annoying…but he had managed to avoid any death blows. "Your ability is intriguing on its own. A _**kekkei genkai**_?"

"It might be. It might not. I don't make a habit of unveiling facets of my power to enemies."

"Hmm." Gaara rolled to the side, avoiding a skewer of paper that had been coming from behind. He was not too proud to admit that the Shichidaime Raikage was beyond him. He had only been training under Gai-sensei and Lee-sensei for less than three months. But he needed a way to subdue her. Keep her occupied long enough to prevent her from wreaking havoc on allied shinobi.

Twin hands suddenly formed out of paper, levitating in midair by the Raikage's face. "_**Raiton**_; _**Denkikamisori no jutsu!**_" Following the hand signs, several dozen slips of paper crackled with electric chakra. "Lightning Element; Electric Razor!"

Gaara quickly leapt above the flurry of electrified paper, using chakra to stick to the ceiling. With a furious grunt, the Kazekage slammed his fists into the ceiling, causing a web of cracks to erupt...

Then it all crumbled.

The Godaime Kazekage quickly leapt backward as the ceiling collapsed upon the paper, burying it under the rubble. His teal orbs narrowed at the feel of circulating chakra beneath the debris. _She's not done yet_. Yet it would be enough to hold her off for some time.

Hopefully.

The Kazekage retreated, looking for opponents more suited to his talents.

Naught but a few minutes later, slips of paper began to slowly emerge from the rubble, coagulating into a serene face. "Hmm. He actually has the intelligence and fortitude to flee." Macho men so often overestimated the 'bravery' in making a last stand against those who would only annihilate you in an instant, particularly when nothing else was on the line. What courage was there in serving as a meat shield? To know your opponent would ultimately defeat you…and to then flee? Most would call it common cowardice.

Konan saw it as the mark of a smart leader.

_He has potential, even without the Shukaku._

Perhaps Suna still had some strength left in it after all.

The Raikage remained silent as she willed herself out of the debris.

xxxx

"Given your taste for the theatric…your choice of venue is somewhat odd."

Oda Nobunaga chuckled as he tilted his head, as though amused by the words. "I'm afraid it's simpler than that: I'd prefer to finish you off myself than to let an errant bullet do it for me."

Iga Tsunade snorted. "How kind."

It was an old food court of sorts, built inside a large two-story building; the fabricated outlets in the walls had been laden with the trappings and stands of various restaurants. They were all now abandoned, food trays sitting haphazardly on the long tables. The faint smell of cooking grease lingered. Stairs led up to even more tables, all of them granted a grand view of the obstacle course.

An obstacle course that now served as the battleground for ninja of all nationalities.

"You certainly could have been just a little more patient. A lot of people were looking forward to the Chuunin Exams."

Nobunaga smiled as he readjusted his glasses. "As far as I'm concerned, these Exams are nothing more than a formality; a village can promote who it pleases without the say of anyone else. The prime draw for these Exams…was which military force would appear superior: the River Army…or shinobi."

Tsunade scowled. "Your precious River Army. You'd be willing to upend the Hidden Villages for this new method of warfare? It will only increase the casualties on all sides!"

"Monetarily, it is cheaper…and as heartless as it is, that is how the lords and businesses supporting me financially view it. You of all people should know that attaching a price tag to human life is an endeavor few wish to embark upon."

"Then why?"

"Because of a dream. A goal. A necessity." Nobunaga kept his eyes locked on the Hokage, the two circling the room in silence. Their gazes were ironclad, never wavering. "The engine of war would've advanced in such a manner despite this. The discovery of petroleum wells in the River Country, Fire Country, and Lightning Country allowed for oil to be looked as something more than a source of light. It hasn't even been two decades since the first automotive vehicles were created; now we have construction vehicles, and ships without a need for sails. That such technology would have military applications shouldn't be a surprise…Tsunade-dono."

Tsunade grimaced. He had a point; despite the rather expensive nature of most oil-powered equipment, it had streamlined construction by an amazing degree. Given Snow Country and River Country's technological advances, it wouldn't be long before the idea of automated agriculture caught on (something that some of the Council members were lobbying her for, to increase production; couldn't they at least wait until the geopolitical tension eased up?!). "I'm not so narrow-minded as to not see the benefits of such technology…but its applications in war are too harrowing. As horrific as shinobi combat is, the alternative is far worse."

"That's not what I've been hearing."

"WELL **SCREW** WHAT YOU'VE HEARD!"

Nobunaga chuckled at Tsunade's outburst. "My my, so angry. Still sore over the assassination attempt?"

"Among other things." A quick kick sent a table soaring towards Nobunaga.

Impulsively, his two hands became alight with a gray aura; _**Bunshitoukai**_ met the table, splitting it in half as it passed by. The edges that had touched his hands were crumbling into dust even now.

"…you've confirmed it."

Nobunaga's brown eyes turned quietly towards Tsunade, a stern glare on her features. "Oh? What _have_ I confirmed?"

"…just exactly who you are, Oda Nobunaga…or rather, _**Koga**_ Nobunaga."

The leader of Sawagakure sneered, mocking the Hokage with a slow clap. "Bravo. We finally have a winner. I was surprised that my features didn't clue in you in sooner…then again, it has been a number of years since the Koga were of any importance in the Hidden Leaf."

"The white hair and brown eyes were present in over half of all Koga clansmen…but the use of _**Bunshitoukai**_…" Tsunade recalled the words of her grandfather's account of the battle with Mitsuhide. How, at the Valley of the End, before he could deliver the finishing blow, Mitsuhide's firstborn had intervened. "You're the descendant of Koga Hajime, aren't you?"

"The firstborn of Hajime's first child," amended Nobunaga. "As such, I bear the power that made Mitsuhide a feared adversary throughout the lands…though, such a power had to be kept under wraps if we were to avoid the wrath of the Shodai Hokage."

"My grandfather's journal is now the only record of the events of that battle…but he had resigned himself to letting people believe Mitsuhide had been killed." Iga Nagi had simply had enough of war. He had probably been content that Hajime had taken Mitsuhide away, never to appear in Konoha again. "His lone message to Mitsuhide was that he could go free with his son Hajime, provided he never rise against Konoha…it was the last favor he was willing to grant to his best friend."

Koga Nobunaga smiled wistfully. "Ah, the bond between the Iga and the Koga…deep as blood…though the incidents regarding both Mitsuhide and Orochimaru have done plenty to weaken that bond, hm?"

"Shut your mouth," snarled Tsunade. _You have no clue about Orochimaru…about the THING he was!_ "The Koga served Konoha faithfully, despite the treachery of Mitsuhide and Orochimaru…but there are no longer any left in Konoha."

"And once you die, the Iga will be no more."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "You won't be killing me here. The IKS will be stopped…and your precious war will end!"

"On the contrary, Tsunade-dono…it would benefit the entire world if this war continued on for a rather long time. In the long run, at any rate."

"You're sick!"

Koga Nobunaga smirked. "I see no reason to enlighten you as to the why and how." If only she knew how the events in Makai were going at the moment…this war was being started for ulterior motives, true…but at this point in time, it was a **NECESSITY** that it continue. "A true shame that the Yondaime Hokage won't be around to aid you…though, without his interference, the war is sure to last longer."

Tsunade scowled.

"Wherever he's been for the last fifteen years…he's dead now."

xxxx

Kazama Arashi stared silently at the dead, not a scratch on him.

_So it's begun._

As expected, the number of dead and dying were mostly River Army infantry. However, the number of casualties amongst Konoha-nin, Suna-nin, Ame-nin, Kusa-nin, and Taki-nin were…unexpectedly high. They were taking a bite out of the IKS forces, but the sheer ease with which a single bullet could kill in an instant…

It was slightly depressing. Part of him wanted to act as the Yondaime Hokage and aid Konoha and her allies. With _**Hiraishin**_, even the advanced weaponry would be hard-pressed to hit him…but no. He could not.

He had a higher calling.

With but a thought, Arashi's outer appearance rippled…and in place of his Konoha-nin apparel, he was clad in robes of gray, his back bearing the image of a white human skull wreathed in eight black tails. His golden yellow hair was held out of his eyes by a black headband, his cerulean eyes shimmering with a power not of this world. _Nobunaga's ability would have been a lot more troublesome were I anything more than a spirit in physical form…oh well, time to get to work._ Arashi reached for the white belt around his waist, where a kodachi and a golden bell were tied. "_To all the departed…death's bell now tolls for you._"

Little motes of light began to emerge from the corpses. Souls, cut from their physical forms. They would often wander before eventually winding up in the Netherworld: **Gekai**.

But…considering the affairs his master had to deal with…Arashi had to be far swifter with the transfer.

Arashi calmly opened his mouth, revealing a blue vortex that ended in a pinpoint of white; all of the souls were swiftly sucked in.

He stood stoically amongst the corpses, himself and the souls invisible to all.

His task done, Arashi moved on to the next portion of the killing fields.

xxxx

"Fourth or no Fourth, I do expect Konoha to live up to its reputation as 'elite of the elite' nonetheless. It should make this a war of attrition, which would be far more useful." Koga Nobunaga smiled at Tsunade's look of indignant rage. "Oh? Do you not like compliments?"

"This is all pointless…unneeded…WASTEFUL!" Tsunade kicked the ground, forcing Nobunaga to leap away from a deep fissure. "Looking forward to a war of _attrition_? Do you have any idea how _**INSULTING**_ that is to me?!"

"I can gather."

"Tell me the truth…" Tsunade cracked her knuckles. "At least for the sake of the bond of the Iga and the Koga…if you don't want to say so anyway, then I'll beat it out of you."

Nobunaga chuckled. "Ah…that precious _bond_…it would have been for the better had your grandfather acceded to the wisdom of Mitsuhide. Perhaps we wouldn't even be having this discussion at all…as a matter of fact, I know we wouldn't. Do you know why?"

"…"

"This small world of ours…so segmented and fragmented. The First Great Shinobi War was the one that fully ushered in the fact that ninja are the dominant power…but even ninja alone would not be able to unite everyone underneath one banner. That sort of talent required raw power…leadership…and things could have gone so much farther had Iga Nagi not relented and backed down. Can you imagine the idea of a single nation?"

Tsunade snorted. "You don't know your history. Everyone knows that the Shodai Hokage wanted the people of the world to determine their own fate; the chaos of the Second Great Shinobi War was proof enough that some people will be content to fight and live with constant bloodshed." The Hokage's eyes narrowed. "Are you telling me that Mitsuhide intended to go even further?"

"Yes. That's partially why he and the Shodai fought at the Valley of the End; they disagreed about the future of Konoha. Mitsuhide had a vision of the entire world under the banner of one power: Konohagakure…Nagi was far less ambitious."

"And that is a _**bad**_ thing? No one country can control the whole world, much less a single village!"

Nobunaga chuckled. "Your ignorance is really quite amusing…Mitsuhide, much like his descendant Orochimaru, was of a far higher standard than the rest of humanity."

_You have no clue how close you are to the truth_. Tsunade couldn't help but sneer, mirroring Nobunaga's smug expression. "Funny. Last I checked, they're both dead."

"And when does a man truly die? When their flesh rots? When their families move on? No…they only die when they are _forgotten_, when their ideas and dreams are lost for all time." Nobunaga paused in his never-ending stroll. "That is an ideal that has been espoused by Konoha since its inception: the **Will of Fire**, passed down from generation to generation. An admirable trait…but soon the world will know that the will of the Koga burns brighter and longer."

"And how would they know? The Koga of Konoha have all perished!"

Nobunaga smiled. Tsunade probably imagined that she knew things. How fun it would be…when he finally revealed the strings. "Can they truly be said to have been Koga? Can they truly be said to have been following the dreams of their ancestors? I would actually wager that Orochimaru embodied the ideals of the Koga more than anyone else in his generation."

"And what **are** those ideals? Never-ending war? Utter domination?"

"Yes to the last one…after all, what other way is there to ensure order? True peace?"

"A peace 'guaranteed' by threat of the sword is no true peace at all…and it'll never exist. Humanity doesn't deserve such perfection…no matter how much we may desire it."

"Ah, but one won't know until one tries, hm?" What a gutless woman! "You think you have an understanding of the limits of humanity, a clear view of their imperfections. But what is the point if you can't…mold them, _correct_ them?"

Tsunade's mental alarms were suddenly tripped. "You sound…far too much like Orochimaru for my liking."

Nobunaga innocently shrugged. "Ah, did you ever really know who Orochimaru was? How far his plans stretched?"

_More than you know_. "What I do know is enough to make any person's skin crawl…"

Koga Nobunaga was silent. Both had stopped their endless walk, keeping a quiet gaze on each other.

Then…Nobunaga decided to end this little chat.

"A true shame about the Iga and the Koga…I truly do think they might have been able to see the light…but it seems that my father disagreed…"

Tsunade arched an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"Ah, I'm referring to my father, Oda Shusen, the prior leader of Sawagakure…his opinion of Konoha was even more incendiary than mine…" Nobunaga's smiled widened. Imperceptibly. "It's quite a shame that he thought that retribution was warranted on both Iga and Koga…" Tsunade's confused expression made his smile wider…yet it was still so…maddeningly faint. "I'm sure it always mystified the people of Konoha at how…easily the Clan Grounds of the Iga and Koga were infiltrated…"

Tsunade's eyes widened.

"Inside job, hmm? Orochimaru was not watched so closely, even in those days…though it seems he was willing to give enough information to my father…" Nobunaga's smile was still imperceptible…though his glee was almost palpable. "I'm sure people must have wondered at how the security procedures were seen through so clearly."

…_what is he…?_ It couldn't be…was he saying…?

"Don't you wonder, sometimes?"

Tsunade's expression was clammy. _He's not…he couldn't be…._

"After that, a lot of measures were taken to ensure the survival of the two Founding Clans…"

_He couldn't…he didn't…he DIDN'T…_

"A shame they weren't thorough enough."

Tsunade's mind was roaring for her to attack now. But part of her wanted Nobunaga to continue…if only to give her a reason…

"My father's orders for that mission twenty years ago were quite specific…and to be honest, I relished the chance to carry out the will of my ancestors."

…to utterly…

"In retrospect, however, it seems like such a waste. I mean, the ones responsible were never even found…"

…**eviscerate** him.

"Tsunade-dono."

Tsunade hadn't realized how tightly her fists had been clenched. Blood trickled between her fingers. "…_**what**_?"

Nobunaga's smile finally became visible….and it was so innocently serene. "Would you like to know the last words Nawaki-kun said before I killed him?"

_I'm going to kill him._

"It was quite sweet…he said that he had promised you that he would become Hokage…"

_I…will __**KILL HIM!**_

A horrific noise erupted from Tsunade's throat; a snarling growl, strangled by her throat. The killing intent was so enormous, smothering, all-consuming…

And yet Nobunaga's smile was still serene. "I wonder how Orochimaru reacted when Nawaki's body went home…?"

Tsunade's fist caved in his skull.

**POOF!**

A Kawarimi with a Kage bunshin.

Tsunade's chocolate eyes glared murderously over her shoulder, where Koga Nobunaga stood with a smirk on his face. "I…won't forgive you…"

"Fine by me. I suppose we can consider the bond between our clans officially broken?"

"_**WHAT BOND?!?!**_" howled Tsunade as she charged forward, fully intent on tearing Nobunaga apart.

With that cry, the last fibers of the tie between the Iga and the Koga…were cut. Finally…and forever.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

_**The Onset of War! The Battle of Yosen Concludes!**_

xxxx

Author's Note: Well. I'm back. Hopefully for a while.

Hope the wait was worth it. With some REVELATIONS.

See you soon, and please review!


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